Musk's reverted profile picture features an image from his days campaigning for former US President Donald Trump.
The sudden price decline saw meme token KEKIUS drop from a high of $0.005926 on Jan 1 to $0.00124.
How far can Elon Musk influence the meme crypto space? Well, his recent antics on X have
triggered yet another dramatic event in the world of meme-based
cryptocurrencies.
Following his sudden change of name to "Kekius
Maximus" and the addition of an unconventional profile picture, the value
of Kekius Maximus Crypto (KEKIUS) surged, only to crash soon after Musk
reverted to his original profile setup.
A Double-Edged Sword
Musk's decision to adopt the moniker "Kekius
Maximus" on X stirred excitement across the crypto community. The move was
followed by a surge in the value of the Solana-based memecoin KEKIUS, reaching
a high of $0.005926 on January 1, according to CoinGecko.
The rise was also driven by Musk's provocative new profile
picture, which featured a stylized version of the meme character Pepe the Frog,
dressed as Maximus from the classic film Gladiator.
However, the excitement was short-lived. Within hours,
Musk reversed his name change, returning to his familiar profile and reverting
his avatar to an image from his days campaigning for former US President Donald Trump.
The abrupt shift led to an equally dramatic drop in
KEKIUS's value. The coin plunged by about 80%, falling to $0.00124 by Jan 2. At the time of
publication, the meme crypto traded at $0.0007261, according to CoinGecko price
data.
While the coin briefly enjoyed a spike in value thanks
to Musk's influence, the sudden collapse is one of the instances highlighting
the speculative assets tied to social media trends and individual
personalities.
KEKIUS Price Plunges, Source: CoinGecko
Pepe the Frog Makes Another Appearance
In addition to his name change, Musk also altered his profile picture to a reinterpretation of the Pepe the Frog meme. This version
depicted Pepe as a warrior, armored and holding a video game joystick, further
fueling the internet's obsession with the meme.
This latest development showed how swiftly
sentiment can change in the cryptocurrency space, especially when tied to
social media figures like Musk.
While Musk's influence can push asset prices higher in
the short term, the sustainability of such moves remains uncertain, and
investors should remain cautious of the inherent volatility.
How far can Elon Musk influence the meme crypto space? Well, his recent antics on X have
triggered yet another dramatic event in the world of meme-based
cryptocurrencies.
Following his sudden change of name to "Kekius
Maximus" and the addition of an unconventional profile picture, the value
of Kekius Maximus Crypto (KEKIUS) surged, only to crash soon after Musk
reverted to his original profile setup.
A Double-Edged Sword
Musk's decision to adopt the moniker "Kekius
Maximus" on X stirred excitement across the crypto community. The move was
followed by a surge in the value of the Solana-based memecoin KEKIUS, reaching
a high of $0.005926 on January 1, according to CoinGecko.
The rise was also driven by Musk's provocative new profile
picture, which featured a stylized version of the meme character Pepe the Frog,
dressed as Maximus from the classic film Gladiator.
However, the excitement was short-lived. Within hours,
Musk reversed his name change, returning to his familiar profile and reverting
his avatar to an image from his days campaigning for former US President Donald Trump.
The abrupt shift led to an equally dramatic drop in
KEKIUS's value. The coin plunged by about 80%, falling to $0.00124 by Jan 2. At the time of
publication, the meme crypto traded at $0.0007261, according to CoinGecko price
data.
While the coin briefly enjoyed a spike in value thanks
to Musk's influence, the sudden collapse is one of the instances highlighting
the speculative assets tied to social media trends and individual
personalities.
KEKIUS Price Plunges, Source: CoinGecko
Pepe the Frog Makes Another Appearance
In addition to his name change, Musk also altered his profile picture to a reinterpretation of the Pepe the Frog meme. This version
depicted Pepe as a warrior, armored and holding a video game joystick, further
fueling the internet's obsession with the meme.
This latest development showed how swiftly
sentiment can change in the cryptocurrency space, especially when tied to
social media figures like Musk.
While Musk's influence can push asset prices higher in
the short term, the sustainability of such moves remains uncertain, and
investors should remain cautious of the inherent volatility.
