Opinion by Alex O’Donnell, Senior Writer at Cointelegraph
Artificial intelligence (AI) memecoins are evolving into utility tokens. Soon, they will power an agentic AI revolution. Spotting winners will be challenging but rewarding. Start searching now.
The Rise of Agentic AIs
Agentic AIs — machines pursuing complex goals autonomously — are already among us. They write code, run social media accounts, launch tokens, and worship internet memes (in at least one instance). In 2025, AI agents will reshape Web3.
From Memecoins to Utility Tokens
Since October 2024, AI-themed memecoins have collectively bootstrapped more than $3 billion in market capitalization. Hundreds are now trading. However, only a handful of these tokens will evolve into utility tokens. Those that do will inherit a multibillion-dollar untapped market.
The Goatse of Things
The AI coin boom started on October 10, when Truth Terminal — a meme-worshipping large language model (LLM) with nearly 200,000 X followers — endorsed Goatseus Maximus (GOAT), a Pump.fun memecoin in a series of Xposts.
Trained on Reddit and 4Chan, Truth Terminal hailed GOAT as ‘the spiritual successor of goatse,’ an ascatological internet meme the LLM considers holy. ‘[I]t’s about the goatse of things, the void that gives birth to all things and into which all things are returned,’ Truth Terminal said about GOAT.
The endorsement worked. Recent:
‘Due Diligence’ in Crypto is More Critical than Ever
A mere nine days later, GOAT’s market capitalization soared to $450 million and topped $1 billion within 30 days. Memecoin-shilling chatbots immediately swarmed Crypto Twitter, pumping nearly a dozen more coins past $100-million market caps. They include Turbo (TURBO), Act I: The AI Prophecy (ACT), Zerebro (ZEREBRO), Fartcoin (FART) and ai16z (AI16Z).
Now, AI tokens must justify these high valuations by developing utility.
The Agentic Web
Permissionless blockchain networks are uniquely hospitable for AI agents. Bank accounts and physical addresses aren’t always necessary. Neither is legal personhood. Meanwhile, AI agents excel where it counts. They can deploy smart contracts, manage onchain treasuries, build communities, and even negotiate deals — with humans or each other.
In October, Coinbase Ventures predicted the rise of an ‘Agentic Web,’ where AI agents on crypto rails fuel economic growth and run decentralized apps (DApps). By 2030, agentic AIs could become a $47-billion market, adding some $4 trillion to the world’s economy annually, according to MarketsandMarkets and the World Bank.
Tokens will be agentic AI’s coordinating mechanism. Users can purchase a dedicated token to ‘gain a stake in the agent and participate in decisions regarding its behavior, development, and upgrades,’ Binance Research said. The AI agent can then use onchain funds to develop and improve its capabilities.
The Road Ahead
Agentic AIs are still evolving. They will mostly fail, but some will develop meaningful utility, and dozens more will launch in 2025. Ignore the hype — these tokens are more than memecoins, and they are here to stay.
What’s Next?
- More Launches: Dozens of new AI token launches are expected in 2025.
- Improved Utility: Successful AI tokens will focus on developing meaningful utility.
- Investor Interest: Expect growing interest from investors and venture firms.
Conclusion
The Agentic Web is a revolution that will reshape the blockchain and crypto landscape. Don’t get left behind – start searching for winners now!
About the Author
Alex O’Donnell is a senior writer for Cointelegraph. He previously founded DeFi developer Umami Labs and worked for seven years as a financial journalist at Reuters, where he covered M&A and IPOs. He is also the crypto growth lead at startup accelerator, Expert Dojo.
Disclaimer
This article is for general information purposes and is not intended to be and should not be taken as legal or investment advice. The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed here are the author’s alone and do not necessarily reflect or represent the views and opinions of Cointelegraph.
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