Meme Tokens Surge as Cardano's Steady Growth May Miss Next Crypto Boom

Cardano, a cryptocurrency known for its steady growth, may not be part of the next crypto boom. The market is shifting towards coins that gain viral momentum rather than those that build quietly. While ADA continues to develop in the background, the next boom will likely be led by tokens that capture the internet's attention.

One such token is Little Pepe (LILPEPE), a meme chain that has already raised over $1.82 million in its presale. With more than 1.66 billion tokens claimed in Stage 3, LILPEPE is gaining traction due to its strong fundamentals and community support. The token is priced at $0.0012 and is set to list at $0.003, offering a 2.5 times head start for early investors. LILPEPE aims to provide a smarter launch with anti-bot protections and a way to build viral projects without the risk of being dumped on.

PEPE, another meme coin, made its mark in 2023 by turning a joke into a multi-billion-dollar ecosystem. With a $5.4 billion market cap, PEPE is one of the most liquid and closely watched meme coins. Its deflationary tokenomics and high meme velocity make it a trader's dream, despite its volatility. If the market heats up, PEPE is positioned to catch fire quickly.

Milady (LADYS) is another token that has gained attention with its supply gimmick of 888 trillion tokens and massive burns early on. Listed across major exchanges, LADYS tends to spike when NFTs trend or when other meme tokens rally. Its volatility and risk make it a favorite among meme traders.

Pudgy Penguins (PENGU) is an extension of the globally recognized Pudgy Penguins NFT brand. With a capped supply of 88.88 billion tokens and airdrops to NFT holders, PENGU is a slow-burn meme coin with authentic branding. Unlike many meme tokens, PENGU focuses on brand-driven growth rather than pump-and-dump schemes. As the NFT world revives and cross-branding takes over in crypto merch, Pudgy Penguins will continue to push forward.

AIXBT, launched in late 2024, leans into the AI narrative as the governance and rewards token of the “Virtuals Protocol,” a community-led AI oracle project. With a market cap of over $40 million and solid exchange listings, AIXBT has early momentum. If AI coins surge again, AIXBT could run fast, especially with crypto Twitter poised to ride any AI-branded trend.

DEGEN is the rawest meme on this list, airdropped as a joke to users of a Farcaster channel called “/degen.” With a tiny 100M supply and zero expectations, DEGEN experienced explosive growth in early 2025, delivering 10x or more gains in just weeks. DEGEN thrives on attention and culture, making it a potential rally coin if the memecoin mania hits full speed.

The next bull run is likely to reward high-engagement tokens with viral energy and real-time community traction. LILPEPE, PEPE, LADYS, PENGU, AIXBT, and DEGEN are all riding this wave. ADA, with its slow and steady approach, may miss out on this moment. Less than 30% of LILPEPE remains in stage 3, and once it lists at $0.003, this frog’s already halfway to the moon.