--- title: "MEME: Retail Risk Appetite Reasserts Itself in 2026" description: A quick glance at recent headlines for the Magnificent Seven would make casual readers think the group had negative returns in 2025. image: https://blog.roundhillinvestments.com/hubfs/E-mail%20Header%20MEME%20V6.png --- [Skip to content](https://blog.roundhillinvestments.com/meme-retail-risk-appetite#main-content) - [Home](https://www.roundhillinvestments.com/) - [Home](https://www.roundhillinvestments.com/) [![Roundhill Investments Logo](https://www.roundhillinvestments.com/assets/img/roundhill-round-logo-black.svg "Roundhill Investments Logo")](https://www.roundhillinvestments.com/) Invest ## Choose a Fund METV BETZ CHAT MAGS NERD WEED YBTC MAGX QDTE XDTE OZEM YETH RDTE DRAG XPAY UX NVW TSW AAPW COIW PLTW WEEK ← Back ## Choose a Brokerage [Robinhood](https://robinhood.com/stocks/) [Fidelity](https://screener.fidelity.com/ftgw/etf/goto/snapshot/snapshot.jhtml?symbols=) [E-Trade](https://www.etrade.wallst.com/v1/stocks/snapshot/snapshot.asp?ChallengeUrl=https://idp.etrade.com/idp/SSO.saml2&reinitiate-handshake=0&prospectnavyear=2011&AuthnContext=prospect&env=PRD&symbol=) [Webull](https://www.webull.com/quote/nysearca-) [SoFi](https://www.sofi.com/wealth/app/stock/) [Public.com](https://public.com/stocks/) [Interactive Brokers](https://www.interactivebrokers.com/en/?f=30534&q=) [Vanguard](https://personal.vanguard.com/us/funds/stocks/snapshot?Ticker=) [Charles Schwab](https://www.schwab.com/public/schwab/investing/investment_help/investment_research/etf_research/etfs.html?path=/Prospect/Research/etfs/summary.asp?symbol=) For all other registered brokerages, contact them directly to invest. Close the "Invest" pop-up Open the mobile navigation # MEME: Retail Risk Appetite Reasserts Itself in 2026 [![Image of Dave Mazza](https://blog.roundhillinvestments.com/hs-fs/hubfs/dave-mazza.jpg?width=80&height=80&name=dave-mazza.jpg)](https://blog.roundhillinvestments.com/author/dave-mazza) Author [Dave Mazza](https://blog.roundhillinvestments.com/author/dave-mazza) January 23, 2026 | Read Time: 3min Share: - [Twitter](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?original_referer=https://blog.roundhillinvestments.com/meme-retail-risk-appetite&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter&url=https://blog.roundhillinvestments.com/meme-retail-risk-appetite&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter&source=tweetbutton&text=MEME%3A+Retail+Risk+Appetite+Reasserts+Itself+in+2026) - [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fblog.roundhillinvestments.com%2Fmeme-retail-risk-appetite&utm_medium=social&utm_source=linkedin) **Animal spirits have resurfaced in 2026, and the Roundhill Investments Meme Stock ETF (MEME) has been a direct beneficiary of renewed risk-seeking behavior.** Improving macroeconomic conditions, firmer growth expectations, and a shift toward more cyclical outcomes have encouraged investors to take on risk. As confidence has improved, market leadership has broadened beyond mega-cap growth into higher-beta, volatility-sensitive areas. ![](https://blog.roundhillinvestments.com/hs-fs/hubfs/undefined-Jan-23-2026-05-13-09-5247-PM.png?width=1600&height=915&name=undefined-Jan-23-2026-05-13-09-5247-PM.png)*For the most recent month-end and standardized performance, please call 646-661-5441 or visit the Fund’s website:* [*https://www.roundhillinvestments.com/etf/meme/*](https://www.roundhillinvestments.com/etf/meme/) Historically early to emerging themes, retail participation has increased as sentiment has turned more constructive, with capital flowing toward stocks tied to the evolving AI buildout. Recent performance within MEME highlights where retail risk-taking has been most concentrated in 2026. Gains have been driven by exposure to AI-adjacent infrastructure, memory and storage, and power, which are areas that have seen improving price momentum, elevated trading activity, and sustained retail engagement as the macro backdrop improves. - **Sandisk: 74% YTD** - Retail interest has accelerated as investors focus on memory and storage demand tied to expanding AI workloads. - **Bloom Energy: 72% YTD** - Performance reflects growing attention to power reliability as data center and AI-driven energy demand increases. - **Applied Digital: 53% YTD** - The stock has benefited from rising demand for AI-oriented data center infrastructure. This positioning reflects retail investors moving early into the infrastructure layer of AI, ahead of broader market recognition. MEME’s 2026 performance reflects this alignment between improving macro conditions, rising risk tolerance, and retail-led thematic engagement.   --- \*As of 1/16/2026, the companies mentioned in this article are fund holdings. To learn more about MEME and for a list of the ETF’s top 10 holdings and complete holding information, please visit [www.roundhillinvestments.com/etf/MEME](http://www.roundhillinvestments.com/etf/MEME). Fund holdings are subject to change.   **Glossary** The **S&P 500®** is widely regarded as the best single gauge of large-cap U.S. equities and serves as the foundation for a wide range of investment products. The index includes 500 leading companies and captures approximately 80% coverage of available market capitalization. The **S&P 500® High Beta Index** measures the performance of 100 constituents in the S&P 500 that are most sensitive to changes in market returns. The index is designed for investors initiating a bullish strategy or making a directional bet on current markets. The **NASDAQ-100 Index** is a modified capitalization-weighted index of the 100 largest and most active non-financial domestic and international issues listed on the NASDAQ.  The **Russell 2000 Index** is comprised of the smallest 2000 companies in the Russell 3000 Index, representing approximately 8% of the Russell 3000 total market capitalization.   **Investors should consider the investment objectives, risk, charges and expenses carefully before investing. For a prospectus or summary prospectus with this and other information about Roundhill ETFs please call 1-855-561-5728 or visit the website at www.roundhillinvestments.com/etf/MEME. Read the prospectus or summary prospectus carefully before investing.** **Meme Stock Risk**. Meme Stocks are characterized by high trading volumes and significant price volatility, often driven by social media trends and investor interest. More traditional investing principles emphasize the intrinsic value of a company’s underlying business such as its cash flows, competitive position, and long-term growth prospects, when determining whether to buy or sell a particular security. In contrast, Meme Stocks often trade untethered from such fundamentals, driven instead by speculative fervor and viral momentum. While the Fund seeks to capitalize on the trading momentum associated with Meme Stocks, there is a risk that such stocks may experience rapid and unpredictable price movements that could abate or reverse quickly. Because a stock only becomes eligible for inclusion in the Fund’s portfolio after it has experienced a significant amount of liquidity and volatility, it is possible that by the time the Fund purchases shares of a Meme Stock it will have missed out on the initial gains, but will nevertheless experience any subsequent decline in value. Additionally, the identification of Meme Stocks is inherently subjective and may vary . As a result, stocks that are widely recognized as Meme Stocks may not be selected for inclusion in the Fund's portfolio. Conversely, stocks included in the Fund may not be perceived as Meme Stocks by the broader market. Investors should be aware that investing in Meme Stocks involves a high degree of risk and may not be suitable for all investors. The volatile nature of these investments may lead to significant fluctuations in the Fund's net asset value and could result in potential loss. **Active Management Risk**. The Fund is actively-managed and its performance reflects investment decisions that the Adviser and/or Sub-Adviser makes for the Fund. Such judgments about the Fund’s investments may prove to be incorrect. If the investments selected and the strategies employed by the Fund fail to produce the intended results, the Fund could underperform as compared to other funds with similar investment objectives and/or strategies, or could have negative returns. **Non-Diversification Risk**. As a “non-diversified” fund, the Fund may hold a smaller number of portfolio securities than many other funds. To the extent the Fund invests in a relatively small number of issuers, a decline in the market value of a particular security held by the Fund may affect its value more than if it invested in a larger number of issuers. The value of the Fund Shares may be more volatile than the values of shares of more diversified funds. **Derivatives Risk**. The use of derivative instruments (i.e. swap agreements and forward contracts) involves risks different from, or possibly greater than, the risks associated with investing directly in securities and other traditional investments. These risks include: (i) the risk that the counterparty to a derivative transaction may not fulfill its contractual obligations; (ii) risk of mispricing or improper valuation; and (iii) the risk that changes in the value of the derivative may not correlate perfectly with the underlying asset. **Volatility Risk**. Volatility is the characteristic of a security, an index or a market to fluctuate significantly in price within a short time period. The Fund will invest in securities that exhibit more volatility than the market as a whole. Such exposures could cause the Fund’s net asset value to experience significant increases or declines in value over short periods of time. **New Fund Risk**. The Fund is a recently organized investment company with a limited operating history. As a result, prospective investors have a limited track record or history on which to base their investment decision. Roundhill Financial Inc. serves as the investment advisor. The Funds are distributed by Foreside Fund Services, LLC which is not affiliated with Roundhill Financial Inc., U.S. Bank, or any of their affiliates. ## Blogs [Read More  →](https://blog.roundhillinvestments.com/tag/thematic) [![](https://blog.roundhillinvestments.com/hs-fs/hubfs/HEader-2.png?width=480&name=HEader-2.png)](https://blog.roundhillinvestments.com/ai-disruption-is-everywhere) ### [AI Disruption is Everywhere](https://blog.roundhillinvestments.com/ai-disruption-is-everywhere) A market rotation is underway and Technology stocks are in the crosshairs. Less than half of stocks... 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Funds investments may be non-diversified, meaning its assets may be concentrated in fewer individual holdings than a diversified fund and, therefore, more exposed to individual stock volatility than diversified funds. Investments in foreign securities involves social and political instability, market illiquidity, exchange-rate fluctuation, high volatility and limited regulation risks. Emerging markets involve different and greater risks, as they are smaller, less liquid and more volatile than more develop countries. Depositary Receipts involve risks similar to those associated with investments in foreign securities, but may not provide a return that corresponds precisely with that of the underlying shares. All investing involves risk, including possible loss of principal. Please see the prospectus for specific risks related to each fund.** Roundhill Financial Inc. serves as the investment advisor. 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