Crypto markets are starting 2026 with a risk-on tone, and the NFT segment is showing early signs of life after a long cooldown. As liquidity returns to higher-beta narratives, metaverse and gaming tokens are beginning to move again. The Sandbox (SAND) price is one of the clearest examples, posting a sharp short-term rally alongside a noticeable jump in trading activity. With other NFT-linked names also attempting to stabilize, the focus now shifts to whether this is the start of a broader NFT recovery or just a short-lived bounce.
How High Can SAND Price Go This Month?
After a continued descending trend, the Sandbox price has rebounded from the lows. The momentum has flipped in favour of the bulls, while the volume has surged over 400% to reach over $167 million since the early trading hours. As a result, the SAND price soars by over 15.5% to rise above $0.14. Now that the price has initiated a rebound, the rally has yet to validate the start of the recovery phase. A continued rise of over 50% may turn the rally in favour of the bulls, but the question arises whether the momentum may prevail until the SAND price reaches $0.2?
As seen in the above chart, the SAND price has broken out from a rising parallel channel, validating the start of a bullish trend. On the other hand, the DMI flips bullish, which suggests the trend control has flipped from the sellers to buyers, marking the early phase of an uptrend. With the volume rise not seen in the past few months, the price is believed to remain elevated and reach $0.15 in a short while. However, to reach $0.2, the price is expected to rise above an important resistance between $0.184 and $0.189.
Top NFT Tokens to Watch in 2026
NFT tokens are trying to recover as markets lean risk-on again. The strongest candidates are projects tied to gaming, metaverse utility, and NFT infrastructure, where user activity can translate into fees and demand. Here are a few names that could stay on traders’ radars in 2026 if the sector momentum builds.
- Axie Infinity (AXS)—Web3 gaming: AXS powers the Axie ecosystem, one of the most established blockchain gaming brands. It tends to benefit when traders rotate back into play-to-earn and gaming-led NFT narratives.
- Chiliz (CHZ)—Fan tokens: CHZ is the key token behind sports fan tokens, linking crypto demand to real-world teams and events. It often heats up when retail interest returns to “utility + culture” crypto themes.
- Decentraland (MANA)—Metaverse land: MANA is tied to Decentraland’s virtual world economy, where users buy land and digital assets. It usually moves when the metaverse narrative resurfaces and speculative risk appetite increases.
- Immutable (IMX)—NFT scaling: IMX focuses on scaling NFTs and gaming with faster, cheaper transactions, making it a strong “infrastructure” bet in the NFT space. It can outperform when markets favor builders and ecosystems over pure hype.
- ApeCoin (APE)—NFT ecosystem: APE is closely linked with the Bored Ape ecosystem and broader NFT culture, making it a high-beta sentiment token. It often reacts quickly when NFT hype cycles return but can fade just as fast if momentum cools.
Can We Expect a Strong NFT Rally in 2026?
A strong NFT rally in 2026 is possible—but it likely won’t be “everything pumps” like prior cycles. The healthier path is selective leadership: tokens with real ecosystems (gaming, metaverse usage, and infrastructure) outperforming pure hype plays. The Sandbox (SAND) price’s successful retest is a constructive start, but the sector needs consistent volume and sustained user interest to turn this into a lasting trend rather than a quick rebound.
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