Pepe Sets Sights on SHIB’s Market Cap—Analyst Projects Flip by April 2026

Another meme coin is gunning for the throne—and this time, it's Pepe taking aim at Shiba Inu's market cap.

Why This Matters

Market cap flips aren't just bragging rights—they signal shifting investor sentiment, liquidity flows, and which community narrative holds sway. When a younger token targets an established giant, it shakes portfolios and reorders leaderboards.

The Analyst's Call

One voice in the crypto-sphere is putting a timestamp on the showdown: April 2026. No vague "someday" predictions—just a clear, date-driven forecast that pits frog against dog.

What's Driving the Momentum?

Pepe's community isn't sitting still. They're building utility, pushing exchange listings, and fueling a culture war that turns viral attention into market moves. Meanwhile, SHIB holders face the classic challenge of maintaining momentum after an explosive rise—because in crypto, past performance guarantees nothing except volatility.

The Bottom Line

Whether this flip happens or not, the very prediction fuels trading volume, sparks social media battles, and gives both coins another cycle in the spotlight. After all, in meme-coin land, perception often outpaces fundamentals—until reality does what it always does: cashes the check hype wrote.

TLDR

• A crypto expert has predicted that Pepe could surpass Shiba Inu by April 20, 2026.
• Pepe gained over 60 percent in the past week, while Shiba Inu rose only 22%.
• The expert stated that Pepe needs to increase by around 76.55% to match SHIB’s market cap.
• Shiba Inu currently holds a market cap of $5.11 billion, while Pepe stands at about $2.9 billion.
• Previous predictions in 2024 also suggested Pepe could flip SHIB, but they did not materialize.

Pepe may soon challenge Shiba Inu’s dominance in the meme coin market, according to a recent projection from crypto analyst Y00thereum, who claims Pepe could flip SHIB by April 20, 2026, following its strong rally this year.

Pepe’s Recent Rally Reignites Market Speculation

Pepe surged over 60% last week, while shiba inu rose just 22% in the same period. Y00thereum pointed to this performance as proof of growing momentum behind Pepe.

He stated that “PEPE could realistically match SHIB’s market cap by April 20 or even earlier.” The projection gained attention due to a market cap comparison screenshot shared alongside his post.

$PEPE will flip $SHIB by April 20, if not much earlier pic.twitter.com/kPhJSb8kOE

— y00thereum (@y00thereum) January 4, 2026

At the time of the screenshot, SHIB held a market cap of $5.32 billion, while PEPE was at $2.92 billion. This difference implied PEPE needed to rise about 1.8x to match SHIB in value.

If PEPE hit $0.00001266, it WOULD reach a market cap close to $5.33 billion. The analyst suggested this price level could be achieved soon due to current momentum.

The market, however, has since pulled back slightly for both coins. Current data shows Pepe with a $2.9 billion market cap and SHIB with $5.11 billion.

Shiba Inu Maintains Its Long-Held Position

Shiba Inu has kept its position as the second-largest meme coin since late 2021.
Despite past challenges from various rivals, SHIB remains ahead of PEPE by market value.

During early 2025, the TRUMP meme coin briefly overtook SHIB during its launch spike. SHIB later reclaimed its spot following the fade of TRUMP’s initial rally.

Multiple analysts have previously predicted a PEPE flip of SHIB, but those projections failed. Max Schwartzman once forecasted PEPE to surpass SHIB in the 2024–2025 cycle.

Pepetoshi Nakamoto, a known PEPE advocate, said PEPE was only 69% away from flipping SHIB. Still, SHIB defended its rank throughout that period despite brief periods of price weakness.

Y00thereum’s timeline now places the potential flip within the next few months. He sees the recent surge as a catalyst for another attempt to close the market cap gap.

Market Caps Show Clear Gap but Trend Favors PEPE

At present, SHIB trades at $0.000008665 with a market cap of $5.11 billion. In contrast, PEPE trades at $0.0000069 with a market cap just under $2.9 billion.

Based on these numbers, PEPE must increase by around 76.55% to match SHIB’s valuation. The projected price target for PEPE remains at $0.00001266 according to the analyst.

Y00thereum’s prediction is based on PEPE’s recent surge and its growing popularity. He emphasized that PEPE’s momentum could allow it to “flip SHIB before April 20.”

For now, SHIB continues to hold its position, but the gap is smaller than it was in 2024. Both coins are closely watched as the meme coin sector continues its 2026 rebound.