3 notable memecoins in the second week of January 2026

The meme coin market is currently sending mixed signals. Although the entire sector declined more than 5% over the past week, prices have rebounded approximately 5% in the last 24 hours alone, signaling a renewed interest. In this context, three prominent names stand out, each with its own unique story.

One meme coin has increased in value despite selling pressure from “whales,” another has been heavily accumulated during the correction phase, and a third meme coin has seen trading volume surge around an important technical zone.

Pump.fun (PUMP)

Among the notable meme coins this week, Pump.fun (PUMP) stands out for a special reason. While many meme coins are losing momentum, PUMP is showing relatively clear strength. In the past 24 hours, this token has increased about 6%, and nearly 9% over the past seven days, consistently remaining on short-term traders’ watchlists.

Note: Pump.fun is not actually a meme coin in terms of design, but a platform where meme coins are created and traded. However, since CoinGecko classifies it as a meme coin, and given its price movements significantly impact the entire sector, PUMP is still mentioned here.

PUMP appears in the Meme coin category | Source: CoinGecko Price movements indicate that Pump.fun is forming a “cup and handle” pattern (cup and handle), but with a key difference: the cup tends to trend downward rather than sideways. This reflects market confidence that is not yet solid. Breakouts from this pattern could occur, but would require more sustained buying pressure than usual.

PUMP Price Analysis | Source: TradingView This caution is clearly reflected in whale behavior. Over the past seven days, large wallet holdings have decreased by 6.37%. Currently, these wallets hold only 12.02 billion PUMP, equivalent to about 820 million tokens sold during the week, while prices still increased—an estimated value of around $2 million.

Whale PUMP | Source: Nansen This contrasting behavior is noteworthy: prices are rising, but large investors are selling into the strength. This does not break the upward trend but raises the bar for confirmation of the rally.

On the chart, the $0.0026 level is a key zone to watch. If the price closes above this level, it will confirm a breakout of the neckline and open the chance to rise to $0.0037, approaching a 75% growth target based on the depth of the cup pattern. Conversely, if it falls below $0.0023 and then continues below $0.0020, the pattern will be invalidated, indicating that whale caution is justified.

Pepe (PEPE)

Pepe continues to be one of the strongest meme coins this week, but its price structure shows mixed signals. Over the past 30 days, this token has increased nearly 35%, making it one of the most impressive performers among meme coins. However, in the last seven days, Pepe has declined about 14.5%, reflecting short-term weakness within a still-robust long-term trend.

What’s notable is whale activity during this correction phase. Since January 7, large wallets have increased holdings from 133.15 trillion PEPE to 134.32 trillion—adding about 1.17 trillion tokens. At the current price of approximately $0.0000059, this net buying amounts to roughly $6.9 million. This buying activity occurs amid a broader meme coin market decline of over 5%, indicating selective confidence rather than widespread risk acceptance.

PEPE Whales | Source: Santiment Price charts suggest why whales might be entering early positions. On the 12-hour timeframe, Pepe is trading near the middle of the 20-period EMA and the 200-period EMA. The (exponential moving average) favors recent prices, helping to identify market trends. These two EMAs are converging, increasing the likelihood of a bullish crossover if the price remains steady.

History shows that reclaiming the 20-period EMA is crucial for Pepe. The last time this occurred on January 1, it triggered a 74% rally. If the price closes above both EMAs over 12 hours, it could open the door to gains toward $0.0000075 and then $0.0000085.

Pepe Price Analysis | Source: TradingView Conversely, if the 12-hour close drops below $0.0000056, Pepe could face a deeper correction toward $0.0000039.

It appears whales are betting on the technical structure before clear confirmation. The upcoming EMA crossover will be a decisive factor in whether that confidence pays off.

Floki (FLOKI)

Floki is another notable meme coin this week, gaining attention despite short-term weakness. Over the past seven days, FLOKI has declined about 8%, but has still increased nearly 12% over the last 30 days. This places Floki in a similar position to Pepe, with short-term cooling contrasting with long-term strength.

Data on interest levels also support this view. In early January, Floki ranked third in trading volume and number of unique traders among meme coins, behind Pepe and BabyDoge. The increase in activity suggests traders are rotating attention rather than completely abandoning the meme coin market.

FLOKI Data | Source: Dune Price charts also explain this. On the 12-hour timeframe, FLOKI has reclaimed the 20-period EMA—a key technical level. Each time this level was regained in the past month, it led to strong upward moves. On January 1, reclaiming the EMA triggered a 52% rally. A smaller bounce on December 8 also resulted in an 11% surge.

FLOKI Price Analysis | Source: TradingView This makes the current EMA reclaim noteworthy. As long as the price stays above the 20-period EMA, Floki could target the $0.000053 zone, and if momentum continues, move toward $0.0000619. This trend aligns with recent increases in trading volume.

However, risks remain. If the price fails to hold above the EMA, the $0.000050 zone will become a critical support level. Losing this level could lead to a sharper decline toward $0.000038, especially if trading volume diminishes.