KEKIUS Memecoin surges by 2,600% following Elon Musk’s X Rebrand  

Ethereum-based KEKIUS skyrocketed by over 2,600%, reaching an all-time high of $0.301 and seeing its market cap explode from $12.8 million to more than $265 million.

Meanwhile, PEPE rallied roughly 20%, paring some of its losses from the previous week before pulling back slightly.

The hype surrounding Musk’s rebranding has also led to the creation of new meme coins on platforms like Solana’s Pump.fun and Tron’s SunPump, with tickers such as KM, KEKIUS, and MAXIMUS quickly appearing on the scene.

On December 31, 2024, Musk surprised his 210 million X followers by updating his profile to feature a new display name, ‘Kekius Maximus,’ and an avatar of Pepe the Frog dressed in golden gladiator armor holding a video game controller.

The profile picture combines inspirations from Maximus Decimus Meridius, the iconic protagonist from the film Gladiator, and Pepe the Frog, a popular internet meme often associated with gaming culture.

While Musk did not provide an official reason for the rebrand, he dropped a cryptic hint earlier, tweeting:

“Kekius Maximus will soon reach level 80 in hardcore PoE.” 

The tweet references Path of Exile, an online game Musk is known to play, where reaching level 80 represents a significant milestone.

Musk’s affinity for Pepe-themed imagery is not new. In recent months, his tweets featuring Pepe memes have sparked similar market reactions. For example, on December 10, Musk shared an image of ‘Kekius Maximus’ created by Grok, which triggered a short rally for PEPE.

While these rallies have captivated investors, the crypto community warns against over-reliance on celebrity-driven hype. Such rallies often prove short-lived.

Current Market Update 

As of press time:

Investors are advised to approach with caution, as celebrity-driven meme coin rallies can be highly volatile and unsustainable.

What to Know