Memecoin A Gateway To Crypto Investment, Says Gemini Report

A recent report from crypto exchange Gemini reveals that 31% of U.S crypto investors purchased meme coins before moving on to more traditional cryptos. This would suggest that meme coins act as an entryway for many into the crypto space, which has interesting implications for this industry moving forward. Meme coins occupy an interesting space in the crypto industry in that they have been both controversial and coveted. On the one hand, some crypto purists believe that tokens based on means and pop culture lore should not be taken seriously and taint the industry's reputation. On the other hand, tokens like Dogecoin, BONK, and Pepe remain industry favourites and are heavily pursued by investors. As recent reports suggest, many investors are looking for meme coin rankings to decide which one to put into their portfolio.  A Crypto Introduction But as these investors are introducing meme coins into their portfolios, some go on to invest in more ‘serious’ cryptos down the line. This is according to the 2025 Global State of Crypto Report from Gemini.  Besides the 31% of U.S investors who started out with meme coins, the report also highlights trends in other countries. The stats show that 28% in the UK and Australia, 23% in Singapore, 22% in Italy, and 19% in France began their crypto journeys with meme coins.  Interestingly, this appetite for meme coins is not the same across the board. The same report notes that France is a leader in meme coin acquisition. In the country, 67% of crypto investors own memecoins. Singapore came in second with 59%, Italy with 58%, the UK with 57%, 55% in the US, and 45% in Australia. Why Meme Coins Are An Entryway While this data is interesting, it does speak to the state of the industry and why many investors are drawn to meme coins. While cryptocurrency is on the rise, it is still a novel concept for many consumers. Thus, starting their journey with a token named after a cartoon or an internet meme might feel less intimidating when getting into the complex tokenomics of cryptos like Solana or Ethereum. Then there is the fact that there is greater support for me coins on an institutional level. We've all seen the news of a government organization in the US being named after Dogecoin, as well as President Trump releasing his very own meme coin . Meme coins might have been seen as a joke even within the industry a few years ago, but now, they are being taken seriously at the highest level. And the fact that they are leading more investors to explore their crypto journey means that perhaps they should not be overlooked. It will be interesting to see how the meme coin sector evolves over the next few years and if it continues to bring in new investors.