The 2025 hype cycle is fast approaching as total market cap nears a record $4.2 trillion. Similar to earlier supercycles, meme coins are again in the spotlight. While Shiba Inu (SHIB) struggles with setbacks, fresh contenders are rising with stronger fundamentals, active communities, and scalable ecosystems. Here are the top meme coins to hold ahead of the next wave.

Little Pepe (LILPEPE): The Penny Crypto With Layer-2 Power

Little Pepe is emerging as one of the most exciting meme coin stories of the year. Unlike most projects in this space that thrive solely on speculation, LILPEPE is building infrastructure with its own Layer 2 blockchain, explicitly designed for meme tokens. This makes it a platform with staying power. The presale brought in $25.9 million by selling 15.9 billion tokens. That momentum shows that investors believe in its long-term story. Little Pepe is unique because it has very low fees, quick finality, a special meme launchpad, and is compatible with the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM). This could attract developers and traders who seek networks that can scale and support emerging trends, such as memes. Community support is also central to its rise. From initiatives like a 15 ETH giveaway campaign to an upcoming wave of centralized exchange listings, LILPEPE continues to spark buzz. Its Certik audit and vesting schedule add credibility, addressing one of the biggest investor concerns in the meme coin market: sustainability. With meme culture at its core and real technology behind it, Little Pepe is positioning itself as not another hype-driven token but a project capable of delivering long-term value and potentially outsized returns.

MemeCore (M): Riding the Meme 2.0 Movement

MemeCore has quickly broken into the top 50 cryptocurrencies by market capitalization, with its price skyrocketing from $0.42 in August to over $2.94 in just a few weeks. This surge has made it one of the most-watched meme coins of 2025.

MemeCore Price Chart | Source: CoinGecko

The project is launching a “Meme 2.0” ecosystem centered on utility, with a buyback program scheduled to debut through its Meme Perp DEX. By using fees to support the token’s value, MemeCore aims to create a more sustainable growth model than traditional meme projects. Still, its relatively low daily user activity remains a concern. However, the buyback, upcoming CEX listings, and ecosystem expansion make M a potential big mover in the upcoming hype cycle.

Snek (SNEK): Cardano’s Breakout Meme

On Cardano, Snek has become a cultural force. Launched fairly in 2023, it has grown into the largest token by market cap on the chain, backed by visible trading, active wallets, and a growing ecosystem of dApps. This traction has given Cardano’s meme economy a real anchor.

Snek Price Chart | Source: CoinGecko

Supply dynamics also support its growth. With a hard cap of about 76.7 billion tokens, investors can model flows without worrying about sudden unlocks. Liquidity pools, portfolio analytics, and cross-chain tracking tools provide additional transparency, making Snek one of the more data-backed meme plays. Of course, risks remain. Breakouts can fade if volumes dry up, and cross-chain liquidity  could draw attention away. But Snek’s current position as Cardano’s flagship meme token gives it a decisive advantage heading into the 2025 hype cycle.

Why It May Be Time to Sell Shiba Inu

Shiba Inu has had its moment, but cracks are showing. The Shibarium hack, which drained millions of dollars, exposed vulnerabilities in the ecosystem. While price could recover toward $0.000015–$0.0000175 if resistance breaks, SHIB faces declining confidence and stronger competition.

Shiba Inu Price Chart | Source: CoinGecko

With the next hype cycle around the corner, holding SHIB could mean sitting on stalled capital. Meanwhile, projects like Little Pepe, MemeCore, and Snek are capturing liquidity and community energy. The message for those preparing for 2025 is simple: Don’t just hold onto yesterday’s winners, get into tomorrow’s.

For more information about Little Pepe (LILPEPE) visit the links below:

Website: https://littlepepe.com

Whitepaper: https://littlepepe.com/whitepaper.pdf

Telegram: https://t.me/littlepepetoken

Twitter/X: https://x.com/littlepepetoken