Web3

PEPE Makes History, the First Meme Coin to be Listed in Japan

Nov 05 (News On Japan) - While crypto as a whole has been the subject of controversy, meme coins have been subject to a special type of vitriol from critics.

Even some of the more ardent crypto lovers have called them everything from a fad to a scam. But despite the naysayers, meme coins continue to succeed in the industry.

Just recently, PEPE made history as the first meme coin to be listed on a Japanese crypto exchange. This shows not just the enduring global demand for meme coins but also their resilience in the face of adversity.

The exchange in question is BITPoint Japan, an exchange that has been licensed since 2016 and operates as a centralized entity. The listing went live on October 30, 2025, and represents a new dawn for the country and the token.

The appetite for crypto tokens as a whole has been ravenous this year. As Hyunsoo Kim says, Web3 token investors are constantly seeking the next big coin (source: https://www.business2community.com/kr/cryptocurrency/best-web3-coins). Thanks to developments like the Bitcoin and Ether spot ETFs have seen more investors turning to tried and tested legacy tokens. At the same time, meme coins have been having a moment, with newer ones raising millions in presale and being welcomed by the public.

It comes as no surprise that the already-established meme coins are being pushed to the forefront. The same is happening with BITPoint, which is running several promotions to get people to buy PEPE. The exchange has announced that it will run a lottery and this will be open to those who purchase PEPE. If they buy at least 10,000 yen worth of PEPE, they will be entered. In the end, 10 winners will be chosen to receive 100,000 yen and the competition ends on November 27, 2024.

The second promotion will be held on Twitter/X and will involve a giveaway. With this amount of push, plus the adoption of crypto in Japan, we can expect to see significant trading volume in the coming months. Even outside of the BITPoint campaigns, many will be incentivized to buy PEPE thanks to its more recent market movements. While the token is in a current dip, many believe that it will recover in the coming months.

Several factors, including the outcome of the US elections, a possible spot ETF, and an end-of-year surge could mean that PEPE could be worth much more. Some investors will take advantage of the current situation to ‘buy the dip’ and then resell their tokens at a later date.

But beyond the benefit that this development will have for PEPE itself, other meme coins will be in a better place. Meme coins, as we’ve said, have faced a lot of stigma and pushback and this has inevitably affected their chances of being listed on top exchanges. But should PEPE do well on BITPoint, both it and other meme coins could have a wider presence in Japan.

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