The meme coin PEPE rises by 26% while trading volume jumps over 400%

Source: Yellow Original Title: Meme Coin PEPE Surges 26% as Trading Volume Jumps Over 400%

Original Link: https://yellow.com/es/news/la-moneda-meme-pepe-sube-un-26-mientras-el-volumen-de-trading-salta-más-de-un-400 PEPE rose approximately 26% on January 2, trading near $0.000005106 while the meme coin started 2026 with strong gains.

The 24-hour trading volume of the frog-themed cryptocurrency exceeded $800 million, representing an increase of over 400% compared to the previous day.

Open interest in PEPE-related futures contracts increased by 82% to approximately $446.5 million.

The rally marked a reversal from PEPE’s bearish trend since July 2025, when meme coins broadly declined amid decreased risk appetite in the cryptocurrency markets.

What happened

Social media activity significantly contributed to PEPE’s price movement.

The official PEPE account posted “We ride at dawn” on January 1, which quickly spread across cryptocurrency social media platforms.

Short liquidations totaled approximately $2.65 million in 24 hours, as traders betting against PEPE were forced to close positions.

Total liquidations reached $3.13 million, with about 83% coming from short positions.

Retail traders on popular trading platforms hold around 8.3% of the total circulating supply of PEPE.

Net buying activity showed inflows exceeding $3.25 million during the rally period.

PEPE’s market capitalization increased from approximately $1.72 billion to around $2.15 billion.

Why it matters

The volume increase indicates renewed speculative interest in meme coins after months of declining activity.

The expansion of PEPE derivatives activity suggests traders are positioning for continued volatility rather than a sustained directional move.

The concentration of retail holdings on trading platforms demonstrates that meme coins remain popular among individual investors despite institutional skepticism.

The short squeeze dynamic amplified the price movement, as forced purchases due to liquidations added upward pressure.

PEPE was launched in 2023 and trades as an ERC-20 token on the Ethereum blockchain, with no inherent utility beyond speculation and community participation.