Crypto Analyst Says Pepe Could Overtake Shiba Inu by April 2026

A renewed rally across the meme coin market has reignited debate over sector leadership. Analysts have pointed to diverging performance trends between established tokens and newer challengers. Against this backdrop, one crypto commentator has issued a bold projection involving Pepe and Shiba Inu. The claim centers on whether momentum could reshape meme coin rankings in the months ahead.

Pepe Momentum Fuels Flippening Speculation

Pseudonymous crypto pundit Y00thereum stated that Pepe’s recent price action has placed it on a trajectory to surpass Shiba Inu in terms of market capitalization. The commentator highlighted Pepe’s surge of more than 60% over the past week, compared with Shiba Inu’s 22% gain during the same period. According to Y00thereum, the disparity reflected stronger speculative interest in Pepe as the meme coin sector regained traction in early 2026.

The projection came with market data showing the gap Pepe must close. At the time of the writing, Shiba Inu held a market cap of about $5.48 billion, while Pepe stood near $2.88 billion. Y00thereum argued that Pepe would need to reach roughly $0.00001266 to match Shiba Inu’s valuation. That level implied a price increase of about 1.8x from its position during the analysis.

Market conditions have since shifted slightly. Shiba Inu now trades at $0.00000931. Pepe trades around $0.00000684. Based on these figures, Pepe would require a rally of about 76.55% to close the gap. Y00thereum suggested this move could occur on or before April 20, 2026, if current momentum holds.

Past Forecasts and Shiba Inu’s Market Defense

In 2024, BecauseBitcoin CEO Max Schwartzman said Pepe could flip Shiba Inu during the 2024–2025 cycle. Schwartzman argued at the time that both tokens would dominate the meme coin narrative as the alpha and beta assets of the cycle. That scenario, however, did not play out.

Another forecast came from prominent Pepe supporter Pepetoshi Nakamoto. He warned that Shiba Inu risked losing its second-place meme coin ranking, citing data that suggested Pepe stood only 69% away from overtaking it. Despite those projections, Shiba Inu maintained its position throughout the period.

Shiba Inu has defended its ranking as the world’s second-largest meme coin by market value since late 2021. The only exception came briefly in early 2025, when the TRUMP meme coin overtook Shiba Inu during its launch surge. Shiba Inu later reclaimed the position.

The renewed discussion underscores how quickly sentiment can shift within the meme coin market. Whether Pepe’s current rally can translate into a lasting change in rankings remains tied to sustained demand and broader crypto market conditions.