If you thought meme coin season was over, Sunday's price action suggests otherwise. The speculative corner of crypto kicked off the new year with serious momentum, and the party continued through the weekend as major tokens extended their gains.
The Double-Digit Winners
Pepe (PEPE) and Bonk (BONK) stole the show among meme coins with market capitalizations exceeding $1 billion. Pepe rallied 17% while Bonk posted gains of 14% over the 24-hour period. These two tokens weren't just leading the meme coin pack—they ranked as the second and third-largest gainers across the entire cryptocurrency market.
Meanwhile, Solana (SOL)-based dogwifhat (WIF) climbed over 17% in the last 24 hours. More telling than the price move was the volume surge: trading activity for the dog-themed token jumped 132% to $450 million, a clear signal of heightened interest and buying pressure.
Here's how the top performers shaped up as of 9:30 p.m. ET on Sunday:
| Cryptocurrency | 24-Hour Gains +/- | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Dogwifhat | +17.17% | $0.4032 |
| Pepe | +14.50% | $0.000007106 |
| Bonk | +13.67% | $0.00001191 |
| Shiba Inu | +8.54% | $0.000008959 |
The Old Guard Joins In
The established meme coin leaders also participated in the rally. Shiba Inu (SHIB) popped over 8% as its largest holders continued their accumulation spree. According to Santiment data, the ten biggest Shiba Inu addresses now control nearly 63% of the total supply—a concentration that suggests whale conviction remains strong.
Dogecoin (DOGE), the original meme coin, rose nearly 2% over the same period. While more modest than its peers, the gain keeps Dogecoin in positive territory as the sector finds its footing.
Sector-Wide Momentum
The broader numbers tell the story of a sector waking up. The overall meme coin market capitalization increased 5.72% in the last 24 hours to reach $47.75 billion—a level not seen in nearly two months. Total trading volume surged 50% to $8.83 billion, suggesting genuine market participation rather than isolated pumps.
For meme coin bulls, the question now is whether this New Year surge can translate into sustained momentum. After what's been a rough start to 2025 for the sector, investors are hoping this weekend's action marks a turning point rather than just another brief rally.