Tokens linked to artificial intelligence are expected to surge in value, reaching a market capitalisation of up to $60 billion by 2025, according to Gracy Chen, CEO of cryptocurrency exchange Bitget. Despite this remarkable growth forecast, Chen noted that AI tokens are likely to remain behind memecoins, which are predicted to see a renewed wave of investor interest.
AI Tokens Gaining Momentum
AI-related tokens have already made significant strides, commanding a total market capitalisation of approximately $15 billion and recording daily trading volumes of $875 million, according to Chen. She highlighted initial applications for AI agents in crypto transactions, such as trading and wallet management, as key drivers of this growth.
AI agent tokens by market cap. Source: CoinGecko
Chen further stated that cryptocurrency exchanges are likely to adopt AI agents to enhance operations and improve customer service. However, she cautioned that the technology is not yet mature enough for large-scale investments and recommended focusing on tokens that offer practical applications, such as those designed to replace programmers or automate tasks.
Market Soars in Late 2024
The market for AI tokens experienced a dramatic 222% increase in the fourth quarter of 2024, climbing from less than $5 billion in October to over $15 billion by year-end, according to a report by CoinGecko. This surge was sparked by the launch of the Goatseus Maximus (GOAT) token on the Solana blockchain in October, which cemented Solana’s position as the dominant platform for AI agents.
As of December, Solana held a 56.48% market share in AI agent tokens, with a total market capitalisation of $8.44 billion, the CoinGecko report revealed.
Web3 Transformation on the Horizon
Industry leaders predict that AI agents will play a pivotal role in transforming Web3 ecosystems by 2025, particularly in decentralised communities. J.D. Seraphine, CEO of Web3 AI developer Raiinmaker, anticipates that cryptocurrency trading will be one of the earliest use cases for these agents.
Top crypto categories by traffic market share from Jan. 1 to Dec. 21. Source: CoinGecko
A report by VanEck noted that as of December, there were around 10,000 AI agents operating in Web3, collectively earning millions of dollars from on-chain activities each week. By the end of 2025, the number of AI agents is projected to exceed 1 million.
Memecoins Maintain Dominance
Despite the meteoric rise of AI tokens, memecoins are set to maintain their lead in the crypto space, according to Chen. Memecoins are projected to undergo another growth cycle this year, driven by heightened investor interest.
A CoinGecko study found that memecoins captured nearly a third of investor focus in 2024, securing their position as the most popular crypto asset class. AI-related tokens ranked as the second most discussed narrative, underscoring their emerging prominence but also highlighting the enduring allure of speculative assets like memecoins.
As the cryptocurrency market evolves, the interplay between these two segments will likely shape its trajectory in 2025 and beyond.
