Pepe joined the cryptocurrency market in April 2023 as a decentralized, digital asset built on the Ethereum network. In just a short space of time, Pepe has evolved into one of the crypto market’s most notable meme coins. Whether you are interested in finding out more about Pepe, or considering investing in PEPE, this article will explore everything you need to know about the popular crypto project.
What is Pepe?
Pepe (PEPE) is a deflationary meme coin built on the Ethereum network. The ERC-20 token was inspired by the ‘Pepe the Frog’ meme that Matt Furie created in his cartoon titled Boy’s Club. So, what’s a PEPE? PEPE is the utility coin that governs the Pepe ecosystem. It acts as the project’s means of exchange and governance. The token went viral in 2023 after high-volume purchases attracted many investors on the internet, especially within the crypto community on X (formerly Twitter). Pepe’s humor and virality facilitated the expansion of token’s community, which significantly drove its price up and the project experienced a huge price surge just weeks after its launch.
Use cases and applications of Pepe
Since it began trading, PEPE has rivaled its meme coin predecessors in terms of profit, including Dogecoin (DOGE) and Shiba Inu (SHIB) in profits, returning over 1,000% gains within a year. On its own website, Pepe introduces itself as “the most memeable memecoin in existence”, referencing their competitors with the follow up phrase “The dogs have had their day, it’s time for Pepe to take reign”. However, as is the nature of most meme coins, Pepe has lesser intrinsic value and is more limited in utility than other altcoins on the market. Its value is typically derived from social media hype and community engagement, which can be difficult to maintain over a prolonged period of time. This limited real-world use potential is confirmed by Pepe itself, which states that the project offers no utility based on its meme coin status. Despite this, PEPE can serve a few purposes, including:
- Trading and investing on cryptocurrency exchanges.
- Digital payments.
How does Pepe work?
Pepe is built on the Ethereum network. This means that its transaction validation model is similar to that of Ethereum’s. To approach Pepe with a better understanding, consider exactly how the project operates.
Proof-of-stake consensus mechanism
Pepe validates transactions using the proof-of-stake (PoS) consensus mechanism, which means that smart contracts are used to verify and complete transactions on the network. Similarly, it means that investors can stake their tokens to become validators and earn PEPE tokens for contributing to the network’s stability and security.
Deflationary (burn) mechanism
As PEPE is a deflationary token, it has a fixed supply of 420.69 trillion tokens. To control the number of coins in circulation, the project uses a burn mechanism that removes some tokens from the circulating supply with each transaction. This was intended to create scarcity, resulting in the value of PEPE increasing over time in line with supply and demand dynamics.
No-blockchain-tax policy
Another unique feature of Pepe is a no-blockchain-tax policy. By being “tax-free”, Pepe investors can execute transactions on the blockchain without paying fees. In other words, making buying and selling PEPE cheaper than competitors, such as Dogecoin. Investors should note that this no-tax policy only applies internally within the Pepe community, and that any earnings made from trading or investing in PEPE are taxable according to the Internal Revenue Service regulations.
Who created Pepe?
Typical of the meme coin ecosystem, the creators of Pepe are unknown. Unlike major cryptocurrencies that provide information about their development teams, developers of meme coins such as Pepe often remain anonymous. Although the coin is named after the ‘Pepe the Frog’ cartoon character created by the cartoonist, Matt Furie, the Pepe Coin website states that the project has no affiliation with the artist.
Pepe price analysis
As a relatively new project, Pepe is still in its market infancy. With less than a year’s worth of market data to analyze, it is difficult to pull from either fundamental or technical analysis to make well-informed price predictions for the future. Investors looking to make price predictions will likely be asking whether the project will rediscover a strong market form after announcing a new advisory team in late 2023.That being said, Pepe’s price trajectory since launch has been impressive. As of early February 2024, Pepe trades at around $0.0000009 per token. The Pepe price is up by over 1,560% compared to its April 2023 launch price of $0.000000001. However, it remains considerably down from its May 2023 all-time high (ATH) price of around $0.000003.
Factors influencing Pepe’s price
Consider some of the factors that might influence the PEPE price today:
- Community: Pepe’s strong community significantly contributes to its market value. The community’s strength and proliferation on social media was a major influence on the price of PEPE when it launched in 2023. As the community grew, it fostered a bullish trend for Pepe, resulting in increased demand and price rises. Mirroring this sentiment, investors should expect a price decline if the community loses faith or interest in the project, and sell inclination increases.
- Major exchange listing: Another contributing factor in Pepe’s strong market performance has been its listing on major exchanges, so soon after launch. As of February 2024, the meme coin was trading on popular centralized exchanges such as OKX, Binance, Huobi and KuCoin. Pepe’s presence on such exchanges makes it accessible, and perhaps seem more credible, to many investors.
- State of crypto regulation: The cryptocurrency landscape faces legal and regulatory ambiguity. The ever-evolving crypto regulatory landscape can impact both the utility and price of PEPE.
- Competition from other meme coins: Just as PEPE took wind from Dogecoin and Shiba Inu, new meme coins that emerge and gain popularity, or capture trend-led attention (such as Floki (FLOKI)), might erode or dilute PEPE’s investor base, as investors limit their exposure to meme coins. With this, Pepe might lose market value.
