Learn about memecoins from basics to trading strategies. Understand the risks, mechanics, and community-driven nature of these viral cryptocurrencies.
Lessons
8 Chapters
Duration
~2 Hours
Level
Beginner
Imagine you and your friends make up a funny sticker of a cartoon dog and you say, "Hey — let's pretend this dog is money!" That's pretty much how a memecoin starts: it's a cryptocurrency born out of a joke, a popular internet meme, or something that goes viral. According to Coinbase, memecoins are "cryptocurrencies often inspired by internet memes or trends … supported by enthusiastic online communities."
Unlike big cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin or Ethereum (which aim to solve big technical or financial problems), memecoins often don't have a serious underlying purpose other than fun, community, or culture.
Because of that, their value is mostly about how many people like them, talk about them, buy them, or share them. As one description puts it: "It's like a digital stock that tracks how popular a meme is."
So if you're new to this space: think of a memecoin as a digital-toy coin born from a joke, but traded like a real coin — which means it can go up or down in value, often wildly.