Next Meme Coins to Buy as PEPE Gains 17% This Week

Meme coins have begun dominating traders’ attention in recent days. The sector’s total market cap stands at almost $32 billion, putting it up 0.88% in the last 24 hours, while trading volume reached $5.1 billion – a 1.25% rise. Pepe has led the charge with gains that peaked around 17.2% for the week overall (although a pullback is already underway), drawing traders back into the space after an extensive period of sideways chop.

Dogecoin has continued to anchor the rankings with its own steady performance (including a 5.7% weekly increase), but newer projects are also showing strength amid the broader recovery.

Crypto presales have stayed active too, giving their participants a shot at accumulating new tokens before they hit exchanges. These offerings often combine meme energy with added utility, making them attractive alternatives when spot prices on major coins start to pause.

With momentum building across the category, three names stand out right now as the next meme coins to buy: Maxi Doge (MAXI), Shiba Inu, and MemeCore.

Maxi Doge (MAXI)

Maxi Doge brings a high-energy twist to the dog meme formula that almost feels timeless in 2026. The project centers on a muscular Shiba Inu character that embodies degenerate trading culture, complete with 1000x leverage plays and no-stop-loss strategies. At its current presale price of $0.00028130 per MAXI token, the campaign has already pulled in $4.74 million – so the $5 million milestone is expected to be broken soon.

Early buyers will gain access to staking rewards, with yields that have hovered around 66% APY for the last few weeks. The Maxi Doge roadmap includes community contests for top ROI traders, partnerships with futures platforms, and planned listings on both DEX and CEX venues once the presale closes.

MAXI’s token utility also extends beyond pure speculation to gamified events and reward pools that keep holders engaged. As Pepe’s weekly surge highlights renewed appetite for meme plays, Maxi Doge offers an entry point that mixes viral appeal with concrete staking incentives – and its high-momentum raise signals strong community backing heading into launch.

Join the Maxi Doge presale now!

Shiba Inu (SHIB)

Shiba Inu has held its place among the biggest meme coins for years, thanks to its massive holder base and continuous development. The SHIB token currently trades near $0.00000608, with a market capitalization of roughly $3.58 billion. Over the past seven days, it has posted gains of about 4%, reflecting steady buying interest even as larger moves occur elsewhere.

The project runs on Shibarium, its Layer 2 network built for lower fees and faster transactions, which supports an expanding ecosystem that includes the governance token BONE and other utilities. Ongoing token burns have reduced supply over time, and the community-driven approach keeps engagement high through social campaigns and real-world integrations. Recent price action aligns with the sector-wide lift that pushed Pepe higher this week – but Shiba Inu’s established infrastructure sets it apart from newer entrants.

As broader market conditions favor tokens with proven staying power and active upgrades, Shiba Inu’s combination of brand recognition and technical progress gives it room to extend its gains if meme sentiment stays positive.

MemeCore (M)

MemeCore takes the meme narrative further by introducing the first Layer 1 blockchain tailored for what the project calls “Meme 2.0.” Its native M token powers a network designed to turn viral content into lasting cultural and economic value through creator tools, community DApps, and Proof of Meme consensus. The token itself trades around $2.95, with a market cap near $3.8 billion, and has delivered roughly 12.3% gains over the past seven days, alongside healthy 24-hour volume.

The L1 chain supports meme coin launches, MRC-20 standards, and features like Meme Vaults that reward participation. A recent hard fork improved transaction fees and speed, making the platform more attractive for builders and traders alike. Circulating supply sits at about 1.29 billion tokens out of a 10 billion maximum, leaving headroom for growth as adoption expands.

In a week when Pepe has captured double-digit percentage moves, with potentially more surges to come, MemeCore’s infrastructure play positions it to capture longer-term value from the same trend.