Pepe market performance
Early PEPE investors earned over a 1,000% increase on their investments after the coin surged in 2023. However, considering Pepe’s market performance at any given time can help you determine if investing in the coin is a good decision. As of early February 2024, PEPE was trading at around $0.0000009 per token, with a market capitalization of over $376m. The coin’s market share at the time placed it outside the top 100 cryptocurrencies, according to CoinMarketCap rankings. This positions Pepe with a significantly lower market cap compared to Dogecoin and Ethereum, with market caps of around $11.1bn and $275.6bn, respectively. However, Pepe has performed better than another popular meme coin, Shiba Inu, despite launching a few years later.
How to buy and store PEPE
If you want to invest in Pepe Coin, the first step is to buy the PEPE token on centralized or decentralized exchanges. You can buy PEPE by following the steps below:
- Step 1: Choose a reputable centralized cryptocurrency exchange and create a trading account on the website or mobile app.
- Step 2: Complete the trading platform’s identity verification/KYC process by submitting proof of identity and address.
- Step 3: Access the deposit section to add funds to your account using the supported payment methods. These include cryptocurrencies and fiat money such as the USD and GBP.
- Step 4: Search for Pepe on the trading platform using its ticker symbol and buy the coin.
- Step 5: Transfer the PEPE tokens to an external wallet.
Safe wallet storage
Cryptocurrency exchanges are vulnerable to hacks and cyberattacks, so leaving your coins in their custody can expose you to risk. The best way to store your coin for a long period of time is in a hardware wallet. Hardware wallets, known as cold wallets, are not connected to the internet and are considered the most safe and secure wallet. A hot wallet, on the other hand, is connected to the internet, but it does offer faster and easier access for active traders. Ensure that you research the wallet types to find the best option for your needs.
Risks and challenges of investing in Pepe
As with any cryptocurrency, it is important to consider the potential risks and challenges associated with investing in Pepe:
- Price volatility: The most common challenge of investing in any cryptocurrency is the market uncertainty. The crypto market is highly volatile, and coins always experience price fluctuations. PEPE’s price is extremely volatile and has recorded extreme price swings both up and down. The low price per token is also a concern for some investors, as even throughout periods of impressive price growth, PEPE’s price has never reached $1. Investors can purchase millions of PEPE tokens with very limited capital, so at scale, losses could be extremely large.
- Limited utility: PEPE has limited utility outside of its community and lacks real-world applications. Pepe’s value is backed by hype and virality, rather than strong utility or investor conviction.
- Security concerns: Concerns regarding the security of the project have existed within the Pepe community since August 2023, when three of the project’s former development team members reportedly accessed the token’s multi-signature wallet and illicitly transferred 16 trillion PEPE tokens (worth about $15m) to various decentralized exchanges. This resulted in the Pepe price fall experienced since the latter part of 2023. Despite this security breach, however, the project’s lead developer has promised to continue moving the project toward full decentralization.
Regulatory and legal aspects of PEPE
The legal and regulatory landscape for cryptocurrencies such as PEPE is dynamic and varies across jurisdictions. Changes in broader cryptocurrency regulations can influence PEPE’s price, with favorable changes to regulations and guidelines potentially benefiting its future, and vice versa with unfavorable changes. While transparency issues can make meme coins particularly vulnerable to regulatory challenges, strong community resistance and continued support in the face of legal challenges can help meme coins like Pepe withstand adversity.
Comparing Pepe with other cryptocurrencies
Comparative analysis can help investors make well-informed decisions about their portfolios. Below, we look at how Pepe compares to Ethereum, Dogecoin and Shiba Inu.
Pepe vs Ethereum
Pepe developers built the project on the Ethereum blockchain, so they both validate transactions using the PoS consensus mechanism. However, while Ethereum offers real-world utility such as support for decentralized apps (dApps), Pepe is a meme coin with no actual use case beyond trading.
Pepe vs Dogecoin
Like Pepe, Dogecoin relies on its community for popularity, with Elon Musk’s influence contributing to its draw. Low transaction fees and infinite circulation are also unique features that can appeal. Dogecoin has a larger market capitalization than Pepe as of January 2024. This, combined with a higher token value, emphasizes DOGE’s current dominance in the market. DOGE was also the first meme coin, so it rivals Pepe in terms of notoriety. Despite lesser market maturity, Pepe has returned massive gains to early investors within just a few months, leading some investors to believe that PEPE will start to rival DOGE as the next big meme coin.
Pepe vs Shiba Inu
Both Pepe and Shiba Inu are major meme coins, with Shiba Inu entering the market before Pepe, akin to Dogecoin. Both SHIB and PEPE lack real-world utility, relying instead on community hype to derive value, and therefore presenting uncertainty about their long-term potential. Shiba Inu has a more established blockchain than Pepe, and features several developed projects, fostering an innovative ecosystem with an engaged user community. Despite this, however, Pepe has surpassed SHIB in market cap, indicating investor demand and potentially attracting former SHIB or meme coin investors.
FAQs
How much is 1 Pepe Coin?
As of early February 2024, one unit of PEPE was trading at around $0.0000009.
Is PEPE a good investment?
PEPE has returned over 1,000% gains to its early investors. It is also a highly volatile coin, making it a good investment for active traders. However, with no intrinsic value, PEPE is a high-risk investment.
Is PEPE actually safe?
The safety of your PEPE depends on how you store it. Refer to the ‘How to Buy and Store PEPE’ section above to find out the best way to keep your PEPE safe.