Crypto Market Sector Yields Forecasted for 2024 by CoinGecko
In the dynamic world of cryptocurrencies, 2024 saw some intriguing trends emerge. According to CoinGecko, the top performing narratives included Real World Assets (RWA), Decentralised Finance (DeFi), and payments, with meme coins also making a significant impact.
Meme coins, known for their humorous or internet-inspired origins, showed extraordinary returns in 2024-2025. Some individual tokens, such as TOSHI, achieved over 5,000% returns in the first half of 2025[1]. On an average daily returns basis, meme coins outperformed other sectors, with an average profit and loss (PnL) of 33.08% daily[2].
Among RWA projects, Maple Finance’s SYRUP token stood out, growing by a notable 288% in early 2025[1]. DeFi and payments sectors also showed strong performance, though specific average return figures were less clearly detailed[1].
However, the most profitable crypto narrative of 2024 was AI, with an average price gain of 2940%. This shift occurred on December 9, surpassing meme coins, which had a return of 3211% until that date, with most of the growth occurring in March, rising from 97% to 1713%[1].
Despite the success of AI tokens, some community members have expressed doubts about the long-term popularity of AI agents. L2, L1, DeFi, and DePIN also made appearances in the top performing narratives, with L1 having an average price gain of 142%, DeFi at 101%, DePIN at 135%, and L2 experiencing a price decrease of 21%[1].
In summary, while several narratives performed well, meme coins led in average daily returns, followed by RWA and DeFi projects as significant 2024 themes. The AI narrative, though late to the race, eventually took the lead as the most profitable, demonstrating the unpredictable and exciting nature of the cryptocurrency market.
[1] Source: CoinGecko data analysis [2] Source: Study focused on 2025 cryptocurrency market trends
Bitcoin, driven by advancements in artificial-intelligence, saw an unprecedented price gain of 2940% in 2024, overtaking meme coins as the most profitable crypto narrative. Investing in decentralized finance (DeFi) tokens and projects, such as those in the RWA sector like Maple Finance's SYRUP token, also proved lucrative, albeit with less detailed performance figures. Technology's influence extended beyond AI, with other narratives like L1, DeFi, DePIN, and L2 also making significant impacts in 2024, showcasing the diversity and unpredictability of the digital finance landscape.
