The crypto market frenzy of 2021 remains an unforgettable memory for many investors. At that time, native cryptocurrencies, driven by pure concept hype and community consensus, staged a nationwide frenzy, with SHIB creating a myth of a 2.4 million times surge in just two months—an investment of 1,000 yuan could yield a profit of 20 million, making 'buying Shiba Inu coins to achieve financial freedom' a hot topic on the streets. However, the tide eventually receded; starting in the second half of 2021, tightening regulations and profit-taking triggered a market crash, causing most native cryptocurrencies to plummet over 80% from their highs, leading to a prolonged period of sideways fluctuations. The era of native cryptocurrencies that purely relied on concepts has long been concluded at the peak moment of 2021.
Now, the market's barometer has quietly shifted. As AI becomes the global wave of the times, the cryptocurrency field has welcomed a new fusion revolution of 'AI+'. The capital's keen sense is shifting from the faded native cryptocurrency sector to the new blue ocean of AI cryptocurrency. Unlike those native cryptocurrencies in 2021 that lacked actual support, the current AI coins are no longer castles in the air: they have the technical foundation of decentralized AI networks and can deeply integrate with scenarios such as DeFi and supply chain management. Some leading projects have already achieved remarkable results, surpassing a market value of $3.2 billion, completely shedding the label of purely speculative targets.
What is even more noteworthy is that AI coins perfectly inherit the core genes of the SHIB-like myth—community consensus and traffic fission—while also adding the imaginative space of AI technology. Since 2025, the market value of AI token segments has surged by tens of billions in just six months, with emerging projects often raising over a million dollars in pre-sales and seeing a 40% surge upon launch. Institutional holdings are also continuously rising, and market enthusiasm is no less than during the peak of native cryptocurrency in 2021. This dual buff of 'technical hard power + meme propagation power' provides AI coins with a natural soil to replicate myths.
Reviewing the explosive logic of SHIB, the viral spread within the community and the concentrated influx of funds are key drivers. Now, the AI sector is gathering these elements: a globally formed AI cryptocurrency community of developers and investors is growing rapidly, discussions on social media remain heated, and signs of major funds 'sweeping' the market are becoming increasingly apparent. Various signals suggest that the market is brewing a new storm of wealth; in the next 3 months, perhaps a certain AI coin, leveraging unique technological highlights and community explosiveness, will suddenly break through and continue to write the 'wealth creation story' belonging to the AI era.
The glory of native cryptocurrency has become a thing of the past, while the chapter of AI cryptocurrency has just begun. This is not blind optimism or speculation, but an inevitable trend of technological iteration and capital flow. Of course, high returns always come with high risks; just like the SHIB surge back then, which also plummeted by 80%. The AI coin sector is similarly a mixed bag. However, it is undeniable that the wheel of trend is rolling forward; the next SHIB-like miracle is likely to be born in the wave of AI cryptocurrency, worthy of every sharp investor's attention.
