The cryptocurrency market has entered 2026 with an acceleration in token creation, continuing the pace seen over the past year.
As of January 12, 2026, the total number of cryptocurrencies tracked by CoinMarketCap stood at 29.91 million. At the start of the year, on January 1, CoinMarketCap tracked 29.29 million cryptocurrencies, indicating that about 620,000 new assets were created in just the first days of 2026.
At the same time, over the past 30 days, more than 1.57 million new cryptocurrencies were created, with 357,773 added in the last seven days alone. In the past 24 hours, the market saw roughly 66,740 newly created tokens.
It’s worth noting that the surge highlights how easy it has become to create a cryptocurrency. Modern blockchain ecosystems allow users to launch tokens with minimal technical expertise through standardized templates on Ethereum (ETH)-compatible networks and other smart contract platforms.
No-code tools and low deployment costs mean new assets can be launched in minutes, often requiring little more than a wallet and a small transaction fee.
Drivers of increased tokens created
This accessibility has been reinforced by speculative activity, meme coin culture, and experimentation across decentralized finance, gaming, and community-driven projects. Many tokens are created to test ideas or capture short-term attention rather than build long-term infrastructure, pushing overall token counts higher even as adoption remains limited.
However, the rapid increase in numbers has not translated into lasting success for most assets. The majority experience sharp price declines shortly after launch or fail due to limited liquidity, weak utility, or fading interest.
Many are also created in attempts to emulate established networks such as Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum, often reusing familiar narratives or mechanics without meaningful innovation.
As a result, the market has become increasingly crowded, with only a small share of cryptocurrencies gaining traction while most fade quickly.
Featured image via Shutterstock
