In 2024, the memecoin market experienced explosive growth, with emerging projects capturing investor attention through strong community engagement and viral appeal. MEXC Research, the research arm of leading crypto exchange MEXC, released its annual report naming the Top 10 Memecoins of 2024: NEIROCTO, PNUT, ACT, BOME, MOODENG, FWOG, MOG, POPCAT, CHILLGUY, and LUCE. Many of these tokens were first listed on MEXC, providing early access to traders before they rallied on major exchanges like Binance.
Market Trends: From Jokes to Social Responsibility
The report observes that memecoins were once criticized for lacking utility. However, in 2024, many projects shifted focus to community-driven growth and tangible real-world impact. For example, $PNUT, which honors a squirrel named Peanut and supports animal conservation efforts, illustrates the rising social responsibility within the memecoin space. According to CoinTelegraph, by 2024 memecoins became the fastest-growing segment in crypto, with top performers achieving an average return of +1300%.
Top 10 Memecoin Highlights
NEIROCTO (NEIRO): Inspired by Dogecoin owner Kabosu's rescue dog, branded as the 'next-generation Big Dog.' After its initial listing on MEXC, it was subsequently listed on Binance, sending its market capitalization skyrocketing and attracting significant investor interest.
PNUT: A Solana-based memecoin paying tribute to Peanut, a pet squirrel euthanized by authorities. PNUT saw substantial momentum after MEXC's initial listing, followed by a Binance listing, making it one of the most prominent animal-themed memecoins.
ACT: An innovative 'AI + Crypto' token that merges artificial intelligence with digital assets. After early listing on MEXC, ACT was later listed on Binance, with its market capitalization quickly surging to hundreds of millions of dollars.
BOME (BOOK OF MEME): Launched on March 10, 2024, by Darkfarms—the artist behind famous Pepe memes—BOME surged 3,000% within days. It aims to create a permanent digital archive for meme culture using decentralized storage like Arweave and IPFS.
MOODENG: Inspired by 'Moo Deng,' a famous pygmy hippopotamus from a Thai zoo. MEXC recognized its potential early and listed it, leading to a price surge of 6,900%.
FWOG: A frog-themed memecoin on Solana that rebranded from Flog. After being listed on MEXC, its market capitalization soared to around $700 million, with a peak gain of 10,033%.
MOG: Dubbed the 'first cat coin' and 'first culture coin,' MOG represents a Chinese cultural phenomenon integrating religion, community, and lifestyle. MEXC was an early supporter; the token saw a peak gain of 4,950%.
POPCAT: Based on the popular 'mischievous cat' meme with an open mouth expression, POPCAT embodies viral internet culture. MEXC listed it early, and it achieved a peak gain of 4,100%.
CHILLGUY: A Solana meme token created in 2023 by artist Phillip Banks. The hoodie-clad character went viral on TikTok, especially among Gen Z. MEXC early listing led to a peak gain of 831%.
LUCE: A Solana memecoin inspired by the Vatican's 2025 Jubilee Year mascot 'Luce' (Italian for 'light'). MEXC listed it early, and it saw a peak gain of 3,340%.
The report warns that memecoin investments are highly speculative, driven by market sentiment and social media trends, with extreme volatility. Investors should conduct thorough due diligence and exercise caution.