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PEPE extended its early-2026 rally on Jan. 2 as prices accelerated after days of tight consolidation. The move unfolded on the 45-minute chart against Tether on Binance. At 08:38 UTC+7, the TradingView snapshot showed PEPE trading at 0.00000491 USDT. The price declined by 0.00000005, or 1.01%, according to header data from TradingView. Despite that dip, the broader structure pointed to strong upward momentum entering the first trading sessions of 2026.
In the last days of December, PEPE's price movement remained very tight. The lowest and highest prices were approximately $0.00000395 and $0.00000420, respectively. It was hard to tell which way the market was going as the candles frequently overlapped.
January came with a new pattern. The chart indicates a higher low was forming, with the 0.00000400 level acting as strong support. The price then started to rise steadily.
Before long, PEPE's price was pushed up past the $0.00000420 and $0.00000440 levels as consecutive green candles lit up the chart. There was already a quite rapid increase in the momentum. The steep price move lifted the price up to the $0.00000490 area in a very short time.
Near the top of the rally, several tall candles appeared at the upper edge of the chart. Price briefly extended above 0.00000495 before pulling back. The reaction marked the first pause after the sharp advance.
Following that surge, the chart showed a small cluster of candles moving sideways. This action signaled minor retracement and short-term consolidation just below recent highs.
The right-hand price scale placed visible resistance near 0.00000500. That level capped the advance during the observed session. Prices remained close to local highs as volatility re-entered the market.
Also Read: Could This New Crypto Follow PEPE's 2,000% Run? Crypto Whales Rush In
A highlighted post from James Wynn appeared on the chart. Wynn referenced early conviction in PEPE when its market capitalization stood at $600,000. He also noted its later rise into the billions.
In the same post, Wynn stated a forward-looking call. He said PEPE could move from a $1.7 trillion valuation to above $69 billion in 2026. He added he would delete his account if the target failed and described the move as a 40x scenario “with size.”
At the same time, other meme coins also recorded gains. Milady Cult Coin doubled after Vitalik Buterin stated, “Milady is back,” and changed his avatar. Floki rebounded by about 10%.
Still, broader conditions remained weak. Data from CryptoQuant showed memecoin dominance at low levels. Most meme coins remained down 70% to 90% from last year’s peaks. With Bitcoin showing limited strength, one question continues to surface across the market: Can meme coin momentum persist without broader risk appetite?
The PEPE price rally gained momentum in early 2026 after breaking out of a tight range on Binance. TradingView data showed strong upside movement despite a brief pullback. While other meme coins also rose, CryptoQuant data confirmed that overall memecoin dominance remained low, keeping market conditions mixed.
