A fresh round of data is putting an uncomfortable spotlight on one of crypto’s most chaotic corners: memecoin launches. According to a new report covered by Cointelegraph, 2025 has seen a record wave of token failures — and memecoins appear to be the category getting hit the hardest.
The headline number is eye-catching: 11.6 million tokens reportedly “failed” in 2025. While the specifics of how “failure” is defined can vary depending on methodology, the broader takeaway is hard to ignore: the market is being flooded with new tokens, and a huge portion of them don’t survive for long.
Key points
- Cointelegraph reports that 11.6 million tokens failed in 2025, marking a record level of project attrition.
- Memecoins were described as the hardest-hit segment, linked to “low effort” issuance.
- Launchpads that streamline token creation (including pump.fun) are cited as a major driver of the surge in new tokens.
- The scale of failures is renewing debate about sustainability and risks for everyday traders.
Why memecoins are at the center of the discussion
Memecoins have always been a fast-moving, narrative-driven niche — often powered by jokes, mascots, and community energy more than product roadmaps. That’s not inherently “bad,” but it does mean memecoins can be especially sensitive to hype cycles and attention shifts.
The Cointelegraph report connects the high failure rate to the rise of “low effort” token issuance. In practice, that usually means tokens created quickly, with minimal differentiation, and launched into an already crowded arena where only a small percentage manage to hold attention.
Launchpads and the new token firehose
A key theme in the report is accessibility. Launchpads and simplified token-creation tools make it easier than ever for anyone to deploy a coin. That can be positive for experimentation, but it also removes many of the friction points that once limited how many tokens could be launched in a given day.
Cointelegraph specifically mentions pump.fun as part of this broader launchpad trend. The result is a kind of “content feed” of tokens: constant new launches competing for the same pool of liquidity and social attention.
Community sentiment: entertainment vs. exhaustion
One reason memecoins keep coming back is that they’re social by design. People trade them like cultural moments — sometimes as entertainment, sometimes as speculation, sometimes both. But when the number of launches becomes overwhelming, sentiment can shift from excitement to fatigue.
The report’s failure figures are likely to add fuel to an ongoing split in the community: some see the flood as a sign of vibrant experimentation, while others see it as noise that makes it harder to identify projects with staying power.
Market signals to watch (without guessing price)
When token creation accelerates, the usual market signals can get distorted. Visibility and volume may concentrate in a small handful of names while thousands of new tokens barely register. In that environment, it can help to focus on basics rather than headlines:
- Liquidity and depth: Thin liquidity can make tokens fragile and prone to sharp swings.
- Distribution and concentration: If supply is highly concentrated, the token can be more vulnerable to sudden moves.
- Durability of attention: Some tokens trend for hours; fewer hold interest for weeks.
- Clarity of communication: Even memecoins benefit from transparent, consistent messaging about what they are (and aren’t).
Risks and uncertainty are part of the story
The big number — 11.6 million failures — is also a reminder that most tokens launched in a hype-driven environment won’t last. That doesn’t automatically mean every memecoin is a scam, but it does underline how experimental and risky the category can be, especially for retail participants.
It’s also worth noting that “failure” can mean different things: a token might fail because interest disappears, because liquidity dries up, or because the project is abandoned. Without more detail, it’s difficult to draw conclusions about any single token from the aggregate figure alone.
Closing thoughts
If there’s one lesson in this data, it’s that the memecoin market is more crowded than ever — and the odds of long-term survival for most new tokens appear low. For readers watching this space, the safest approach is a neutral one: treat new launches as high-uncertainty, do your own research, and be cautious with anything that relies purely on momentum.
Sources
About Dex Harper
Dex Harper is a memecoin-focused crypto journalist at MemeMoonNews, tracking the fastest-moving narratives in the meme economy. He covers emerging tokens, viral trends, and community-driven projects, with a sharp eye on liquidity flows, wallet behavior, and early-stage momentum. Dex’s reporting balances hype awareness with risk context, helping readers understand when a memecoin move is just noise — and when it’s something more.
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