"The Dynamics Behind the Rise of Memecoins in 2026"

Memecoins Made a Strong Start in 2026

Cryptocurrency investors have rekindled their interest in memecoins in the early days of 2026. Memecoins, which were trading at their lowest levels at the end of 2025, have attracted attention with double-digit gains recorded last week.

Market Value and Trading Volume Increase

According to CoinMarketCap data, the value of the memecoin market rose rapidly from $38 billion on December 29 to $46.4 billion, gaining significant momentum. In addition, the trading volume increased from $2.17 billion to $8.1 billion, showing an increase of approximately 300%. This data indicates that memecoins are regaining popularity among investors.

Prominent Memecoins

In the past week, Dogecoin has gained 18%, Shiba Inu 17%, Pepe 63%, official TRUMP 10%, Bonk 47%, and Pudgy Penguins 33%. These increases in value have led memecoins to stand out among the projects in terms of market capitalization and continue to attract investors' attention.

Bitcoin and Economic Factors

This rise in memecoins signifies renewed interest following a weak performance in 2025. Notably, Bitcoin managed to rise above $90,000 by increasing for four consecutive days after several unsuccessful attempts at the end of 2025. This situation can be interpreted as a signal of recovery in the cryptocurrency market.

Expert Opinions

Derek Lim, the president of the research firm Caladan focusing on the crypto market, commented that factors such as declining inflation and the U.S.'s access to strategic resources could encourage a heightened sensitivity towards risky assets. Lim stated, "When these factors are considered together, it signals that 2026 could be positive for riskier assets."

As a result, these rises in memecoins provide important clues that market dynamics are changing and that investors' willingness to take risks may increase.