Top 10 Cryptocurrencies Over $1B Market Cap in 2024: Forbes' Mid-Year Review

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The first half of 2024 has been a transformative period for the cryptocurrency market. Following the landmark approval of Bitcoin spot ETFs in early 2024, digital assets experienced a significant surge in investor interest and market capitalization. While Bitcoin remained the cornerstone of the rally, alternative tokens—particularly meme coins and AI-driven projects—delivered some of the most impressive returns.

Forbes recently released a list of the top 10 cryptocurrencies with market caps exceeding $1 billion during the first half of 2025, spotlighting standout performers like WIF, PEPE, ASI, FLOKI, JASMY, AR, CORE, TON, BGB, and BONK. Notably, meme coins claimed four spots on the list, with three rooted in the Solana ecosystem—a testament to the continued cultural and financial momentum of community-driven tokens.

WIF: The Meme King of Solana

WIF, a Solana-based meme coin featuring a Shiba Inu wearing a knit cap, emerged as one of the highest-returning assets among tokens surpassing $1 billion in market cap. With a total supply of approximately 980 million, WIF delivered an astonishing 1,300% gain in the first half of the year.

Launched in November 2023 at $0.00016, WIF saw explosive growth in January 2024 when a large trader’s transaction caused slippage, briefly spiking the price to $3.99. This whale trade, involving over 77,000 SOL (worth ~$7.7 million at the time), triggered widespread attention and fueled retail interest.

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By March 3, WIF surpassed BONK in market cap and climbed to #66 on the global crypto rankings. Binance listed WIF perpetual contracts shortly after, followed by spot trading on March 5. The token reached its all-time high of $4.86 on March 31, cementing its status as a dominant force in the meme coin space.

PEPE: From Internet Meme to Billion-Dollar Asset

Born in April 2023 as a tribute to the iconic "Pepe the Frog" meme, PEPE was designed to reject complex tokenomics. With no presale, taxes, or buybacks, it embraced pure decentralization and internet culture.

Starting at nearly zero value, PEPE quickly gained traction, entering the top 100 cryptos by market cap within a month. Its momentum accelerated in early 2024 when Elon Musk tweeted a PEPE-related image, pushing the price above $0.000009 and removing a decimal place overnight.

By May 22, PEPE’s market cap crossed $5 billion**, peaking at over **$7 billion a week later. This surge reflected not only speculative enthusiasm but also growing recognition of meme coins as legitimate cultural and financial assets.

ASI: The Rise of Decentralized Artificial Superintelligence

In March 2024, three leading AI blockchain projects—SingularityNET (AGIX), Fetch.ai (FET), and Ocean Protocol (OCEAN)—announced plans to merge into a unified entity under the new token symbol ASI, representing “Artificial Superintelligence.”

The merger aimed to challenge centralized AI giants by offering an open, decentralized alternative for machine learning and data sharing. The governance vote passed in April, with full integration completed by July 15.

Prior to the merger, each project saw strong gains:

The combined ecosystem now offers developers and enterprises a powerful toolkit for AI coordination, data monetization, and autonomous agent deployment.

FLOKI: More Than Just a Meme

Named after Elon Musk’s pet dog, FLOKI evolved beyond its meme origins with strategic developments in 2024. In October 2023, the team launched TokenFi, an asset tokenization platform, allocating 56% of TOKEN tokens to FLOKI stakers—driving a 20x price increase for TOKEN.

In May 2024, Floki introduced a Telegram-based trading bot on BNB Chain, charging a 1% fee per transaction—half of which is used to buy back and burn FLOKI tokens. This deflationary mechanism sparked a 23% surge, lifting the price from $0.00022 to $0.00029.

Further bullish sentiment followed when DWF Labs invested $12 million** in FLOKI on June 4, helping the token reach an all-time high of **$0.000349 before settling into a consolidation phase.

JASMY: Japan’s Hidden DePIN Gem

JASMY is a Japanese decentralized physical infrastructure network (DePIN) project focused on secure IoT data exchange. It enables users to own and monetize their personal data while ensuring privacy through blockchain-backed encryption.

