PEPE leads memecoin gains amid post-holiday crypto market altcoin rally

Altcoins, especially memecoins, are experiencing significant gains in a post-holiday crypto market rally on Friday. PEPE is the top gainer among memecoins with over 32% in 24 hours, followed by cat-themed coins POPCAT and MOG, both up nearly 20%. This rebound follows a period where crypto markets underperformed traditional assets in 2025, despite positive regulatory momentum and ETF success. Analysts suggest that assets that underperformed late in the previous year tend to bounce back strongly in January. While large-cap tokens like Bitcoin and Ethereum saw modest gains (2.4% and 4.5% respectively), AI-related tokens and crypto stocks also saw meaningful increases. This early-year rotation into large-cap memes suggests traders are positioning for upside after months of consolidation, potentially setting a positive tone for the rest of the year.

(Source：The Block)