- 94% of meme coin holders additionally put money into Bitcoin and Ethereum later.
- US leads in meme coin adoption, with 31% beginning their crypto journey with them.
- Meme coins now have a mixed market cap of $74.4 billion.
Meme coins are not only a punchline in the crypto world.
A new research by Gemini suggests these internet-born tokens are actually the entry level for over 30% of new cryptocurrency customers throughout key markets like the US, UK, and Australia.
According to the State of Crypto 2025 report, meme coins corresponding to Dogecoin and PEPE will not be solely attracting first-time buyers but in addition performing as stepping stones into extra established digital belongings like Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH).
This discovering highlights a broader shift in investor behaviour and rising convergence between retail traits and institutional entry.
Gemini report reveals meme coins as crypto onboarding instruments
The report attracts on information from 7,205 respondents throughout six international locations and divulges that meme coins function early coaching instruments for new buyers.
In the US, 31% of those that personal each meme coins and conventional cryptocurrencies mentioned they purchased meme tokens first.
The pattern is mirrored throughout different markets, with 30% in Australia, 28% in the UK, 23% in Singapore, 22% in Italy, and 19% in France following the same sample.
This shift in entry behaviour displays meme coins’ rising position in demystifying wallets, decentralised exchanges, and tokenomics.
Gemini’s information reveals that 94% of meme coin holders ultimately put money into main cryptocurrencies.
This development underlines the incontrovertible fact that meme tokens act as gateways fairly than endpoints in crypto journeys.
Institutional crypto entry rises as meme coins achieve floor
The rising legitimacy of meme coins coincides with a major institutional push into digital belongings.
The Gemini report finds that 39% of US buyers now maintain crypto via exchange-traded funds (ETFs).
These regulated devices are bringing new credibility to the house and creating overlap with retail-driven segments like meme coins.
Combined market capitalisation for meme coins at the moment stands at $74.4 billion, in response to CoinGecko.
What began as parody has developed right into a significant vertical inside the broader crypto market.
The synergy between viral meme content material and professionalised funding automobiles means that crypto adoption is maturing in complexity and scale.
Adding additional momentum is the political backdrop in the US. President Donald Trump has voiced help for crypto, even proposing the creation of a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve.
His stance aligns with a wider regulatory shift that features approvals for spot Bitcoin ETFs.
Together, these elements contribute to a local weather that helps each the leisure worth of meme coins and the monetary rigour of conventional crypto investments.
Community engagement now drives meme coin valuation
The newest sentiment from business insiders helps the rising seriousness round meme coin funding.
Justin Sun, founding father of Tron and an advisor to Huobi Global, also commented on this trend.
He highlighted that success in meme coins requires greater than virality—it calls for real neighborhood engagement.
For Sun, this implies trying past follower counts to precise participation and curiosity.
He described meme coin initiatives as requiring the similar stage of dedication as main crypto platforms to realize traction and obtain long-term viability.
