From Shiba Inu to Frog, why Meme Coins Can Disrupt Financial Norms

In May 2021, a token created in 2013 that was originally just a community joke suddenly jumped into the top ten by cryptocurrency market cap. Dogecoin’s explosive rise shocked many, and more people were confused: why is this Shiba Inu avatar coin worth hundreds of billions of dollars?

The answer isn’t that complicated. Every shared meme, every “To the Moon” comment, the sense of identity spontaneously formed by millions of holders—that’s all there is. Today, let’s talk about where Meme Coin’s true value lies, and why community-driven spreading is more critical than project-led hype.

How a Joke Becomes an Asset

In 2013, two programmers, Billy Markus and Jackson Palmer, created Dogecoin to mock the speculative frenzy in the crypto space at the time. They used a Shiba Inu meme as the logo, set the supply to infinite—that was a thoroughly sarcastic move against cryptocurrencies.

Unexpectedly, this “joke” attracted genuine supporters. Reddit users started tipping interesting posts with it, the community organized charity events voluntarily, and even crowdfunded sponsorships for NASCAR drivers and the Jamaican bobsled team. Without a white paper or technological breakthroughs, Dogecoin survived purely on community enthusiasm. In 2021, it peaked at $0.74, with a market cap exceeding $85 billion.

Elon Musk’s tweets did push it over the edge, but what truly kept it alive was never endorsement from anyone—it’s the community. While other altcoins have long since faded, Dogecoin holders continue creating memes and organizing activities. This stickiness has allowed it to endure over a decade of bear markets.

The Power of Symbols

Shiba Inu (SHIB), which appeared in 2020, was a deliberate cultural experiment. It calls itself the “Dogecoin Killer,” but follows the same path—cute dog images plus the “SHIB Army” slogan turn every holder into part of this movement.

In 2021, SHIB’s price surged 120,000 times, with a peak market cap of $36 billion. Even more exaggerated is PEPE in 2023—a token based on the “Sad Frog” meme, with no backing or technical support, relying entirely on viral sharing by netizens. Its market cap broke through $7 billion in two weeks.

What does this prove? The price of Meme Coins isn’t derived from code but from the breadth of symbol dissemination. Just like Disney makes money from Mickey Mouse, these coins turn memes into tradable cultural assets. The more people recognize, use, and share a symbol, the higher its value.

Wrong Approaches

Many newcomers buy Meme Coins and constantly urge project teams to “pump” the price. But understanding the essence reveals this is the wrong direction.

Meme Coins are entirely different from stocks or traditional cryptocurrencies. Stocks are backed by company performance; Bitcoin by blockchain technology. Meme Coins’ “fundamentals” are only one thing—the community consensus and cultural spread. The project team is mostly just a launch platform; the real movers are every holder.

PEPE is a good example. No founders, no team—completely driven by spontaneous creation and sharing on Twitter and Telegram. When you share its images or discuss how absurd the frog is with friends, you’re empowering it—every share adds to its symbolic value.

Conversely, if the community only waits for the project team to act, it’s like guarding a pond that can’t reproduce itself—eventually, it will run dry. Hundreds of new Meme Coins are born daily on Pump.fun; 99% won’t last a week. The reason is simple: they have code but lack culture and community willingness to propagate.

What Truly Matters

In the age of information explosion, attention is the most scarce resource. Meme Coins are fundamentally “attention securitization”—turning focus, discussion, and sharing into tradable assets.

Platforms love interesting content, and Meme Coins are naturally designed for social media. A funny meme spreads faster than a white paper, and a phrase like “To the Moon” sparks more FOMO than technical specs. When you post a SHIB image among friends, you’re actually helping it grab others’ attention. That attention can ultimately turn into purchases.

Meme Coins on Solana and Base chains are especially active because these chains have fast transaction speeds and low fees, making frequent trading and sharing easier for retail investors. Technology is just infrastructure; the real engine is the “social currency” created by the community.

If you want to participate in this game, more important than watching K-line charts are these three points:

First, choose symbols you truly resonate with. Don’t buy Meme Coins you don’t understand. If a meme feels boring, don’t expect others to spread it. PEPE holders are mostly Gen Z users who grew up with this frog emoji—they share out of genuine liking, not just for profits.

Second, being a spreader is not the same as being a speculator. Instead of asking every day “when will it pump,” think about how to let more people know. Create interesting memes, write jokes, reply in related topics. Every creative share adds value to your holdings.

Third, invest with an entertainment mindset. Meme Coins are essentially “cultural lotteries.” They have more cultural value than pure gambling, but are still highly speculative. Never invest more than you can afford to lose—treat it like buying a ticket to an amusement park—fun is the most important, profit is a bonus.

Conclusion

Turning memes into cryptocurrencies is essentially an “IPO” for internet culture. Every sudden rise of a Meme Coin is grassroots culture invading traditional finance.

But remember: without dissemination, there’s no value. Project promises and KOL hype are less powerful than the image you’re about to post on social media. Instead of waiting for a “pump,” open your app now, and create cultural symbols of finance for this era.

In the attention economy, everyone can be their own market maker.