Top 20 Cryptocurrencies with the Highest Gains in 2024

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The year 2024 marked a historic chapter in the crypto market, defined by explosive growth, meme-driven rallies, and a clear divergence in performance between established giants and emerging tokens. While Bitcoin and Ethereum maintained their foundational roles, it was the surge of meme coins and AI-integrated projects that dominated headlines and investor portfolios. Based on comprehensive data from CoinGecko, this article explores the top-performing cryptocurrencies of 2024, highlighting key trends, standout performers, and the evolving dynamics shaping the digital asset landscape.

Virtuals Protocol Leads the Pack with Over 23,000% Growth

At the top of the 2024 crypto gainers list is Virtuals Protocol (VIRTUAL), which delivered an astonishing 23,079.2% return—the highest among major market cap assets. Starting the year at just $0.01311, $VIRTUAL remained below $0.20 for much of the first three quarters before skyrocketing to a peak of $3.04 on December 25.

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This meteoric rise was fueled by growing interest in Virtuals Protocol’s AI agent launchpad, a platform enabling decentralized development and deployment of autonomous AI agents. As institutional and retail investors alike recognized its potential in the booming AI-crypto convergence, demand surged, pushing the token into elite performance territory.

To put this into perspective: a $100 investment in $VIRTUAL on January 1 would have been worth over $23,000 by Christmas—making it not only the year’s top gainer but also one of the most profitable short-term investments in recent crypto history.

Brett (BRETT) Emerges as Base Chain’s First Billion-Dollar Meme Coin

Securing second place is Brett (BRETT), which achieved a 14,784.6% return, rising from $0.0009766 on February 29 to $0.145 by December 25—with a high of $0.234 on December 1. What sets BRETT apart is its status as the **first meme coin on the Base blockchain to reach a $1 billion market cap**, signaling strong community support and ecosystem momentum.

Backed by Coinbase’s infrastructure and riding the wave of social media virality, BRETT exemplifies how narrative-driven tokens can achieve rapid adoption when aligned with powerful network effects and developer activity.

Popcat (POPCAT) Shines Among Solana Meme Coins

Rounding out the top three is Popcat (POPCAT), which delivered a 10,459.0% return, climbing from $0.007640 on January 1 to $0.8067 on December 25. Originally launched late in 2023, Popcat gained traction in early 2024 as part of the broader Solana meme coin narrative resurgence.

Notably, Popcat became the first cat-themed meme coin to hit a $1 billion valuation on September 27, maintaining that milestone for several months before experiencing a partial pullback. Its success reflects both the enduring appeal of internet culture in crypto and the increasing liquidity within Solana’s DeFi ecosystem.

Meme Mania: Seven of Top Ten Gainers Are Meme Coins

A defining trend of 2024 was the dominance of meme coins, which claimed seven out of the top ten spots in annual returns. Beyond BRETT and POPCAT, other standout performers include:

These figures underscore a shift in market sentiment—where cultural resonance and community engagement often outweigh traditional fundamentals in driving short-term value.

MANTRA (OM) and Aerodrome Finance (AERO) Shine in Niche Sectors

While meme coins grabbed headlines, sector-specific innovations also delivered impressive results.

MANTRA (OM) ranked fourth with a 6,418.3% return, surging from $0.0584 to $3.81. As a real-world asset (RWA) token focused on compliant blockchain finance, OM outperformed all other RWA projects—including Ondo Finance ($ONDO), which saw a solid but distant 682.8% gain.

Meanwhile, Aerodrome Finance (AERO) claimed sixth place with a 3,139.4% return, climbing from $0.0511 to $1.66. As the native token of Base’s leading decentralized exchange, AERO benefited from increased protocol usage, liquidity mining incentives, and broader adoption of Layer 2 solutions.

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Bitcoin Delivers Strong but Secondary Performance

Bitcoin (BTC) posted a robust 133.8% return, rising from $42,208 on January 1 to $98,696 by December 25—a new all-time high. Despite this strong performance, BTC ranked only 39th among the 123 large-cap assets analyzed by CoinGecko.

Still, Bitcoin outperformed approximately 84 other major cryptocurrencies, meaning that randomly selecting a top-tier digital asset had about a one-in-three chance of beating BTC’s returns—highlighting its continued reliability as a market benchmark.

Ethereum Lags Behind With Sub-Par Growth

In contrast, Ethereum (ETH) underperformed with a 53.4% return, increasing from $2,280 to $3,498 over the year. This marks nearly half of its 98.6% gain in 2023, reflecting slower innovation velocity and reduced speculative interest despite ongoing protocol upgrades.

ETH struggled to break above $4,000 and failed to surpass its 2021 peak in real terms when adjusted for inflation—underscoring investor concerns about scalability delays and competition from faster Layer 1 alternatives.

Comparative Outlook: Meme vs. Blue-Chip Performance

The disparity between top meme coins and blue-chip assets was stark:

This gap illustrates how speculative capital flowed toward high-risk, high-reward narratives—particularly those involving AI integration, social virality, and community-led development.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: What caused Virtuals Protocol's massive price increase?
A: The surge was primarily driven by strong demand for its AI agent launchpad platform, which gained traction among developers and investors betting on the intersection of artificial intelligence and decentralized systems.

Q: Why did meme coins dominate the 2024 market?
A: Meme coins thrived due to low entry barriers, viral social media campaigns, celebrity endorsements, and integration with high-speed blockchains like Solana and Base—creating ideal conditions for rapid price appreciation.

Q: Is it sustainable for meme coins to outperform Bitcoin and Ethereum long-term?
A: While short-term gains are possible due to speculation, long-term sustainability depends on utility development. Most meme coins lack intrinsic value unless they evolve into functional ecosystems.

Q: How does Bitcoin's 2024 performance compare historically?
A: A 133.8% annual gain is strong by traditional market standards and consistent with post-halving cycles. However, it pales compared to altcoin rallies during bull phases.

Q: What role did Layer 2 networks play in 2024's winners?
A: Networks like Base enabled faster transactions and lower fees, fostering innovation in DeFi and meme coins—evidenced by BRETT and AERO’s success on the Coinbase-backed chain.

Q: Can new investors still benefit from these trends?
A: Yes—through diversified exposure via research-driven strategies or participation in emerging narratives like AI agents and real-world asset tokenization.

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