After a turbulent 2025, meme coins are starting 2026 on a stronger footing. The sector’s total market capitalization has risen more than 30% since the beginning of the year, marking a sharp turnaround from last year’s weakness.

The outsized gains suggest renewed speculative appetite and may signal the return of retail investors following the holiday lull.

Market Data Highlights Meme Coin Outperformance

The meme coin sector has kicked off 2026 with strong gains. According to market data, total market capitalization reached over $47 billion as of January 5, a 7% rise in 24 hours. Trading volume for the sector hit $9.2 billion, signaling high activity across meme coins.

This performance stands out versus the broader crypto market. The TOTAL3 index, which excludes Bitcoin and Ethereum, rose just 7.5% since January 1. Meanwhile, meme coins recorded over 30% gains, indicating a notable shift toward speculative, community-based assets.

“Memecoins are pumping again. The total memecoin market cap is up $12 billion in 4 days. Once again people are realizing memes are superior to ALT coins. This could be the beginning of a crazy run,” an analyst wrote.

Meme Coin Market Cap. Source: TradingView

Furthermore, top meme coins have delivered notable returns over the past week. CoinGecko data revealed that Dogecoin (DOGE) has climbed 20%. Shiba Inu (SHIB) increased 18.9% while Pepe (PEPE) jumped 65.6%.

The rally is not limited to the largest meme coins. Others in the sector have also seen double-digit gains, with several meme coins appearing in the top gainers list on CoinGecko.

Why Are Meme Coins Surging?

The rebound is especially notable given the sector’s weak performance in 2025. Analysts suggest the renewed strength in meme coins may signal that retail investors are finally returning with fresh capital after months of caution and sidelined positioning.

Data supports this shift in sentiment. According to Santiment, the recovery began shortly after fear, uncertainty, and doubt among retail traders surged in late December.

At the same time, Google Trends shows a steady increase in search interest for the term “meme coin” since January 1, signaling growing retail attention and curiosity.

Meme Coin Search Interest. Source: Google Trends

Some analysts also point to tax-related dynamics as a contributing factor. Market watcher, Tervelix, noted that in traditional markets, investors who sell stocks at a loss in December to offset taxes are subject to the IRS wash sale rule, which requires a 30-day waiting period before repurchasing the same asset. Buying earlier invalidates the tax deduction.

Crypto operates under different rules. The IRS currently classifies digital assets as property rather than securities, meaning the 30-day wash sale restriction does not apply.

Thus, this allows investors to sell positions at year-end and re-enter the market immediately in January, potentially amplifying early-year price momentum in meme coins.

“That’s why first week of every new year (except 2022 bear) we are witnessing a massive price reset. Whales and funds washed their positions to clean their tax slate, and now they are rushing back in to catch the Q1 narrative,” the post read.

As meme coin performance continues to capture the market’s attention, analyst Darkfost noted that this could mark the beginning of a meme coin comeback. However, the analyst added that it is still too early to draw firm conclusions.

“For more speculative investors, this may represent an interesting signal, provided caution is exercised, and risk is properly managed,” Darkfost stated.

In the weeks ahead, the market will determine whether meme coin gains can persist or if this rally will prove fleeting.