In this conversation, we speak with Aydin Bonabi, CEO and co-founder of Surveill, a firm focused on fraud detection and AI-driven compliance tools for financial institutions.
We start with Aydin’s view of the Summit and the challenges brokers face as fraud tactics grow more complex. He explains how firms can stay ahead through real-time signals, data patterns, and early-stage detection.
We also talk about AI training and why compliance teams often struggle to keep models accurate, fair, and aligned with regulatory expectations. Aydin breaks down what “good” AI training looks like inside a financial environment, including the importance of clean data, domain expertise, and human oversight.
He closes with a clear message: fraud is scaling, and so must the tools that stop it.
In this conversation, we speak with Aydin Bonabi, CEO and co-founder of Surveill, a firm focused on fraud detection and AI-driven compliance tools for financial institutions.
We start with Aydin’s view of the Summit and the challenges brokers face as fraud tactics grow more complex. He explains how firms can stay ahead through real-time signals, data patterns, and early-stage detection.
We also talk about AI training and why compliance teams often struggle to keep models accurate, fair, and aligned with regulatory expectations. Aydin breaks down what “good” AI training looks like inside a financial environment, including the importance of clean data, domain expertise, and human oversight.
He closes with a clear message: fraud is scaling, and so must the tools that stop it.
Exness expands its presence in Africa: Inside our interview with Paul Margarites in Cape Town
Exness expands its presence in Africa: Inside our interview with Paul Margarites in Cape Town
Finance Magnates met with Paul Margarites, Exness regional commercial director for Sub-Saharan Africa, during a visit to the firm’s office opening in Cape Town. In this talk, led by Andrea Badiola Mateos, Co-CEO at Finance Magnates, Paul shares views on the South African trading space, local user behavior, mobile trends, regulation, team growth, and how Exness plans to grow in more markets across the region. @Exness
Read the article at: https://www.financemagnates.com/thought-leadership/exness-expands-its-presence-in-africa-inside-our-interview-with-paul-margarites/
#exness #financemagnates #exnesstrading #CFDtrading #tradeonline #africanews #capetown
Finance Magnates met with Paul Margarites, Exness regional commercial director for Sub-Saharan Africa, during a visit to the firm’s office opening in Cape Town. In this talk, led by Andrea Badiola Mateos, Co-CEO at Finance Magnates, Paul shares views on the South African trading space, local user behavior, mobile trends, regulation, team growth, and how Exness plans to grow in more markets across the region. @Exness
Read the article at: https://www.financemagnates.com/thought-leadership/exness-expands-its-presence-in-africa-inside-our-interview-with-paul-margarites/
#exness #financemagnates #exnesstrading #CFDtrading #tradeonline #africanews #capetown
Executive Interview | Jas Shah | FMLS:25
Executive Interview | Jas Shah | FMLS:25
Interview with Jas Shah
Builder | Adviser | Fintech Writer | Product Strategist
In this episode, Jonathan Fine sat down with Jas Shah, one of the most thoughtful voices in global fintech. Known for his work across advisory, product, stablecoins, and his widely read writing, Jas brings a rare combination of industry insight and plain-spoken clarity.
We talk about his first impression of the Summit, the projects that keep him busy today, and how they connect to the stablecoin panel he joined. Jas shares his view on the link between fintech, wealthtech and retail brokers, especially as firms like Revolut, eToro and Trading212 blur long-standing lines in the market.
We also explore what stablecoin adoption might look like for retail investment platforms, including a few product and UX angles that are not obvious at first glance.
To close, Jas explains how he thinks about writing, and how he approaches “shipping” pieces that spark debate across the industry.
Interview with Jas Shah
Builder | Adviser | Fintech Writer | Product Strategist
In this episode, Jonathan Fine sat down with Jas Shah, one of the most thoughtful voices in global fintech. Known for his work across advisory, product, stablecoins, and his widely read writing, Jas brings a rare combination of industry insight and plain-spoken clarity.
We talk about his first impression of the Summit, the projects that keep him busy today, and how they connect to the stablecoin panel he joined. Jas shares his view on the link between fintech, wealthtech and retail brokers, especially as firms like Revolut, eToro and Trading212 blur long-standing lines in the market.
