One of the most popular meme coins — and the 31st largest cryptocurrency by market cap on CoinGecko — is Pepe coin (PEPE). This coin was inspired by the "Pepe the Frog" meme, which comes from a character originally created for a comic series in 2005.
In the mid-2010s, leading up to Donald Trump's first election, Pepe turned into a meme in part by being adopted in political circles, including the alt-right. However, this was not the creator's original intention.
In April 2023, Pepe Coin launched as a meme coin running on the Ethereum network. It then quickly became one of the top meme coins among crypto investors, in part due to the Pepe meme's popularity on social media platforms like X (formerly Twitter), Reddit, and Telegram communities.
Meme coins can be riskier than other types of crypto or other investments. Much of the value is subjective, similar to how collectibles like Beanie Babies might sometimes be highly valued by others, while at other times, they hold little market value. Still, if you're planning to buy, here is a step-by-step guide to buying Pepe coin.
Where to buy Pepe coin in 2025
There are several places to buy Pepe coin, depending on your preferences. Some options include:
Centralized and decentralized exchanges to buy Pepe coin
You can buy Pepe coin through several of the most popular crypto exchanges, such as Kraken and Gemini. The steps to buy Pepe depend on the exchange, starting with following their KYC (know your customer) protocols, if applicable. On some exchanges, like KuCoin, Pepe is traded in pairs, e.g., PEPE/USDT.
Pepe coin can also be bought on DEXs (decentralized exchanges) such as Uniswap. The pairs used for swapping Pepe coin vary by the decentralized exchange and what other investors are offering. The process for trading on DEXs can be more complex and riskier than a centralized exchange, but you can gain benefits like more control and privacy. Typically, the process involves connecting a non-custodial wallet like Best Wallet so you can trade your crypto assets for Pepe coin. Double-check that you're using the right contract address to ensure that you're trading the assets you intended.
P2P marketplaces and swap services
For even more direct control, but perhaps risks like less oversight/security, you can use peer-to-peer marketplaces and token swap platforms to directly exchange your tokens, like swapping ETH for PEPE.
How to buy Pepe coin step by step
While the exact steps to buy Pepe coin vary based on where you make the transaction — e.g., a centralized vs. decentralized exchange — the general steps include the following:
1. Set up a crypto wallet
Generally, you need a crypto wallet to trade crypto assets, including Pepe coin. These wallets hold private keys, which are passwords that let you access your crypto holdings living on blockchains.
If buying through an exchange, you might use that exchange's hosted wallet, or you might use a self-custody wallet. The choice can depend on factors such as your security and control preferences. Some popular crypto wallets include Best Wallet, MetaMask, and Trust Wallet, with the choice depending on factors like the projects you want to buy into and your custody preferences.
When setting up a wallet, make sure you secure your seed phrase (which acts as a recovery password), and consider other best practices like two-factor authentication.
2. Buy ETH or USDT first, if needed
While you can sometimes buy assets like PEPE through exchanges directly with US dollars or other fiat currencies, you often need to buy a commonly used cryptocurrency first, such as ETH or USDT. Once you transfer that commonly used crypto into your wallet, you can then exchange it for PEPE, such as on some DEXs or swap platforms.
3. Choose an exchange/platform to buy Pepe coin
As mentioned, there are several places where you can buy Pepe coin. If using an exchange like Coinbase, you'll need to create an account first, or you can connect your wallet to a DEX or swap platform to start trading. Be sure to compare factors such as what pairs you can trade, as well as things like slippage and gas fees. Double-check that you're using the right wallet address before executing the trade, too.
4. Store Pepe coin safely
Don't overlook the importance of safely storing Pepe coin or any other crypto after purchase. If buying through an exchange, some people leave their coins on the exchange's hosted wallet for simplicity, and perhaps you're more confident in its ability to safeguard your assets. That said, many people recommend not leaving coins on exchanges and instead keeping them in your own wallet or transferring them to cold storage (meaning a non-internet-connected wallet). That way, if an exchange is hacked, you're generally not at risk of losing your Pepe coins.
