Scope & method. “Top-performing” here means tokens that (a) set notable market-cap or price milestones and (b) were broadly covered by reputable industry press in the last four years.
It’s not every meme coin just the ones that clearly led their chain or the wider market at key moments.
Where possible, I note concrete milestones and cite sources.
The big picture (why these coins “won”)
From 2021’s dog-coin mania (DOGE, SHIB) to 2023–2024’s Solana/Base explosion (BONK, WIF, BOME, BRETT) and a volatile 2025, meme coins repeatedly outperformed entire sectors during risk-on phases then gave back large chunks in risk-off stretches.
Solana (SOL)
BONK (2023 → )
- Broke out with major exchange listings; spiked ~40% on a Coinbase listing in Dec. 2023 and remains a liquidity magnet on SOL.
- Continues to be actively traded in 2025.
Why it mattered
Low fees + fast blocks on Solana let BONK become a “beta play” on SOL flows and a gateway for new retail during SOL’s resurgence. Sector reports repeatedly flagged SOL memecoins leading daily gains. CoinDesk
dogwifhat (WIF) (late-2023/2024)
- Ran to multi-billion market cap in months; surged 48% in a day and later briefly became the #3 meme coin by cap.
- Cultural catalysts (e.g., the original pink-hat photo auction) reinforced brand momentum.
BOOK OF MEME (BOME) (2024)
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Legendary launch: >57,000% in its first days; ATH near $0.0269 in mid-March 2024.
POPCAT (2024)
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First cat-themed coin to cross $1B market cap; emblematic of SOL’s broad meme rotation.
Ethereum (ETH)
Shiba Inu (SHIB) (2021)
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“Uptober” 2021 saw +765% in a single month; SHIB hit record highs and briefly rivaled large-cap names by market value.
PEPE (2023 → )
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The 2023 breakout: sprinted from launch to >$1–2B market cap within weeks, minting instant millionaires; later reclaimed ATHs in late-2024.
MOG (2024 → )
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ETH meme that ripped to highs alongside Ether ETF optimism; later became a cultural touchpoint (the “mog/acc” meme), triggering sharp rallies.
BNB Chain (Binance)
FLOKI (multichain; prominent on BNB)
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One of BNB Chain’s most visible memes; led BNB-ecosystem gains during the chain’s 2024 resurgence and hit new highs in early 2024.
Baby Doge Coin (BABYDOGE) (2021 → )
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Early BSC phenom: within weeks of launch in 2021 it grew to $200M market value and 160k holders; later price action remained highly news-sensitive.
SafeMoon (SFM) (2021 cycle)
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Polarizing but undeniably huge in 2021: peaked near $17B market cap that spring (since faded).
Base (an Ethereum L2)
BRETT (2024 → )
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Base’s poster child; part of the meme-led Base surge where multiple tokens ran triple digits and volumes topped $1B in aggregate.
DEGEN (2024 → )
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Farcaster-born, catalyzed Base activity; listings and ecosystem spin-outs (e.g., “Degen Chain”) amplified attention.
Pulsechain (PLS)
Pulsechain’s meme scene is younger and more volatile. Coverage from mainstream outlets is thinner, so “leaders” tend to rotate quickly; dashboards like CoinGecko’s Pulsechain category and GeckoTerminal’s Pulsechain meme view are best for up-to-the-minute activity.
Other blockchains worth noting
Dogecoin (native DOGE chain)
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The original meme asset. In 2021 it soared >12,000% to an ATH near $0.74, then remained a top-cap meme through subsequent cycles.
Year-by-year snapshot
2021: The dog-coin year
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DOGE and SHIB defined the cycle; DOGE >12,000% YTD at peak; SHIB rocketed +765% in October and hit record highs.
2022: Bear market
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Most memes retraced; leadership concentrated in the legacy pair (DOGE, SHIB). (General market context; no single breakout dominated mainstream coverage.)
2023: PEPE mania & Solana revival
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PEPE sprinted to multi-billion valuation within weeks, spiking ETH gas, while BONK revived SOL’s meme narrative.
