Meme Coin Market Cap Surges $11 Billion, Led by PEPE
The meme coin sector has seen a significant surge at the start of 2026:
- Total market cap increased by $11 billion, reaching around $47 billion.
- Daily trading activity rose over 35% to $8.8 billion.
Top performing meme coins include:
- Dogecoin rose 18.25% over the past week.
- Shiba Inu gained 17.5%, with its trading volume increasing by over 130% in 24 hours.
- Pepe surged 64%, adding $1.14 billion to its market cap.
A notable trader turned $58,700 into $489,900 holding a leveraged long position in Pepe.
Smaller meme coins like Floki Inu also saw gains of 37%, though a TD Sequential sell signal suggests possible near-term pullback.
Meme coin dominance in the altcoin market is rebounding from extreme lows after hitting a low point of 3.2% in December 2025. Market observers note potential for a meme market run similar to previous events.
Analysts suggest that even small movements in BTC could lead to aggressive upside in meme coins.
Maxi Doge (MAXI), themed around fitness and trading culture, has raised $4.4 million in presale. It offers an annual staking return of 70% and positions itself as a high-risk, early-stage meme token.