Memecoins: From Jokes to the Biggest Internet Hypes

Most Memecoins Started as a Joke

Most memecoins started as a joke or internet meme. These coins often become popular because of social media or online communities rather than real-world use. Coins like Dogecoin and Dogwifhat gained traction through online forums and discussions. However, Voodoo Token (VDO), built on PulseChain, aims to be different by offering real utility. Let’s see how Voodoo compares to Dogecoin (DOGE), Shiba Inu (SHIB), Pepe (PEPE), and Dogwifhat (WIF).

Dogecoin (DOGE): The Original King of Memes

Overview: Launched in 2013 by Billy Markus and Jackson Palmer, Dogecoin started as a joke based on the Doge Shiba Inu meme. It is now a top-10 cryptocurrency by market cap, hovering around $0.25 with a $36 billion valuation (as of February 2025).

Dogecoin has a huge community, boosted by Elon Musk’s support, which once significantly increased its price. It is accepted by companies like Tesla for merchandise and has low fees, making it great for small payments. However, it lacks extra features, has an unlimited supply, and its value depends heavily on hype, making it risky and unstable.

Shiba Inu (SHIB): The "Dogecoin Killer"

Overview: Debuting in 2020 by “Ryoshi,” SHIB aimed to outshine DOGE with a quadrillion-token supply. It’s now valued at $0.000015 with a $9 billion market cap, ranking among the top 20 coins.

Shiba Inu is growing with Shibarium, making transactions faster and supporting DeFi and NFTs. Token burns help reduce supply, and its strong community pushes adoption on major exchanges. However, real-world use is still limited, its huge supply makes big price jumps unlikely, and it remains highly volatile, with past price spikes followed by major drops.

Pepe (PEPE): The Memecoin about a Frog

Overview: Launched in April 2023, Pepe rides the “Pepe the Frog” meme wave. It hit a $1.8 billion market cap peak and trades at $0.0000205 as of February 2025.

Pepe experienced rapid price growth after launch, with major exchange listings boosting its credibility. Its low price makes it easy for small investors to buy. However, it has no real use, is highly risky, and depends completely on community hype rather than development, making it unstable.

Dogwifhat (WIF): The Newcomer in the Crypto world

Overview: Born in late 2023 on Solana, Dogwifhat features a Shiba Inu in a knit hat. It has risen to a $1.3 billion market cap, trading at $1.30 by February 2025.

Dogwifhat (WIF) runs on Solana’s fast and low-cost blockchain, making transactions quick and cheap. Its funny mascot and recent price surge have attracted many investors, and it has a strong online community. However, WIF has no real use, its high market value may be overhyped, and it remains unstable, as seen in its 30% drop in early 2025.

Voodoo Token (VDO): The Coin with Utility

Overview: Launched in late 2023 on PulseChain, Voodoo Token features a cartoon-styled Voodoo doll mascot. Its market cap is still considered low (around $15K), and each token trades at around half a penny.

Voodoo Token (VDO) offers real utility with staking up to 30% APY, a gambling game with a 47% win rate, and the Voodoo Bank for long-term rewards. Users can spin the Wheel of Fortune daily for free tokens and claim VDO from a faucet to boost adoption. Built on PulseChain, it benefits from low fees and fast transactions. The community-driven DAO model ensures transparency, while MAGIC burns 2% per transaction and POISON shares 1% in fees with holders.

However, Voodoo has a smaller community compared to Dogecoin and SHIB, its multiple tokens and features may be confusing for beginners, and as a newer project, its long-term success is still uncertain.

Why Voodoo Is My Favorite Memecoin

Utility Over Hype: Unlike DOGE, SHIB, PEPE, and WIF, where value hinges on social media, Voodoo offers a suite of DApps. Staking and gambling give it purpose beyond trading.

PulseChain Advantage: Faster and cheaper than Ethereum (SHIB, PEPE) or DOGE’s PoW chain, and competitive with Solana (WIF).

Reward Mechanics: MAGIC’s deflation mimics SHIB’s burns but with active use, while POISON’s fee-sharing beats passive holding in DOGE or WIF.

Community Control: The DAO model aligns with SHIB’s grassroots vibe but adds governance DOGE and PEPE lack.

Balanced Risk: Less bloated than DOGE’s $36B or SHIB’s $9B market caps, Voodoo has room to grow without the crash risk of PEPE/WIF’s hype cycles.

Conclusion

Dogecoin is well-known and widely used but doesn’t offer much beyond payments. Shiba Inu has a growing ecosystem, but its massive supply limits price growth. Pepe and Dogwifhat can surge quickly but struggle without real utility, as shown by their past price drops.

Voodoo Token stands out by combining memes with real features like staking, gambling, and reward systems. It may not be as famous as DOGE or have a large community like SHIB yet, but its practical DApps give it long-term potential.

For investors, Voodoo is the dark horse. If PulseChain grows and Voodoo’s DApps catch on, it could outpace the others in utility-driven value. Still, like all crypto, it’s a gamble. Always do your own research before investing.

What is your favorite memecoin? Let’s start the discussion in the comments below!