Memecoin social buzz rose at the start of 2026, alongside a rebound in memecoin market cap, according to Santiment.
The data tracked a rise in online discussion and crowd activity around memecoins.
The shift followed a steep decline last year. Memecoins fell more than 65% over 2025, as traders reduced speculative exposure and moved capital toward steadier positions.
Price action stayed active while the sector rebounded. Bitcoin price range remained tight, even as memecoin activity increased, based on CoinGecko data.
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Memecoin Social Buzz Tracks Crypto Risk Appetite, Santiment Says
Santiment said memecoin social buzz jumped since the year began. The firm linked the move to rising attention as memecoin market cap climbed.
Several memecoins posted short term gains, which drew traders back toward risk assets. Santiment described the change as a rise in crowd interest, tied to the sector’s rebound.
Vincent Liu, chief investment officer at trading firm Kronos Research, said traders rotate into assets with fast feedback loops when mood improves.
Memecoin Market Cap Rebounds From 35 Billion Low as Transaction Volume Spikes
The memecoin market cap fell sharply during 2025. The sector bottomed at 35 billion on Dec. 19, according to the figures cited in the report.
The rebound followed within days. CoinMarketCap data showed memecoin market cap crossed 47.7 billion on Monday, up from 38 billion on Dec. 29. By Thursday, it hovered near 45 billion, after pulling back from the week’s high.
Memecoin transaction volume jumped even faster. It rose from 2.17 billion on Dec. 29 to 8.7 billion on Monday, a gain of about 300%, based on CoinMarketCap. It later eased to about 5.22 billion on Thursday.
Bitcoin Price Range Holds as Risk Assets Shift Within Crypto
While memecoins moved, Bitcoin price range stayed narrow. Bitcoin traded near 90,841, and it moved between 90,697 and 92,847 over the past 24 hours, according to CoinGecko.
Pav Hundal, lead analyst at Australian crypto exchange Swyftx, described memecoins as a clean read on crypto risk appetite. “Memecoins are one of the cleanest temperature checks for risk appetite in crypto,” he said.
Hundal said the near term path depends on whether the move holds.
“The next few days will tell us whether this move is just a short lived overnight fever, or maybe a sign the market is starting to tolerate risk comfortably again,”
he said.
Disclosure:This article does not contain investment advice or recommendations. Every investment and trading move involves risk, and readers should conduct their own research when making a decision.
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Tatevik Avetisyan is an editor at Kriptoworld who covers emerging crypto trends, blockchain innovation, and altcoin developments. She is passionate about breaking down complex stories for a global audience and making digital finance more accessible.
📅 Published: January 8, 2026 • 🕓 Last updated: January 8, 2026
