The first week of the new year ushered in a series of notable gains in both nft collections and crypto tokens. Despite the holiday lull, several digital assets defied expectations with strong trading volumes, rising price floors, and renewed community interest.
On the nft side, smaller but dedicated collections drew attention by attracting new buyers and driving up average selling prices. Meanwhile, meme-inspired cryptocurrencies and established gaming tokens continued to demonstrate the powerful impact of community momentum.
In this roundup, we will highlight three notable nft projects and three crypto tokens that made waves during the last days of 2024 and the first days of 2025.
The biggest nft winners
CryptoDickbutts
The aptly named CryptoDickbutts collection saw its minimum price rise to around 1.1 eth, which is a 24% increase in the past few days. According to data from CoinGecko, daily volume exceeded 68 eth (up almost 187%), and average selling prices increased to 1.15 eth. The project features 5,198 cartoonish, phallic “butts,” each randomly generated, and has cultivated a devoted following online through humor and meme-based marketing.
More than 1,900 unique owners now own CryptoDickbutts, indicating an expanding community interested in humorous and offbeat collectibles. While some question whether the comedy brand can maintain long-term traction, the current interest reflects the nft market's appetite for whimsy and originality and, above all, memes.
AEON project
The AEON project, minted as a collection of 3,333 nfts, also enjoyed a good week, with the minimum price hovering around 1.67 eth, an increase of around 37%. The project's daily volume, tracked at approximately 57 eth, underlines the renewed confidence of buyers. With more than 1,100 unique owners, Project AEON promotes a narrative that links “quantum glitch occurrences” to digital collectibles, positioning itself as a mix of science fiction and cultural commentary. This approach has attracted collectors intrigued by a more conceptual spin on nft lore.
Although its all-time high stands at 2.67 eth (reached three months ago), the current price action suggests strong momentum to reclaim previous highs. Still, observers note that maintaining momentum may require constant updates, community events or partnerships that maintain intrigue around the project's evolving story.
Fomo v1.38 Wizards
On Solana, Fomo v1.38 Mages attracted attention despite having only a handful of daily sales. With a price floor of 164 SOL (approximately $5,600 at current SOL prices), the collection has seen minimal volume (just 86 SOL in 24 hours), but that was enough to post a 3.2% weekly increase. Currently, only four sole owners own these 360 minted Wizards, underscoring how tight the supply really is. Although it is challenging to assess the long-term trajectory of such a specific set of nfts, the increase in price speaks to the Solana market's fascination with exclusive, low-supply items.
The biggest cryptocurrency winners
pedocoin
Fartcoin (FART) continues to surprise critics and delight meme coin fans by rising approximately 53% over the past week. Priced at around $1.49, Fartcoin relies on humorous branding and energetic social media campaigns that encourage its holders to embrace its joyful spirit. Beneath the surface, the token's developers claim to be working on a broader ecosystem beyond jokes, possibly incorporating community benefits and promotional tie-ins.
While critics remain skeptical of the coin's lasting appeal, the rally highlights that meme-fueled hype still has the ability to drive new entries into the crypto space. Investors should be aware that comic coins can face sudden and dramatic price swings.
Gala
Gala (GALA), a gaming-focused token, rose approximately 23.74% on the weekly charts, driven in part by continued updates and expansions of the Gala Games platform. Gala, known for its titles that aim to incorporate blockchain assets into traditional gaming experiences, has been forging partnerships and developing in-game economies that rely on GALA tokens for transactions and rewards.
This focus on player ownership of digital items and interoperability between games resonates with fans looking for tangible use cases. The token's price action suggests that the constant flow of project news, such as new game announcements or developer updates, may encourage both short-term traders and long-term believers to accumulate or hold.
Pepe
Pepe (PEPE) stands out as another meme-heavy token that gained around 20.9% in the last seven days, increasing its market cap. Like many meme coins, its community is nourished by viral social media posts and strong camaraderie among investors, fueled by nostalgic references to internet culture. Although still relatively volatile, Pepe has managed to maintain interest by regularly hosting giveaway events and forming cross-promotions with small nft projects. Some market observers compare its growth to that of older meme tokens that started with humor but later added staking or governance features to remain relevant.
A closer look at the big picture
In early 2025, the nft market will experience pockets of growth, particularly for culturally driven niche projects. At the same time, meme-inspired cryptocurrencies and niche gaming tokens continue to leverage strong community support, underscoring the crucial role brands and social connections play in cryptocurrency markets. Overall, trading volumes remain sensitive to macroeconomic signals and overall crypto sentiment. While some assets appear to perform better on ethereum, others thrive on alternative networks like Solana.
Investors should keep in mind that each blockchain has different dynamics that can greatly influence price and volume outcomes. It's also worth noting that some of the best gains came from smaller collections or tokens that combined novelty and decent liquidity. These outliers can spark greater interest in lesser-known projects if they consistently offer creative roadmaps or compelling real-world use. However, the crypto landscape can change quickly, so sustained momentum often depends on the “mood of the moment,” as well as community participation, timely updates, and transparent communication from the development team.
Concluding
This week's highlights illustrate the various strategies used by nft projects and crypto tokens to attract new buyers at the dawn of a new year. While Fartcoin, Gala, and Pepe demonstrate the continued viability of meme and gaming narratives to drive token appreciation, nfts like CryptoDickbutts, Project AEON, and Fomo Mages show that dedicated communities can coalesce around distinctive artistic or conceptual frameworks. . The question going forward is how these assets will adapt to changing market conditions, regulatory influences and user preferences. For now, the notable gains suggest a lively start to 2025 crypto and nft activities.