$PEPE
PEPE is a meme-based cryptocurrency launched in April 2023, inspired by the iconic internet frog character "Pepe the Frog" created by Matt Furie. It quickly gained massive traction in the crypto community, skyrocketing in value within weeks of its launch and briefly reaching a market cap in the billions. Built on the Ethereum blockchain as an ERC-20 token, PEPE positioned itself as a tribute to one of the most recognizable memes in internet culture. Unlike Dogecoin or Shiba Inu, PEPE had no official team, no roadmap, and no utility — purely a speculative, community-driven asset. Its rise was fueled largely by social media hype, retail investor enthusiasm, and listings on major exchanges like Binance and Coinbase. PEPE demonstrated how powerful internet culture and community sentiment can be in driving crypto valuations. However, like most meme coins, it is highly volatile and considered extremely risky as an investment. It serves as both a cultural phenomenon and a reminder of the speculative nature of the broader meme coin market.