Bitcoin, Dogecoin Trail These 2024 Crypto Champions: Here Are The Top Performers Of The Year

The cryptocurrency landscape witnessed a remarkable transformation in 2024, with several coins attracting traders' attention due to their meteoric gains.

While the market broadly reaped the benefits of Bitcoin's BTC/USD record-breaking run past $100,000, the returns on many assets far surpassed the leading cryptocurrency

What happened: VIRTUAL, the native cryptocurrency of Virtuals Protocol, left all other coins in the dust with an eye-popping 26198% gain since the beginning of the year

The token hit an all-time high of $3.72 on Sunday and logged gains of 127% over the month, pointing to an excellent year-end.

Virtuals Protocol is a decentralized platform that aids in virtual interactions through its AI and Metaverse products.

Next on the list were meme coins. Solana SOL/USD-based parody coin SPX6900, that calls for the creation of a new stock market index called SPX6900, exploded 10795% year-to-date.

Feline-themed cryptocurrency Popcat emerged as the market's third-biggest gainer, netting massive returns of 9473% to its holders over the year.

CryptocurrencyYTD Gains +/-Price (At 10:30 p.m. ET)Virtuals Protocol (VIRTUAL)+26198.45%$3.51SPX6900 (SPX)+10795%$0.9049Popcat (POPCAT)+9473.60%$0.7761

Frog-themed Pepe PEPE/USD also multiplied its investors' wealth, surging 1291% since 2024 began.

Among the large-cap cryptocurrencies, Dogecoin DOGE/USD and XRP XRP/USD stole the limelight, pumping 255% and 241%, respectively.

See Also: Crypto Analyst Foresees Dogecoin Price Rebound As Whales Increase Holdings

Bitcoin surged 121% in 2024, thanks to a flurry of important bullish catalysts, including spot exchange-traded funds listing and cryptocurrency-friendly Donald Trump's presidential victory.