BNB Chain Surges as Solana's Memecoin Ecosystem Faces an Identity Crisis

BNB Chain, the EVM-compatible network tied to cryptocurrency exchange Binance, is experiencing a resurgence in the decentralized finance (DeFi)

BNB Chain, the EVM-compatible network tied to cryptocurrency exchange Binance, is experiencing a striking resurgence in the decentralized finance (DeFi) and memecoin spaces just as some of its rivals face an identity crisis.

For most of 2024 and into early 2025, Solana (SOL) has largely dominated the retail DeFi narrative. It became the network of choice for memecoins tied to celebrities, influencers and political figures, including US President Donald Trump.

However, the ecosystem took a reputational hit after Argentine President Javier Milei jumped on the memecoin bandwagon. His associated project, “Libra,” was accused of insider trading. The controversy dented trust in Solana's memecoin sector and opened the door for competitors.

Enter BNB Chain, which has effectively seized the moment, also capturing the displaced memecoin volume. The chain has its own memecoin platform, Four.Meme — comparable to Solana's Pump.fun — and instituted daily competitions to promote new projects and subsidize their liquidity. Some of these memecoins have even gone on to secure listings on Binance itself.

This momentum is clearly reflected in the trading volume of the network's top decentralized exchange (DEX), PancakeSwap. In a two-week stretch from March 15, PancakeSwap led all EVM chains' DEX volume on nine separate days, according to Dune Analytics data:

PancakeSwap on BNB Chain dominates the second half of March in DEX volume. | Source: Dune Analysis

"It’s worth noting that PancakeSwap’s recent volume spike likely stems from renewed retail enthusiasm for BNB memecoins. Unlike other ecosystems where meme-related volume has declined over recent weeks, BNB Chain has seen significant growth in this sector," said Justin Barlow, head of business development and investments at Sei Foundation.

In a written analysis shared with Cointelegraph on March 27, Barlow reviewed CoinGecko data and found that just two BNB memecoins were responsible for roughly 13% of PancakeSwap's daily trading volume.

"Despite the overall cryptocurrency market downturn, PancakeSwap's trading activity has remained remarkably stable, with a slight increase in recent months," Barlow added. "This resilience can be attributed to BNB Chain’s focus on memecoins and its efforts to attract a global retail audience."

BNB Chain's reversal of fortune

Launched in 2020 as Binance Smart Chain, BNB Chain positioned itself as a low-cost, fast and EVM-compatible alternative to Ethereum at a time when high gas fees and limited L1 options made Ethereum less accessible. It quickly attracted developers and users but developed a reputation for scammy projects and faced criticism for centralization.

As regulatory pressure on Binance mounted, activity on the chain declined while more decentralized and innovative ecosystems like Ethereum L2s and Solana gained momentum.

PancakeSwap has become the centerpiece of BNB Chain's resurgence, sustaining high-volume trading across the network. According to DefiLlama, BNB Chain led all blockchains in DEX volume on eight days during the two-week period starting March 15 — the same stretch in which PancakeSwap dominated the EVM DEX landscape.

Binance-linked BNB Chain dominates second-half of March. | Source: DefiLlama

"DEX volumes are a clear signal of user engagement and interest in DeFi, and sustained activity on a platform like PancakeSwap suggests that retail interest in BNB Chain and its memecoin ecosystem is growing," Barlow said. A byproduct of DEX volume growth is higher yields for liquidity providers.

In addition to DEX volume, BNB Chain recently led the industry in active addresses among EVM networks—and was second only to Solana across all blockchain ecosystems over the past week.

Binance-backed growth, memecoin liquidity and Broccoli

The resurgence of BNB Chain is closely linked to the boom in memecoins. In February, BNB Chain published its 2025 tech roadmap, reaffirming its commitment to supporting the memecoin ecosystem.

"We are happy to see many of the meme tool providers integrate with BNB Chain. And we will continue to work closely with them in 2025 and beyond," the announcement said.

Just days later, Binance founder Changpeng Zhao posted on X that his dog's name is Broccoli, a remark that sparked a wave of Broccoli-themed memecoins on BNB Chain. Zhao added that he would not be issuing a memecoin himself but would "likely interact" with a few tokens on the network.

Source: Changpeng Zhao

Memecoin activity has been surging ever since. One example came in late March; in a now-viral trade, one trader reportedly invested $232 into the Mubarak memecoin to profit $1.1 million, according to Lookonchain.

Savvy trader flips $232 of Mubarak memecoin into $1.1 million. | Source: Lookonchain

BNB Chain has also outpaced competitors in several core DeFi metrics. It recently surpassed both Solana and Ethereum L2s in