Can Dogecoin Reach $1?

Dogecoin (CRYPTO: DOGE) is making a monster comeback. On Oct. 31, the speculative crypto traded 75% below its all-time high of May 2021. But since the start of November, it has skyrocketed roughly 150% as investor excitement soars.

As of the afternoon of Dec. 17, this meme token trades at $0.40. But can it climb another 150% to one day reach a new record of $1? Continue reading to understand Dogecoin's potential price trajectory.

Start Your Mornings Smarter! Wake up with Breakfast news in your inbox every market day. Sign Up For Free »

Increasing speculative behavior

The stock market has benefited greatly from investor optimism following the presidential election, and so has the broader cryptocurrency market. Even Dogecoin, one of the most speculative tokens out there, has marched higher.

This trend provides a clear example of the most obvious bullish case for Dogecoin, which is known as the greater fool theory. The idea is that you should buy something not because it has value in itself, but because you will be able to sell at a higher price later to someone less informed. This risky strategy depends on unrelenting hype for whatever you're buying.

It certainly helps that Tesla founder and Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk, who attracts a lot of attention and currently has Donald Trump's ear, has voiced support for Dogecoin. Couple this with the fact that President-elect Donald Trump has said he will put Musk in charge of a new government agency called the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) -- which has no relationship with the cryptocurrency -- and speculation about Dogecoin may well intensify.

Lacking competitive strengths

It's not difficult to have a bearish view of Dogecoin. That's because the digital asset doesn't have any competitive strengths.

Dogecoin was launched in 2013 to be a lighthearted alternative to Bitcoin. It uses a proof-of-work consensus protocol. DOGE tokens can be used to send and receive money. But 10,000 new Dogecoin tokens are created every minute with no maximum supply. There already are 147 billion coins in circulation.

On the other hand, Bitcoin has a fixed supply cap of 21 million coins. Moreover, as the world's oldest and most valuable crypto, and with a $2.1 trillion market cap, Bitcoin has the advantages of huge scale, network effects, and a broad and expanding financial ecosystem that puts it head and shoulders above Dogecoin.

The number of developers working on a project can be an indicator of its potential. It's a good sign if there are smart computer scientists working on a technology to boost utility and adoption. But according to venture firm Electric Capital, Dogecoin isn't one of the top 100 blockchain networks by developer activity. That's not an encouraging sign.

Dogecoin is a gamble

I'm not a buyer of Dogecoin because I believe the bear case, which is mainly that it doesn't have any notable competitive strengths. And this case could become more popular, leading to the market viewing it as worthless.

But I can certainly understand how much speculation among the investment community matters. And this could keep supporting Dogecoin's price for the foreseeable future.

Therefore, I honestly wouldn't be surprised if Dogecoin continues having random spurts, like the one it's experiencing now, that eventually get it to the $1 mark. But such spurts will be unpredictable, as they're not based on anything fundamental.

And if the coin does get to $1, it will probably see a huge decline not long after. Buying this crypto is nothing more than a gamble, so I think the best thing long-term investors can do is avoid it.

Don’t miss this second chance at a potentially lucrative opportunity

Ever feel like you missed the boat in buying the most successful stocks? Then you’ll want to hear this.

On rare occasions, our expert team of analysts issues a “Double Down” stock recommendation for companies that they think are about to pop. If you’re worried you’ve already missed your chance to invest, now is the best time to buy before it’s too late. And the numbers speak for themselves:

• Nvidia: if you invested $1,000 when we doubled down in 2009, you’d have $338,103!*
• Apple: if you invested $1,000 when we doubled down in 2008, you’d have $48,005!*
• Netflix: if you invested $1,000 when we doubled down in 2004, you’d have $495,679!*

Right now, we’re issuing “Double Down” alerts for three incredible companies, and there may not be another chance like this anytime soon.

See 3 “Double Down” stocks »

*Stock Advisor returns as of December 16, 2024

Neil Patel and his clients have no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Bitcoin and Tesla. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.