2024: Solana/Base supercycle
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WIF, BOME, POPCAT on Solana and BRETT/DEGEN on Base led risk-on flows; ETH side memes (PEPE, MOG) also set highs.
2025 YTD: Choppy comedown
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Sector pulled back sharply from late-2024 peaks; dispersion increased across chains.
What to watch next (quick takeaways)
- Chains with cheap, fast tx (Solana, Base) remain fertile ground for meme rotations.
- Cultural catalysts (auctions, listings, influencer attention) still move price—fast.
- Liquidity & risk dominate outcomes: winners get order-flow and CEX exposure; most others fade. (Synthesis of sources above.)
Sources (APA)
CoinDesk. (2023, December 14). Meme coin BONK spikes 40% on Coinbase listing. https://www.coindesk.com/ CoinDesk
CoinDesk. (2024, March 6). Solana meme coin Dogwifhat surges 48% to record. https://www.coindesk.com/ CoinDesk
CoinDesk. (2024, March 29). Dogwifhat becomes third-largest meme coin as Bitcoin clings to $70K. https://www.coindesk.com/ CoinDesk
CoinDesk. (2024, March 25). Base blockchain transactions jump on meme-coin-led frenzy. https://www.coindesk.com/ CoinDesk
CoinDesk. (2023, May 8). Meme-coin trading volume surges to two-year highs as PEPE frenzy grips market. https://www.coindesk.com/ CoinDesk
CoinDesk. (2024, May 27). Ethereum meme coins PEPE, MOG hit lifetime highs on Ether ETF approvals. https://www.coindesk.com/ CoinDesk
CoinDesk. (2021, November 1). Meme tokens led ‘Uptober’ as SHIB mooned 765%. https://www.coindesk.com/ CoinDesk
CoinDesk. (2025, July 8). FLOKI explodes 12% on massive volume. https://www.coindesk.com/ CoinDesk
CoinDesk. (2025, May 7). MOG coin soars as ‘mog/acc’ memes spread. https://www.coindesk.com/ CoinDesk
Cointelegraph. (2024, April 18). Memecoin sector’s growth & new leaders (BOME, BRETT, MEW). https://www.cointelegraph.com/ Cointelegraph
Cointelegraph. (2024, November 14). PEPE rallies to new all-time highs. https://www.cointelegraph.com/ Cointelegraph
Crypto.com University. (2024, May 31). What is Floki and how to buy it? https://crypto.com/ Crypto.com
Reuters. (2021, December 30). YEARENDER: The year of the Doge? Dogecoin soared over 12,000%. https://www.reuters.com/ Reuters
Bybit. (n.d.). BOOK OF MEME (BOME) price; ATH $0.02688878 on Mar 16, 2024. https://www.bybit.com/ Bybit
CoinDesk. (2024, July 22). POPCAT crosses $1B; MOG rallies. https://www.coindesk.com/ CoinDesk
CoinDesk. (2024, March 18). Original dogwifhat photo sells for 1,210 ETH; WIF rises. https://www.coindesk.com/ CoinDesk
CoinDesk. (2024, June 5). BNB Chain ecosystem heats up; FLOKI leads. https://www.coindesk.com/ CoinDesk
CoinMarketCap Academy. (2021). What is Baby Doge Coin? https://coinmarketcap.com/academy/ CoinMarketCap
CoinDesk. (2025, February 14). SafeMoon to launch new token; peaked near $17B cap in 2021. https://www.coindesk.com/ CoinDesk
CoinDesk. (2024, November 22). Solana’s surge aided by meme-coin activity. https://www.coindesk.com/ CoinDesk
Nansen. (2025, May 23). What is the memecoin supercycle? https://www.nansen.ai/ Nansen
CoinGecko. (n.d.). Top Pulsechain ecosystem coins. https://www.coingecko.com/ CoinGecko
GeckoTerminal. (n.d.). Pulsechain meme tokens (real-time view). https://www.geckoterminal.com/ GeckoTerminal
