Memecoin sector rotation: In early 2026, market capitalization surged by $8 billion, with PEPE and BONK leading the counterattackEntering 2026, the long-dormant Memecoin market has made a powerful comeback at an astonishing speed. According to CryptoQuant data, the total market capitalization of this sector has surged by over $8 billion since the beginning of the year, with PEPE up 65% year-to-date, BONK increasing 49%, and FLOKI recording a 40% surge.
This rebound began after the sector hit a historic low in December 2025, accounting for only 3.2% of the altcoin market, which is eerily similar to the market structure before the epic bull run at the end of 2020. Meanwhile, Jesse Pollak, founder of Coinbase's Layer 2 network Base, highly praised the value of Memecoin as a "community coordination point," with the total market cap of on-chain Memecoin rising 14% in a single day to surpass $600 million. This frenzy, driven by community culture, platform infrastructure, and market cycles, is once again testing the boundaries between "utility" and "meme" in the crypto market.
MarketWhisper·20h ago