Pepe Coin, the third-largest meme coin by market cap, has taken a 14% hit in value over the past week—despite an overall semi-bull run that’s boosted most other projects.
This weak performance has led several prominent analysts to question whether PEPE is losing its hold on the meme coin market.
Many seem to think so, with some even pointing to a new, frog-themed that is looking to take over the throne – Pepe Unchained ($PEPU).
Unlike the usual copycats, $PEPU builds on the Pepe legacy with real improvements, not just hype, bringing new utility to the ETH network and meme coin space.
The numbers seem to back this up too—so far, $PEPU’s ICO has raised over $23 million.
Let’s dig deeper into what’s driving this shift.
What you'll learn 👉
Pepe Losing Its Grip Over the Meme Coin Market – Is There a Better Play?
Pepe Coin (PEPE) nudged up by 0.5% over the past day, hitting $0.000009001—a modest increase as the crypto market enjoyed a 1% overall lift.
Major tokens like Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Solana each saw jumps of over 2%, while Dogecoin took off by 6%, thanks in part to Elon Musk’s ties with Donald Trump’s campaign.
Yet PEPE’s performance feels a bit underwhelming in comparison.
Though it still made over 640% profits over the last year, PEPE has seen a 14% dip in the past week and a 17% slide this month.
The meme coin’s trading volume tells a similar story, with declines of 35% in the past week and 60% over the month—a sign that demand might be cooling off.
On the upside, technical indicators hint at a possible breakout, and the market-wide drop in liquidity could swing either way, bringing opportunities for big moves up or down.
However, it probably won’t be able to match the near-term potential of its derivative, Pepe Unchained.
Will $PEPE Be Able To Keep Up With $PEPU’s $23 Million Presale?
PEPE seems likely to keep performing well in the short term, but with its growing maturity and size, those big rallies may start slowing down.
For traders looking for fresh opportunities, some newer meme coins—especially those still in presale—are beginning to catch attention with serious potential for strong gains when they finally hit the market.
One such presale is Pepe Unchained ($PEPU), a layer-two project built on Ethereum, which has already raised an impressive $23 million.
Unlike other meme coins, PEPU is working to launch a layer-two network that brings a ton of advantages—think 100x faster transactions and super-low fees, making it an ideal ecosystem for meme tokens that are currently stealing the spotlight in crypto.
One huge draw? PEPU offers double staking rewards compared to regular Ethereum-based tokens, thanks to the platform’s scalability.
This makes it not only a tempting choice for traders but also a promising long-term hold, especially since it’s packed with utility for transaction fees. With a capped supply of 8 billion tokens, 30% of which are reserved for staking, and 20% in presale, demand could spike fast.
The buzz around PEPU is growing too, with its X account already hitting over 13,000 followers—just a hint of the community it could build once fully launched.
Pepe Unchained Expands Its Vision with Developer Grants and Ecosystem Growth
Just a couple of weeks back, Pepe Unchained dropped a Twitter thread that’s got the community buzzing. Far from slowing down, the project is stepping things up in a big way.
Here’s the scoop: Pepe Unchained is moving beyond being just a Layer-2 network. They’re aiming to build an entire ecosystem around their platform.
The website’s had a bit of a makeover too, now featuring a new section that’ll serve as the go-to spot for all their future blockchain initiatives.
One of the most exciting updates? The “Pepe Frens with Benefits” developer grant program.
This initiative is designed to bring fresh developer talent into the Pepe Chain fold, funding projects from devs who want to get creative on the platform. It’s a strategic move that many believe will lead to significant user growth once the Pepe Chain is up and running.
Getting in on the grant action is straightforward. Just fill out a short form on the website, and then the “Pepe Unchained Council” will review and select the most promising ideas to back.
Pepe Unchained is setting the stage for something massive, potentially reshaping the meme coin space altogether. It’ll be worth keeping an eye on where they go from here.
Could Pepe Unchained’s Audited Layer-2 Network Rewrite the Meme Coin Playbook?
Where does Pepe Unchained go from here? With its current trajectory, it wouldn’t be impossible to see it join the top ten meme coins soon.
That might sound ambitious, but when you take a closer look at the $PEPU token’s real-world use cases, the possibility feels more real.
Imagine a world where meme coins aren’t just about the latest trend or quick gains—they have actual utility and purpose.
Pepe Unchained’s Layer-2 network could be the key to unlocking this vision. Imagine having a network built specifically for meme tokens, offering tools to track and even boost the next viral coin.
And this isn’t just a dream; Pepe Unchained’s team has already set a solid base with two audits from Coinsult and SolidProof—an impressive milestone that few meme coins achieve this early on.
Sure, meme coins are unpredictable, and the road to success isn’t paved with guarantees. But Pepe Unchained feels like it’s onto something different.
If the team can turn these ambitious plans into reality, we could see a whole new chapter for meme coins, one where they’re built to last.
Conclusion
While Pepe Coin struggles to maintain its position, $PEPU’s Layer-2 network and ambitious ecosystem development bring real utility to the meme coin landscape.
With its audited platform, double staking rewards, and developer grants to foster innovation, Pepe Unchained is paving the way for a new era of meme coins.
As its presale continues to draw significant investor interest, $PEPU could very well redefine what’s possible in the meme coin space.
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