Memecoins Surge in 2026 After Historic Lows as Dog-Themed Tokens Lead

Memecoins Surge With DOGE, SHIB, and PEPE Driving Early 2026 Gains

Are memecoins really coming back after a long slowdown? Early 2026 data suggests that the meme market may not be done yet. After a weak 2025, memecoins are showing fresh signs of life, with prices moving up, volumes increasing, and traders slowly returning.

While it is still early, the setup looks similar to past periods that came before strong memecoin rallies.

Memecoins Surge After Hitting a Rare Market Bottom

According to CryptoQuant, memecoin dominance inside the altcoin market fell to a historic low in December 2025, dropping to around 3.2%. This came after the memecoin hype faded following the November 2024 peak, when dominance stood near 11%.

Source: CryptoQuant X (formerly Twitter) 

Historically, such deep lows have not marked the end of top memecoins, but rather a reset. Since the start of 2026, this dominance ratio has started to move up again, hinting that selling pressure may be easing and risk appetite may be returning.

Data Shows Strength Across Meme coins Category

Real-time CoinGecko data shows that the total memecoin market cap is around $51.1 billion, up roughly 4.5% in the last 24 hours. Trading volume has crossed $8.2 billion, suggesting active participation rather than a quiet bounce.

Source: CoinGecko

Within this category, dog themed memecoins continue to dominate. This segment alone accounts for over $33 billion in sector value, making it the largest and most influential group in the meme space.

Major Meme coins Joining the 2026 Momentum

• PEPE was the leader with a 65% gain in a week.

• DOGE increased by nearly 18% within a week, thus overcoming a long period of downturn and indicating renewed interest in dog-themed Meme coins.

• SHIB increased almost 16% and proved a steady interest for established coins.

• Similarly, mid-caps such as BONK, which jumped 45%, and FLOKI, up 37%, also had strong performance during the week

Taken altogether, the combination of large-cap winners and mid-cap winners indicates this is likely not a single token increase.

Top Gainers Show Increased Risk Appetite

Source: CoinGecko

24 Hours Top Gainers:

• good morning recorded an increase of more than 770%, placing it at the top of the gains list

• DATBOI showed a further monthly increase of almost 95%.

• PONKE appreciatively collected a staggering 88% while being a highly liquid meme coin.

• CZ's Dog (BROCCOLI), a memecoin focused on dogs, increased considerably by over 57% in a day, breaking the $200 million trading volume threshold, while market cap touched nearly $29 million.

The strong move in BROCCOLI is notable because dog-themed tokens often act as early leaders during memecoin rallies.

What This Means for the Memecoins Rally?

The current memecoins price surge comes after almost one year of decreasing interest. Social chatter is rising once again; traders seem more willing to take risk in low- and mid-cap meme tokens.

That said, analysts note this is still early days. The rally will stall if volumes fade or if broader industry conditions take a turn for the worse. Bitcoin stability and ongoing retail interest are going to be the things to watch.

Closing Thoughts

Meme coins are no longer flat. With dominance rebounding from historic lows, data showing rising market cap, and dog-themed memecoins like BROCCOLI joining the top gainers, early 2026 is turning out to be a moment when the meme industry will be important.

How much this will turn into a full memecoin season or remain a short-lived rebound will become clearer in the weeks to come.

YMYL Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only, kindly do your own research before making any investment decision.