Tech billionaire Elon Musk, who is known for his quirky and out-of-the-box antics on social media, has now updated his X (formerly Twitter) account by changing his name.

The Tesla boss is now known as "Kekius Maximus" on the social media platform and has also replaced his profile picture with the popular "Pepe the Frog" meme. However, in this avatar, the Pepe character is seen dressed as a warrior holding a joystick to play a video game.

Who is Kekius Maximus?
Kekius Maximus (KEKIUS) is a new memecoin which has recently emerged in cryptocurrency and has been trending since Elon Musk changed his display name and picture to the icon, leading to the coin soar above 500% within hours.

The character of Kekius Maximus is based on a little-known meme which fuses popular Pepe The Frog character with the movie character of Maximus from Gladiator.

Kekius Maximus (KEKIUS) has quickly made a name for itself in the cryptocurrency market, drawing significant interest from investors and enthusiasts. According to CoinGecko data, the memecoin Kekius Maximus (KEKIUS) has skyrocketed over 500% in just a few hours. Alongside KEKIUS, several other Kekius-themed memecoins have also gained momentum, surging over 200% despite being launched only hours ago.

Why Elon Musk changed his name?
While Elon Musk has not directly addressed why he changed his name to the memecoin title, the billionaire CEO did share several posts on X talking about his new avatar.

"Imagine you're a journalist who's writing about Elon on X and it goes: "Elon Musk, aka 'Kekius Maximus' on X," read one of the posts on X, reshared by Elon with the caption, "This will be priceless."

Kekius Maximus will soon reach level 80 in hardcore PoE pic.twitter.com/Cg5ttuqjvX

— Kekius Maximus (@elonmusk) December 31, 2024

However, in another post, he shared a prediction for the cryptocurrency. "Kekius Maximus will soon reach level 80 in hardcore PoE," he said, posting a AI-generated image of the character touching a stone with the digits 80 carved on it.

Pepe the Frog: A controversial meme
The use of Pepe the Frog in Musk’s profile picture also carries layers of cultural significance. Created in 2005 by American artist Matt Furie for his comic series Boy’s Club, Pepe was initially an innocent character with the catchphrase ‘Feels good man’. However, the character’s evolution from a lighthearted meme into a symbol of controversy is well documented.

Pepe gained popularity on internet platforms like 4chan and Reddit in the early 2000s, with users creating countless variations such as ‘Sad Pepe’, ‘Smug Pepe’, and ‘Angry Pepe’. Celebrities like Katy Perry and Nicki Minaj embraced the meme, further catapulting it into the mainstream by 2015.

However, by 2016, certain fringe groups appropriated Pepe for political and hateful messaging, leading to its designation as a hate symbol by the anti-defamation league. Despite this, the meme retains a broad and diverse appeal, remaining a cultural icon that is widely shared in less contentious contexts.

Elon Musk and the crypto connection
While Musk has not explicitly endorsed KEKIUS, his social media update and new profile image have fuelled speculation that he might be indirectly promoting the token. Musk’s influence on the cryptocurrency market is well documented, with his tweets frequently driving up the value of digital currencies such as Dogecoin in the past.

Adding to the intrigue, Musk has issued a cautionary note on X, warning against deceptive practices by users attempting to manipulate the market through tactics like buying followers and spreading false information.

Musk's latest move shows his penchant for using humour and memes to stir public interest, particularly in the tech and crypto spaces. While it remains unclear whether he is officially connected to KEKIUS, his influence on the market is undeniable. For investors and crypto enthusiasts, this serves as both an opportunity and a reminder to approach speculative assets with caution.