Listed on both Binance and Coinbase, JASMY gained traction in early 2024 due to macro bullish trends and its own technological upgrades. The launch of Jasmy Chain, an Ethereum Layer 2 solution, improved scalability and user experience.

After rising from $0.006 to over $0.027 in Q1, JASMY continued climbing and hit **$0.04469 on June 7**—its highest level since April 2022. Despite this progress, it remains far below its all-time high of $4.29, suggesting potential for future growth as data sovereignty becomes a global priority.

AR: Powering Permanent Web3 Storage

Arweave (AR) is a decentralized storage protocol enabling permanent data archiving. In February 2024, Arweave announced the development of AO, a new compute layer designed for social apps and AI workloads.

The news triggered immediate market response:

While the June acquisition of Odysee—a decentralized video platform—did not boost prices amid broader market declines, Arweave’s foundational role in permanent data storage keeps it strategically relevant in the evolving Web3 landscape.

CORE: Bridging Bitcoin Security with Ethereum Flexibility

Core DAO introduces a unique Layer-1 blockchain that aims to combine Bitcoin’s security with Ethereum’s smart contract capabilities. It supports native Bitcoin staking via coreBTC, a non-custodial wrapped BTC solution.

In March 2024, Core launched its Core Ignition program—a six-month incentive initiative rewarding contributors to network growth. This helped push CORE’s price from $0.60 to a peak of **$4.45 on April 2**.

Later that month, Core DAO unveiled a $200 million ecosystem fund to accelerate dApp development on its chain. Although the price reaction was mixed, community engagement remained strong, signaling long-term confidence in its hybrid blockchain vision.

TON: The Speed-Focused Blockchain Gaining Global Traction

The Open Network (TON), originally developed by Telegram, focuses on high-speed transactions and seamless user experience. Its dynamic sharding architecture allows scalable decentralized applications.

Despite a slow start in early 2024, TON gained momentum from March onward:

Key catalysts included:

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Additionally, TON announced plans to build TON Applications Chain (TAC) using Polygon’s CDK framework—enabling developers to create custom ZK-powered Layer 2s.

BGB: Bitget’s Platform Token Riding Exchange Growth

BGB is the native utility token of Bitget exchange. In H1 2024, Bitget reported a 38.4% increase in market share—the largest among centralized exchanges—with total spot trading volume hitting $10.6 trillion.

Derivatives activity also surged, with open interest growing by 39.2%, ranking first globally.

BGB holders benefit from:

These utilities fueled demand, driving BGB from $0.60 to an all-time high of **$1.486 on May 27—a gain of over 147%**.

BONK: The Original Solana Meme Coin

Launched in December 2022 as an airdrop to compensate Solana community members affected by FTX’s collapse, BONK distributed 50% of its 1 quadrillion supply directly to users.

It became the top-performing top-100 crypto in 2023 with a 73x return. Binance listed BONK in December 2023, briefly pushing it to $0.00004—though it later dipped below $0.00001.

In early March 2024, renewed market enthusiasm lifted BONK to a new high of **$0.000048**, after which it stabilized between $0.00002 and $0.00003—maintaining its position as a key player in the Solana meme ecosystem.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: What do these top-performing cryptos have in common?
A: Many combine strong community engagement with real-world utility or technological innovation—especially ASI (AI), AR (storage), and TON (scaling).

Q: Why are meme coins still relevant in 2024?
A: Meme coins like WIF and PEPE thrive on virality and cultural resonance. They often act as gateways for new users entering crypto.

Q: Is investing in low-cap high-growth tokens risky?
A: Yes—while returns can be substantial, volatility is high. Always conduct research and consider risk tolerance before investing.

Q: How did Bitcoin ETFs impact altcoins?
A: The approval brought institutional legitimacy and liquidity into crypto markets, indirectly boosting investor appetite for high-potential altcoins.

Q: What role do exchange platform tokens like BGB play?
A: They offer tangible benefits like reduced fees and early access to new projects—adding utility beyond speculation.

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