Traders Speculate on Which Coin Will Reach $1 First in the 2025-26 Memecoin Cycle

Dogecoin aims for the $1 milestone, but the rapidly selling presale of newcomer Little Pepe is taking center stage.

The memecoin landscape often features its own races, and for the 2025–26 phase, the $1 goal is evident. Dogecoin has been inching toward it for over a decade, fueled by Elon Musk’s tweets, retail nostalgia, and its status as the most recognized joke token in cryptocurrency.

This time, however, it’s not alone in the race. Little Pepe has burst into discussions, attracting millions during its presale and selling tokens at a remarkable pace.

Dogecoin: The iconic memecoin with a cap

Dogecoin remains the original memecoin brand, deeply embedded in internet culture, often mentioned in Reddit discussions, and recognized by figures like Elon Musk. This widespread recognition carries significant weight in a market where perception dictates price.

Currently, DOGE trades between $0.23 and $0.24. To reach $1, investors would require approximately a 4×–5× return. While that’s not impossible, sustaining cultural relevance is essential as opposed to groundbreaking technological advancements. Its characteristics contribute to the challenge.

DOGE is inflationary, continuously generating new coins, and its proof-of-work structure offers little beyond basic transaction capabilities. Without DeFi layers, NFT markets, or smart contract functionalities, DOGE’s growth largely hinges on its meme and community support. Analysts typically anticipate it hitting $1 during a bullish cycle, but not in the explosive manner that creates overnight millionaires.

Little Pepe: A tech-driven underdog

LILPEPE isn’t just aiming to join the memecoin conversation; it aspires to reinvent the framework where this interaction occurs. The project operates on its own Ethereum-compatible Layer-2 blockchain specifically designed for memecoins and offers:

• Very low fees for quick transactions
• No taxes to boost trading volume
• Sniper-bot protection to ensure fairness
• A meme-centric launchpad for community-led projects

This setup targets speculative traders and aims to become the primary network for deploying and managing memecoins. What’s currently captivating traders is the presale velocity. LILPEPE has already amassed over $19.5 million during its initial 10 stages.

Stage 11, priced at $0.0020, is quickly selling out, with over 500 million tokens gone in less than 24 hours and under 1 billion remaining before prices rise to $0.0021. Early investors from Stage 1 have already seen their investments double before the token officially hits the market.

Price forecasts suggest values ranging from $0.10–$0.50 by the end of 2025 (offering 50× returns) to more optimistic projections of $1–$2 in the same timeframe, contingent on sustained hype and adoption. At $1, this translates to approximately 500× from the current presale price.

The $1 race: Closer versus faster

Some traders perceive DOGE as the obvious leader due to its proximity, being just $0.76 from the target. However, this overlooks a deeper analysis. For DOGE, a 4× increase necessitates widespread adoption or a market frenzy capable of absorbing billions in buying pressure.

Conversely, while LILPEPE’s ascent to $1 seems numerically significant, explosive growth like this can occur in brief, intense surges within the realm of low-cap, high-hype memecoins. Historically, we’ve witnessed many coins transition from fractions of a cent to lofty dollar values in under a year once critical momentum is achieved.

Community, buzz, and the X-factor

Dogecoin has a loyal community but is also composed of a demographic that is older and less proactive in viral marketing. In contrast, LILPEPE’s community is actively engaged, capitalizing on social media momentum, influencer partnerships, and a $777,000 giveaway to maintain hype.

Additionally, LILPEPE is showing up on memecoin trend lists, surpassing PEPE, DOGE, and SHIB in mentions from June through August 2025.

When you factor in confirmed exchange listings and whale accumulation, you have a token that is constructing both the infrastructure and the hype machine in real-time even before its official launch.

The conclusion

While Dogecoin may reach $1 – a goal that has tantalized its holders for years – it’ll require favorable market conditions to make it a reality. Meanwhile, LILPEPE is proactively creating its own opportunities through technology, scarcity, and a presale that is dynamically evolving. Ultimately, the race to $1 may hinge on not just proximity, but on speed. For traders willing to embrace greater risks for potentially larger rewards, LILPEPE’s trajectory might be a bet worth considering.

For additional information about Little Pepe, check out the website, Telegram, and X.