Meme Coins Surge 30% to Start 2026 as Speculation Returns

[cryptoenthusiast]

Meme Coin Market Cap. Source: TradingView

After a volatile and largely disappointing 2025, meme coins are beginning 2026 with renewed strength. Since the start of the year, the sector’s total market capitalization has climbed more than 30%, signaling a sharp reversal from last year’s downtrend and pointing to a renewed appetite for high-risk, speculative assets.

Market data shows meme coin capitalization surpassed $47 billion as of January 5, with daily trading volume reaching $9.2 billion. This outperformance stands in contrast to the broader altcoin market, where TOTAL3 (excluding Bitcoin and Ethereum) is up just 7.5% year-to-date—suggesting capital is rotating back into community-driven, momentum-heavy tokens.

[madmax]

meme coins pumping again is usually my sign that ppl are feeling a bit too comfortable