Why DOGE, BONK, SHIB, and PEPE Other Meme Coins Are Skyrocketing Today?

The total meme coin market cap has jumped by over 10% in the past month, reaching $50.1 billion. Trading volume surged 15%, surpassing $4.4 billion. 

The rally comes after the cryptocurrency market has experienced a wider recovery, with Bitcoin regaining above $90,000 level and Ethereum remaining above the 3,000 mark. 

As risk appetite returned, meme coins responded with amplified volatility and rapid price movements. This renewed investor interest has pushed top meme coins like Dogecoin, Shiba Inu, PEPE, and BONK higher. 

Why Is Meme Coin Sector Surging Today?

The price of meme coins is on the rise as a result of a mix of positive market sentiment, inflows into ETFs, and growing crypto social buzz. 

The U.S Nonfarm Payrolls report indicated lower-than-anticipated growth in job creation a move that speculated of possible easing of the policies. That stimulated risk-on trades in crypto markets.

Meme coins are also popular among retail investors when the market is on a bullish reversal, as they are inexpensive to buy and may trend virally. Such tokens as DOGE, SHIB, and PEPE are particularly sensitive to changes in investor mood, eying a rally if the conditions are favorable.

The most recent ETF inflows and the strength of Bitcoin are also positive signs of speculative rotations to high-volatility assets such as meme tokens.

The purchase through social media and massive trading volumes have caused the valuation of meme coins to skyrocket. The crypto market is set to gain momentum in 2026, which traders are betting on.

PEPE And Dogecoin Soar as Traders Return

Pepe (PEPE) led the meme coin sector with a 50% intraday gain, lifting its market cap into the top three meme assets. The Pepe price is currently around $0.056262

The robust performance of PEPE happened due to a shift in overall sentiment towards frog-themed tokens. The token is currently moving towards its next major resistance barrier of about $0.00001.

Pepe price has already increased by approximately 15% in the last week, which is even better than Dogecoin and Shiba Inu.

The first meme coin, Dogecoin (DOGE), soared to a high of $1.1430 after the issue of U.S. Nonfarm Payrolls report. 

Spot DOGE ETFs on Thursday and January 2 had inflows of 334,000 and 2.3 million, respectively, indicating an increase in institutional interest.

BONK and SHIB Show Strength in Early 2026

BONK price surged 20% in the past week and is now trading at $0.00001092. Analysts note that if bullish momentum continues, BONK could test the $0.000015 level next. 

The meme token is riding Solana’s broader ecosystem growth, contributing to its strong market performance.

The price of Shiba Inu (SHIB) has also recovered remarkably. SHIB rose to the highest point of $0.00000868 after leaving a multi-week compression zone. The token has increased by more than 13% this week and is currently being consolidated above the $0.0000080 level.

As the selling pressure declines, the next significant resistance point is currently at 0.000010, and the bulls are on it.

Emerging Meme Tokens Join the Rally

While major meme coins gained ground, new entrants also posted impressive returns. 

Pump. fun surges to an all-time high in weekly trading volume and up 10% in 24 hours to trade at $0.002396. 

🚨JUST IN: https://t.co/VS31GZ3dMY hits a new all-time high in weekly trading volume. Are meme coins seeing a comeback? Or is a potential airdrop getting closer, with traders positioning through wash trading?. pic.twitter.com/4RjPGPKmEy

— SolanaFloor (@SolanaFloor) January 9, 2026

Others that have gained a lot are The Blue Whale, which rose by 719% to $0.001603, Just a Based Guy, which rose by 276% to $0.000385, and Mubarakah, which rose by 118% to 0.001375.

Pudgy Penguins (PENGU), SPX, FLOKI, WIF, and FARTCOIN also saw significant increases in their 24-hour price movements. This has attracted traders who want to take advantage of the short-term returns to increase the meme coin boom.