From Hype to Dead: CryptoQuant Data Shows Meme Coin Market Collapse

retroactive_airdrop · 2026-01-28T14:19:13+00:00

CryptoQuant CEO Ki Young Ju reveals that the meme coin sector has seen a rapid decline, from over 0.1 market share in early 2025 to just 0.0022% by January 2026. This dramatic shift highlights the volatility of the crypto market and the dangers of investing in meme coins.

retroactive_airdrop

2026-01-28 14:19:13

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CryptoQuant CEO Ki Young Ju recently presented compelling on-chain metrics indicating that the meme coin sector has experienced a dramatic reversal. The data paints a stark picture of how quickly market sentiment can shift in the crypto space, with the meme market losing momentum faster than many expected.

Market Share Plummets: The Numbers Behind Meme’s Decline

According to CryptoQuant’s analysis, meme coins represented a significant portion of altcoin trading activity in early 2025, with their market share peaking above 0.1. This all-time high marked the zenith of meme coin dominance during that period. However, the numbers have since compressed dramatically—falling below 0.04 as of Ki Young Ju’s statement. The most recent data from January 2026 shows an even steeper decline, with MEME’s market share now at just 0.0022%, underscoring the scale of the dead meme market that has emerged.

What Explains This Rapid Deterioration?

The shift from euphoric growth to market death reflects broader patterns in cryptocurrency cycles. When meme coins dominated altcoin activity above 0.1 in early 2025, retail investors were heavily engaged. The collapse below 0.04 and now to 0.0022% suggests capital has rotated elsewhere—toward Bitcoin, established altcoins, or entirely different risk assets. CryptoQuant’s metrics effectively demonstrate that the speculative fervor surrounding meme coins has substantially evaporated.

Implications for Crypto Investors

Ki Young Ju’s data-driven conclusion that “the meme market is dead” serves as a reality check for traders who bet heavily on these volatile assets. The transition from an all-time high to near-zero relevance in just over a year underscores the dangerous nature of meme coin investing. For the broader crypto community, it reinforces a crucial lesson: the dead meme phenomenon reminds investors that even sectors experiencing explosive growth can collapse with equal speed when underlying fundamentals fail to materialize.

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