Dogecoin, Shiba Inu Extend New Year Gains, But These Memecoins Have Stolen The Show In 2026

Memecoins rode the broader cryptocurrency market rally on Tuesday, extending their impressive run this year.

Memecoins Rejoice On Crypto Bill Progress

Frog-themed Pepe lifted over 18%, claiming the top spot among large-cap gainers. The Ethereum (CRYPTO: ETH)-based memecoin has rallied nearly 70% since the beginning of the year.

Solana (CRYPTO: SOL)-based Bonk (CRYPTO: BONK) followed Pepe with a 14% uptick, stretching its year-to-date returns beyond 56%.

Dogecoin, the world’s largest memecoin, joined in, rallying over 8% in the last 24 hours, while Shiba Inu (CRYPTO: SHIB) lifted 5.80%. The two heavyweights are up more than 25% year to date.

The total memecoin market capitalization expanded 8.19% in the last 24 hours to $47 billion. Such levels were last seen two months ago.

Can Memecoins Stage A Lasting Comeback?

The upsurge came after the Senate Banking Committee released a draft bill for the cryptocurrency market structure bill, which will treat altcoins the same way regulators currently treat Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC), as commodities, not securities.

After the bloodbath in 2025, bulls are crossing their fingers for a memecoin rally that actually sticks around.

The total memecoin capitalization collapsed from $94.92 billion to $37.79 billion last year, marking a 60% decline.

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