More than half of the cryptocurrencies registered since 2014 are now considered dead or inactive. According to recent analysts' estimates, more than 3.7 million tokens created over the past few years are no longer traded, indicating a high mortality rate of crypto projects in the industry.
In the first quarter of 2025 alone, about 1.8 million tokens ceased to exist, which is almost twice as many as in the previous year. The main factor behind this decline is a drop in interest in speculative assets amid political and macroeconomic instability, particularly after the change of administration in the United States.
Most of the dead tokens appeared during the active boom in 2021−2024, when platforms with automated meme coin launches made it easier to create new assets. This led to an uncontrolled growth in the number of digital coins, most of which had no practical application or business model.
Experts note that the excessive ease of launching new tokens contributes to the growth of fraudulent projects and pyramids that quickly disappear after a short-term hype. That is why users are advised to carefully check information before investing in new cryptocurrencies.
In general, the current statistics only confirm the high risks in the digital asset market and the need for increased caution on the part of both private investors and professional traders.