📢 Gate Square #MBG Posting Challenge# is Live— Post for MBG Rewards!
Want a share of 1,000 MBG? Get involved now—show your insights and real participation to become an MBG promoter!
💰 20 top posts will each win 50 MBG!
How to Participate:
1️⃣ Research the MBG project
Share your in-depth views on MBG’s fundamentals, community governance, development goals, and tokenomics, etc.
2️⃣ Join and share your real experience
Take part in MBG activities (CandyDrop, Launchpool, or spot trading), and post your screenshots, earnings, or step-by-step tutorials. Content can include profits, beginner-friendl
The Development History of meme coins: From Internet Jokes to a $10 Billion Market Transformation
Review and Analysis of the Development History of meme coin
Meme coin, as one of the most unique existences in the cryptocurrency field, embodies both cultural attributes and financial characteristics. Looking back at its development history is essentially reflecting on the collision between internet culture and financial speculation. From the initial sarcastic jokes to the virtual currency that now occupies a place in the market, meme coin is telling us through its own experience - in today's era, perhaps cultural resonance and community belief can drive value creation more than technical white papers.
1. Breaking Ground / Foundation Stage (2013-2016)
This period witnessed the original innovative journey of meme coins from zero to one, presenting a unique ecology where wild growth coexists with natural selection. Marked by the birth of DOGE in December 2013 and ending with the maturity of Ethereum smart contract technology in 2016, it constitutes the purest and most authentic "Genesis Era" in the history of meme coins.
Typical cases include:
Most meme coins in this stage are based on Bitcoin or Litecoin code forks, with an average active cycle of only 11.7 months. However, survivors like DOGE demonstrate remarkable vitality, laying the foundation for future development.
2. Dormant / Outburst Phase(2017-2021)
This period witnessed the transformation of meme coins from an edge subculture to mainstream financial assets. Marked by the popularization of the ERC-20 standard in 2017 as a technological turning point, and culminating in 2021 when SHIB set a historical market value, meme coins underwent a qualitative change from "internet jokes" to "phenomenal investment targets."
The maturity of smart contracts has restructured the issuance logic of meme coins, giving rise to a frenzy of "everything can be a meme". Typical cases include:
At this stage, meme coins began to try to integrate new concepts such as DeFi and NFTs, but were still mainly driven by speculation and community. The market scale rapidly expanded, and during the peak in 2021, the overall daily trading volume of the meme coin sector broke through 30 billion dollars.
3. Precipitation / Reconstruction Phase ( 2022-2025)
Since 2022, the meme coin market has undergone a deep adjustment from frenzy to rationality. Marked by the collapse of Terra in May 2022, and transitioning to the rise of the BRC-20 standard in 2023, the meme coin ecosystem is experiencing a brutal yet necessary revaluation of its value.
The issuance of meme coins in this stage relies more on public chain ecosystems ( such as Solana and Base ), and new narratives such as political finance ( PolitiFi ) and AI have emerged. Typical cases include:
During this period, meme coins face stricter regulatory scrutiny and market tests. Some projects are beginning to attempt a transition towards practicality, such as building games, DeFi ecosystems, etc. At the same time, new concepts like "AI+meme" are continuously emerging, injecting new vitality into the industry.
Future Outlook
Looking to the future, meme coin, as a typical product of the attention economy, will still maintain its unique position in the cryptocurrency field. However, its development faces many challenges:
Ultimately, the meme coins that can survive in this wave of淘沙 may become the key bridge connecting the crypto world and popular culture.