Why the truth behind Meme coins' surge is related to your social media posts

In May 2021, that explosive news— a token born in 2013 as a joke suddenly jumped into the top ten by market cap. Countless people stared at the Dogecoin candlestick chart in disbelief— a thing with a Shiba Inu avatar, how did it become worth billions of dollars?

Many’s first reaction was: this must be crazy. But the truth is actually hidden in every shared meme, beneath every “To the Moon” comment, and deeper within the cultural identity spontaneously formed by millions of holders.

The Market Unexpectedly Awakened by a “Joke”

Back in 2013. Programmers Billy Markus and Jackson Palmer initially wanted to create a satire—they used the popular Shiba Inu meme as a logo and set the token supply to infinity. At the time, it was basically mocking the fanaticism of cryptocurrency.

But this “satire” surprisingly attracted the first followers. Reddit users started tipping interesting posts with Dogecoin, the community organized charity events, and even crowdfunded sponsorships for racers and sports teams. No whitepaper, no technological breakthroughs, just pure community enthusiasm kept it alive. By 2021, at its peak, this joke coin soared to $0.74, with a market cap once exceeding $85 billion.

Elon Musk’s tweets certainly boosted its popularity, but what truly kept it alive for so long? It was the community members who persisted in creating memes and organizing activities. When other altcoins disappeared, Dogecoin holders kept playing. This cultural stickiness helped it survive a decade of bear markets.

The Power of Symbols Is Stronger Than You Think

In 2020, Shiba Inu (SHIB) appeared and straightforwardly called itself the “Dogecoin Killer.” But it copied the same formula: cute Shiba Inu image + community organization + the slogan “SHIB Army.” Every buyer felt they were participating in a cultural movement.

In 2021, SHIB’s price skyrocketed 120,000 times, with a peak market cap of $36 billion. Even more outrageous was PEPE in 2023, a token based on a popular meme, with no backing—just spontaneous sharing among netizens—its market cap broke $7 billion within two weeks.

Do you understand the logic behind these numbers? Meme coin prices don’t come from code. They come from how broad the cultural symbols themselves are. Just like Disney makes money from Mickey Mouse, Meme coins turn memes into tradable cultural assets. The more people recognize, use, and share a symbol, the more valuable it becomes.

Common Mistakes Newcomers Make

Many people buy Meme coins and then constantly urge the project team in communities to “pump” the price. But that’s actually the wrong approach.

Meme coins are fundamentally different from stocks or traditional cryptocurrencies. Stocks are backed by company performance; Bitcoin by blockchain technology. Meme coins? Their only “fundamentals” are community consensus and cultural dissemination. The project team is mostly a starter; the real “whales” are every holder.

Take PEPE as an example: no founders, no team—just netizens creating and sharing meme images on social platforms. When you share a PEPE meme or discuss how funny the frog is with friends, you’re actually “empowering” it—each share increases its cultural value.

Conversely, if the community only waits for the project team to pump the price, it’s like a group guarding a fish pond that can’t reproduce itself—eventually, they’ll run out of resources. Recently, hundreds of new Meme coins are born daily on certain chains, but 99% don’t last a week. Why? Because they only have code, no culture, and no community willing to spread them.

How Attention Becomes Monetized

In today’s era of information explosion, attention is the scarcest resource. Meme coins are essentially “attention securitization”—turning users’ focus, discussion, and sharing into tradable assets.

Social media algorithms naturally favor interesting content. A funny meme spreads ten times faster than a whitepaper; a phrase like “To the Moon” can trigger FOMO more than technical specs. When you post a Meme coin meme in your circle, you’re actually helping it capture others’ attention. That attention can eventually convert into purchases.

Why are some Meme coins on certain chains particularly active? Because they have fast transaction speeds, low fees, allowing retail investors to trade and share frequently. Technology is just infrastructure; the real engine is the “social currency” created by the community.

If You Want to Participate, Remember These

First Tip: Choose symbols you truly resonate with

Don’t buy Meme coins you don’t understand. If a meme bores you, don’t expect others to spread it. Most PEPE holders grew up with this meme—they share it out of genuine liking, not just for profit. This heartfelt enthusiasm is something no marketing can buy.

Second Tip: Be a sharer, not just a speculator

Instead of constantly asking “When will it pump,” think about how to let more people know about this Meme. Create a funny meme, write a joke, comment on related topics. Every creative share you make adds value to your holdings.

Third Tip: Approach with entertainment in mind

Meme coins are essentially “cultural lotteries.” While they have more cultural value than pure gambling, they remain highly speculative. Never invest more than you can afford to lose. Treat it like buying a ticket to an amusement park—having fun is the most important thing, making money is just an extra bonus.

The Financialization of Internet Culture

When we turn memes into cryptocurrencies, we’re essentially giving internet culture an “IPO.” Every surge in Meme coins is a grassroots cultural challenge to traditional finance.

But remember the core: without dissemination, there’s no value. The hype from project teams or KOLs is less powerful than that meme you’re about to post on your phone. Instead of passively waiting for others to pump, why not open your creative tools now and craft the cultural symbols of finance for this era?

In the attention economy, everyone has the potential to be their own whale.