FX.co ★ Memecoins rise 30% to open 2026

Memecoins have risen from the ashes of a bear market and opened 2026 with a substantial recovery. The sector’s market capitalization jumped from $36.51 billion to $47.5 billion, a 30% increase on the first day of the year. The decline in memecoin values began in September 2025 and continued through the end of the year, when the sector’s total capitalization fell by 56%.

Winners at the start of 2026 varied sharply in their recovery pace. Pepe gained 63%, becoming the top-performing memecoin. Bonk added 42% to take second place, while Pudgy Penguins rose 32%. These swings underscore the sector’s volatility and a shift in investor preferences at the beginning of the year.

Trader James Winn, known for successful trades in the memecoin market, predicts that Pepe could rise fortyfold by the end of 2026. At that rate, the memecoin could become the new king of meme tokens, displacing Dogecoin. However, such an aggressive forecast highlights the sector’s high degree of speculation and its dependence on investor sentiment and broader trends in the digital asset market.