Cryptocurrency Market Sector Returns Predicted by CoinGecko for the Year 2024
In the dynamic world of cryptocurrencies, CoinGecko's 2025 reports and market analysis have highlighted some intriguing trends that shaped the industry in 2024. Among these trends, meme coins, AI, and Real World Assets (RWA) have shown very strong investor interest and performance.
Meme coins, such as FARTCOIN, HYPE, and PEPE, captured 57.1% of investor interest in Q2 2025. These viral and future-oriented concepts demonstrated spectacular performance, with geographic diversification accelerating on multiple blockchains. Popular meme coins have benefited from major exchange listings, which boosted accessibility and price potential.
AI-related tokens accounted for 22.6% of combined investor interest, confirming their strong attractiveness as a theme linked to future technological trends in crypto.
RWA tokens are rising sharply, attracting both institutional and retail capital with real-world backing like real estate, commodities, and off-chain yields. CoinGecko's 2024 RWA report highlights this meteoric rise and growing adoption in the crypto ecosystem. Presale tokens tied to RWA are reflecting a structural capital shift towards real utility beyond speculative assets.
Bitcoin continues to dominate with over 62% market dominance and is fueling market rebounds. The market faces two scenarios towards the end of 2024 - either continued growth driven by favourable macro conditions and ETF inflows or a potential correction if economic conditions deteriorate.
In terms of returns, Meme coins were the second most profitable narrative with an average price gain of 2,185%, while AI was the most profitable with an average price gain of 2,940%. Other narratives, such as DeFi, Gaming, RWA, and L2, lagged behind in terms of returns. L1 and DePIN slightly outperformed Bitcoin with returns of more than 125.5%.
Notably, meme coins had a return of 3,211% until December 9, with most of the growth occurring in March. AI tokens surpassed meme coins with a return of 2,940% due to a rally in December. L2 had an average daily return of -21% in the crypto industry for 2024.
CoinGecko identified meme coins as the top trend among traders in 2024. However, some community members have expressed doubts about the long-term popularity of AI agents.
In the realm of gaming, crypto assets demonstrated an average daily return of 14%. RWA had an average daily return of 14% as well, while L1 and DePIN showed higher returns of 142% and 135%, respectively.
As we move forward, it's clear that the crypto market is diversifying from speculative assets towards utility-backed crypto assets, with meme coins, AI, and RWA leading the charge. Bitcoin remains the largest and most dominant crypto asset, influencing overall market direction. The future of these trends and their impact on the crypto market will continue to unfold in the coming years.
- Artificial Intelligence (AI) tied for first place as the most profitable investment narrative in 2024, boasting an average price gain of 2,940%.
- While meme coins like FARTCOIN, HYPE, and PEPE captured a majority of investor interest in Q2 2025, accounting for 57.1% of the total, their returns were slightly lower, averaging 2,185%.
- The trend of investing in Real World Assets (RWA) tokens, such as those tied to real estate, commodities, and off-chain yields, is on the rise, showing significant growth and adoption within the crypto ecosystem.
