TL;DR
The year opened with widespread interest in memecoins, including a high-profile meme token launched by Donald Trump on January 17. Over the course of 2025, stablecoins have been described in the source as taking on a more respectable role within the crypto industry.
What happened
According to the source, 2025 began with a surge of activity around memecoins, a wave that included the launch of a meme cryptocurrency tied to Donald Trump on January 17, shortly before his return to the White House. The author, Joel Khalili, reports from a crypto conference in St. Moritz and frames the year’s arc as one that moved from that early memecoin frenzy toward a later emphasis on stablecoins. The piece characterizes stablecoins as having become the “respectable face” of the crypto sector by the end of the year. Beyond this broad narrative shift — from speculative meme tokens to a focus on stablecoins — the source does not provide detailed market data, timelines of specific project growth, or the regulatory developments that may have accompanied the trend.
Why it matters
- The portrayal of stablecoins as a more respectable segment could influence how investors and the public view crypto overall.
- Changes in the dominant narratives within crypto can affect where developers and financial services focus their efforts (not confirmed in the source).
- If stablecoins gain legitimacy, that could alter regulatory and policy attention toward pegged digital assets (not confirmed in the source).
Key facts
- The year began with a memecoin trading frenzy, according to the source.
- Donald Trump launched his own meme cryptocurrency on January 17, 2025, days before his return to the White House.
- Joel Khalili reported the piece and was present at a crypto conference in St. Moritz when the year began.
- The source describes stablecoins as having emerged as the more respectable face of the crypto industry over the year.
- The article was published on December 27, 2025, in WIRED.
- No specific market-size figures or growth rates for stablecoins are provided in the source (not confirmed in the source).
- Details on regulatory responses or institutional adoption levels during the shift are not provided in the source (not confirmed in the source).
What to watch next
- Whether stablecoins maintain their position as the industry’s more respectable segment over the coming months (not confirmed in the source).
- How regulators and policymakers respond to growing interest in stablecoins (not confirmed in the source).
- Shifts in developer and investor focus between memecoins and stablecoins (not confirmed in the source).
Quick glossary
- Memecoin: A cryptocurrency created largely as a joke or meme, often driven by social media interest and speculative trading.
- Stablecoin: A type of cryptocurrency designed to maintain a stable value, commonly by pegging to a fiat currency or other assets.
- Cryptocurrency: A digital or virtual asset that uses cryptography for security and typically operates on a distributed ledger.
- Blockchain: A distributed ledger technology that records transactions across a network of computers in linked blocks.
Reader FAQ
Did Donald Trump launch a meme cryptocurrency in 2025?
Yes; the source reports he launched a meme cryptocurrency on January 17, 2025.
Has the memecoin frenzy ended?
The source notes a shift in attention away from memecoin trading toward stablecoins, but it does not state that memecoin activity has ended (not confirmed in the source).
Are stablecoins now the dominant part of the crypto market?
The source says stablecoins emerged as a more respectable face of the industry but does not provide data showing they are dominant (not confirmed in the source).
Who wrote the original report and where was it published?
Joel Khalili wrote the piece, published by WIRED on December 27, 2025.
JOEL KHALILI BUSINESS DEC 27, 2025 6:00 AM In Cryptoland, Memecoin Fever Gives Way to a Stablecoin Boom In a year that began with a memecoin trading frenzy, stablecoins have…
Sources
- In Cryptoland, Memecoin Fever Gives Way to a Stablecoin Boom
- Meme Coin Mania Fades as Investors Seek Crypto with …
- Memecoins Rise, Collapse, and Search for Meaning After a …
- Meme Mania Comes to the World of Stablecoins and Circle
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