PEPE Surges 20% as James Wynn Gives Bold Prediction For 2026
PEPE surged over 20% early in 2026 following trader James Wynn's prediction of a $69 billion market cap by year-end.Summary
The popular meme coin PEPE experienced a price surge of over 20% on the second day of 2026. This rally was largely attributed to a bold prediction made by trader James Wynn, who forecast that PEPE could reach a market capitalization of $69 billion by the end of 2026. Wynn, who previously profited significantly from an early PEPE trade, compared its potential to SHIB's massive surge in a previous cycle, citing PEPE's stronger social metrics.
Following Wynn's post, PEPE's market cap, then around $2 billion, saw immediate buying pressure, leading to the 20% jump. Analyst SΞA suggested the immediate price action was also influenced by U.S. tax rules, where investors sold at the end of 2025 to realize losses, then rushed to buy back positions at the start of the new tax year in 2026, pushing trading volume above $600 million.
This surge revived hopes for a broader meme season, as other tokens like CULT and FLOKI also saw gains. However, most meme coins remain significantly down from previous peaks, and market dominance metrics suggest caution, though some investors argue meme coins are crucial for attracting retail interest and driving overall market growth.
(Source：BeInCrypto)