Cryptocurrencies

Bitcoin Bulls Trip on a Frog as Pepe Memecoin Frenzy Signals Market Top

  • After Pepe token’s FOMO-led boom and bust, Bitcoin tumbles
  • ‘At the end of the day, it’s a lottery ticket,’ trader says
Pepe the Frog

Photographer: Mohd Rasfan/AFP/Getty Images

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A frog-themed digital token that’s only been around for a month may be signaling pain ahead for Bitcoin bulls.

Trading in memecoins — crypto assets that can be inspired by viral images and memes and attract loyal social-media communities but otherwise lack in inherent utility — soared in recent days. Leading the pack was Pepe, a newfangled amphibian-themed token, which sparked frenzied speculation and spawned many copycats ever since its birth in April.