We also explore what stablecoin adoption might look like for retail investment platforms, including a few product and UX angles that are not obvious at first glance.
To close, Jas explains how he thinks about writing, and how he approaches “shipping” pieces that spark debate across the industry.
Vitalii Bulynin Talks About Versus Trade, New Pairs, and Big Plans
Vitalii Bulynin Talks About Versus Trade, New Pairs, and Big Plans
In this interview, Versus Trade Co-Founder Vitalii Bulynin explains how the company got its license fast, why its trading pairs are fresh and fun, and what the team will build next.
He also discusses the most active pairs, the IB and MIB plans, and hiring needs for new markets.
Watch the whole talk to learn more about how Versus Trade works and where it is heading.
#financemagnates #VersusTrade #TradingPairs #BTCvsGold #goldtrading #innovation
In this interview, Versus Trade Co-Founder Vitalii Bulynin explains how the company got its license fast, why its trading pairs are fresh and fun, and what the team will build next.
He also discusses the most active pairs, the IB and MIB plans, and hiring needs for new markets.
Watch the whole talk to learn more about how Versus Trade works and where it is heading.
#financemagnates #VersusTrade #TradingPairs #BTCvsGold #goldtrading #innovation
Marketing in 2026 Audiences, Costs, and Smarter AI
Marketing in 2026 Audiences, Costs, and Smarter AI
As brokers eye B2B business and compete with fintechs and crypto exchanges alike, marketers need to act wisely with often limited budgets. AI can offer scalable solutions, but only if used properly.
Join seasoned marketing executives and specialists as they discuss the main challenges they identify in financial services in 2026 and how they address them.
Attendees of this session will walk away with:
- A nuts-and-bolts account of acquisition costs across platforms and geos
- Analysis of today’s multi-layered audience segments and differences in behaviour
- First-hand account of how global brokers balance consistency and local flavour
- Notes from the field about intelligently using AI and automation in marketing
Speakers:
-Yam Yehoshua, Editor-In-Chief at Finance Magnates
-Federico Paderni, Managing Director for Growth Markets in Europe at X
-Jo Benton, Chief Marketing Officer, Consulting | Fractional CMO
-Itai Levitan, Head of Strategy at investingLive
-Roberto Napolitano, CMO at Innovate Finance
-Tony Cross, Director at Monk Communications
#fmls #fmls25 #fmevents #FintechMarketing #AI #DigitalStrategy #Fintech #Innovation
Connect with us at:
🔗 LinkedIn: / financemagnates-events
👍 Facebook: / financemagnatesevents
📸 Instagram: / fmevents_official
🐦 Twitter: / f_m_events
🎥 TikTok: / fmevents_official
As brokers eye B2B business and compete with fintechs and crypto exchanges alike, marketers need to act wisely with often limited budgets. AI can offer scalable solutions, but only if used properly.
Join seasoned marketing executives and specialists as they discuss the main challenges they identify in financial services in 2026 and how they address them.
Attendees of this session will walk away with:
- A nuts-and-bolts account of acquisition costs across platforms and geos
- Analysis of today’s multi-layered audience segments and differences in behaviour
- First-hand account of how global brokers balance consistency and local flavour
- Notes from the field about intelligently using AI and automation in marketing
Speakers:
-Yam Yehoshua, Editor-In-Chief at Finance Magnates
-Federico Paderni, Managing Director for Growth Markets in Europe at X
-Jo Benton, Chief Marketing Officer, Consulting | Fractional CMO
-Itai Levitan, Head of Strategy at investingLive
-Roberto Napolitano, CMO at Innovate Finance
-Tony Cross, Director at Monk Communications
#fmls #fmls25 #fmevents #FintechMarketing #AI #DigitalStrategy #Fintech #Innovation
Connect with us at:
🔗 LinkedIn: / financemagnates-events
👍 Facebook: / financemagnatesevents
📸 Instagram: / fmevents_official
🐦 Twitter: / f_m_events
🎥 TikTok: / fmevents_official
