#数字资产动态追踪 The meme coin market at the start of 2026: Is it a genuine breakout or just a trap set by the whales?

Recently, a very obvious phenomenon has emerged in the market—$PEPE $DOGE $SHIB $NEIRO $PNUT and other established meme coins are experiencing violent rebounds, while BTC, ETH, and SOL are still slowly rising from the lows. What's really going on behind this?

My judgment is: the whales are testing the waters. They are assessing how much market-making value remains in these once-mainstream coins before deciding whether to really pour money in to push prices up. In simple terms, they are gauging how much residual enthusiasm these old coins with a community base still have.

Based on this logic, I dare say: in this wave of 2026, among the meme coins still worth speculation, there will definitely be a batch of targets with 3-10x gains. With such a light market cap, pushing prices up is not difficult.

But this is also the most testing moment for human nature. Those who experienced deep declines last year often sell in tears after a 20% rebound at the start of the year—this might be the stupidest decision. The pullback at the beginning of the month is just a routine move for the bulls; beginners are easily scared out by FOMO.

From recent trading details, Dogecoin has driven a rebound across the entire dog-themed meme ecosystem, and Pepe is even more exaggerated, with a single surge exceeding 22%. That long-lost excitement is back.

But stay steady. The key is to keep a close eye on the middle band of the Bollinger Bands on the daily chart of Dogecoin. An effective breakout and stabilization above that level is the signal, otherwise it’s a trap. Hold your coins tight—this market may just be getting started.