Bitcoin and Ethereum Hit Record Highs—Why Is Dogecoin Left Behind?

While Bitcoin and Ethereum have soared to new price peaks this year, Dogecoin—the market’s leading meme coin—remains over 70% below its 2021 all-time high, with analysts questioning whether DOGE will ever recapture its former glory.

Digital asset markets recently experienced a rally driven by the approval of U.S. Bitcoin ETFs and tailwinds from President Donald Trump’s victory, with the price of Bitcoin, ETH, XRP, Solana, and other leading tokens all breaking new records.

In sharp contrast, the price of Dogecoin (DOGE) has plateaued. DOGE peaked in 2021 at $0.71, it is now hovering near $0.22. Despite a brief rally during the 2024 U.S Presidential election where its price reached $0.48 in December, it has since failed to cross the $0.40.

DOGE’s underperformance raises a fundamental question: If meme coins thrive on hype and sentiment, then why isn't Dogecoin rallying with the rest of the cryptocurrency despite the bullish tailwinds?

Investors Yearns Utility, Not Just Popularity

Industry veterans point to Dogecoin’s lack of structural demand. Douglas Colkitt, founder of Ambient Finance, explains,

“Dogecoin runs on vibes, and the vibes haven’t reached 2021 mania levels yet. Unlike Bitcoin or ETH, there's no structural demand driver. It doesn't have staking yields, it doesn't anchor DeFi collateral...It's literally just a memecoin with a strong community behind it.”

Unlike Bitcoin, widely seen as ‘digital gold,’ or Ethereum, which anchors decentralized finance (DeFi) and stablecoin applications for institutions like JP Morgan and Meta, Dogecoin lacks staking, DeFi collateral, or meaningful use cases.

Grayscale’s Head of Research, Zach Pandl explains that institutional investors are looking into investing in something that offers real-world utility and revenue-generating project, and memecoin famously lacks it.

While there appears to be a strong demand for the coin, with a some speculating that a DOGE ETF might even be on its way, but the meme coin was originally created as a joke to poke fun at the crypto space. The coin later gained a cult following Tesla boss Elon Musk started tweeting about it.

Elon Musk once claimed that he liked the asset because it was "for the people," unlike Bitcoin. He also said it has the best sense of humour and that he likes DOGE because he also enjoys dogs and memes. In other words, it's just a joke to Musk, and investors see it much the same way.

Yet, adoption as a payment currency has stalled, and most traders treat it as a fun, speculative asset. DOGE has failed to match the returns of BTC and ETH in recent cycles. Arca CIO Jeff Dorman notes

“DOGE lacks a functional purpose, which is why it hasn’t experienced any significant increase.”

The Meme Never Dies—But Will It Ever Truly Shine?

Dogecoin’s enduring popularity stems from the nostalgia, humor, and speculative demand of its online community. As long as investors are willing to bet on internet culture, there will be a bid for DOGE.

But as the crypto market matures and prioritizes utility and scalable tech, investors should not confuse “vibes” with meaningful adoption. For now, Dogecoin remains an iconic, if stagnant, fixture—waiting for the next mania, technological milestone, or ETF headline to ignite its return.