The TikTok effect: how meme coins are getting a new wave of interest

The world of cryptocurrency is always changing, and right now, one of the biggest trends is how TikTok influencers are talking about meme coins. These influencers have huge audiences, and when they mention a new meme coin, it can get a lot of interest very quickly. People are seeing these exciting videos and starting to wonder what is the best meme coin to buy this week.

This new wave of interest has May 2025 seeing the meme coin market in an active mood again. But with all this excitement comes a need for caution. Sometimes, the hype around these coins can be bigger than their actual value or technology, and we’ve seen instances of this leading to legal problems, like the issues arising from the $HAWK Token after its initial surge, advising investors to be careful.

As people search for the best meme coin to buy, it’s best to look past just what’s trending on social media and see what a project really offers. In this active market, projects such as Dawgz AI ($DAGZ), which is currently in its presale and aims to combine Artificial Intelligence technology with the popular appeal of meme coins, are also being developed.

The TikTok effect

With billions of users and an incredibly powerful algorithm, TikTok has become a major force in the crypto market, especially for meme coins. This week, and indeed throughout May 2025, we’re seeing influencers on the platform playing a huge part in what many are calling a meme coin frenzy. When a TikTok creator with a large following posts a video about a new meme coin, often highlighting its low price and the potential for quick, massive gains, it can lead to a surge of interest and buying activity in the coin.

Why is this “TikTok effect” so powerful for meme coins?

First, the reach is enormous. TikTok videos can go viral within hours, exposing a new coin to millions of potential investors almost instantly. This contrasts sharply with traditional marketing methods.

Second, influencers often create a sense of urgency and FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out). They might say a coin is “about to explode” or that it’s a chance to get in early on the next big thing. This can encourage people to buy quickly without doing a lot of research.

Third, the content is usually very simple and engaging. Influencers might use funny memes, catchy sounds, and exciting visuals to promote a coin, making the idea of investing seem fun and easy, rather than complicated. They might not go deep into the technology or the tokenomics; the focus is usually on the potential for the price to go up quickly.

This trend is particularly strong for meme coins because these tokens themselves are often based on internet trends and viral content. So, a viral platform like TikTok is a natural place for them to get attention.

However, while TikTok can bring a lot of visibility to a meme coin, it also creates a very speculative environment. The price can be driven more by this social media hype than by any real value or utility the coin might have.

Lessons from the $HAWK token

The excitement generated by TikTok influencers around new meme coins can be incredible, but it’s important to remember that not all that glitters is gold. Sometimes, the viral hype can lead to serious problems for investors, as seen in various instances of legal issues arising from this domain. One example that has been discussed at length is the situation surrounding the $HAWK Token, which was linked to TikTok influencer Hailey Welch, also known as the “Hawk Tuah girl.”

The $HAWK Token saw a massive surge in value shortly after its launch, reaching a market capitalization of hundreds of millions of dollars very quickly. This rapid rise was fueled in part by social media promotion, including by those associated with viral internet trends. However, the token’s value then crashed by over 90%, leading to significant losses for many investors who had bought in during the peak of the excitement.

Following this crash, lawsuits were filed, with allegations that some parties involved may have manipulated the token’s price or made misleading promotions. The controversy highlighted several risks associated with influencer-driven meme coins:

What truly makes a meme coin worth investing in?

Here are some things that can make a meme coin stand out from the crowd:

Finding the best meme coin to buy right now means digging a bit deeper than the surface-level hype. It’s about looking for projects that are trying to build something more lasting, even if they start with a fun meme.

FOOTNOTES

If you prefer to watch a video version of this analysis and chart discussion, you can view it here.

In this Visual Analysis, we're diving into the interesting world of meme coins, taking a closer look at the recent surge and subsequent crash of a token that shot up rapidly but ultimately faced legal issues.

We'll examine the role of TikTok influencers in this story and discuss the legal implications that arose from this rapid rise and fall.

But first