Popular presale token Pepe Unchained ($PEPU) is surging ahead as its raise clears $12.5 million. This comes as the meme coin market kicks off the week with a bullish open, and Pepe’s 2% pump has undoubtedly helped it along. Pepe Unchained ($PEPU) has raised over $20K in the last two hours.
![Pepe Unchained](https://cryptopotato.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/1.png)
### Pepe Unchained: A Pepe-themed Utility Token With its Own Layer 2
Imagine the magnetic allure of Pepe coin mixed with the utility of a layer 2 blockchain. That’s what Pepe Unchained is creating, and it’s why investors are piling into the presale. The Pepe price is showing strength today, and analysts speculate this could mark the beginning of its next bullish phase. Slick comments, “The moment of truth is here.” He continues, “In principle, I would say we bounce up from here.” Based on its recent price action, the analyst anticipates a 5x parabolic rally to follow.
> $PEPE Moment of truth here. We got our 2 touches on the box range lows – happy with that. In principle, I would say we bounce up from here. [https://t.co/wL5UcSFOr5](https://t.co/wL5UcSFOr5) [pic.twitter.com/RBgFLu61kJ](https://t.co/RBgFLu61kJ)
> — Slick (@SlickXBT) [September 8, 2024](https://twitter.com/SlickXBT/status/1832878117846994965?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)
Meanwhile, analyst Ape just announced a Pepe long trade worth a whopping $6.5 million. As traders gain confidence in Pepe, the appetite for its utility-rooted cousin, Pepe Unchained, is only gaining prevalence.
### Layer 2s are the Future of Scaling, and Pepe Unchained is the Future of Memes
Deep inside the Ethereum community, there is a debate about the best way to handle scalability. The options are scaling the main chain or creating separate but interconnected chains that are cheaper and faster, called layer 2s. The overwhelming majority of network participants have voted in favor of layer 2s.
> Layer 2’s on Ethereum remain incredibly cheap to use and offer fast transaction confirmations for users. My favorites to use are still Arbitrum One and Base, but I try to dabble in the others as much as I can! [pic.twitter.com/HKl8yx3JB4](https://t.co/HKl8yx3JB4)
> — sassal.eth/acc (@sassal0x) [August 7, 2024](https://twitter.com/sassal0x/status/1821042438607343828?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)
However, layer 2s have become more contentious in recent weeks following Ethereum’s sloping revenue as traders understandably migrate for faster and lower-cost transactions. Analysts are still undecided whether this is long-term bullish for the ETH price, but it’s undoubtedly a big win for layer 2 tokens like $PEPE. Investors continue to flock to layer 2s, drawn to the cost and speed benefits while being able to seamlessly switch from one layer 2 to another using the same wallet. L2Beat data illustrates this, with layer 2 transaction volume recently hitting an all-time high (ATH).
![Layer 2 Transaction Volume](https://cryptopotato.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/2.png)
Yet, Pepe Unchained is the only layer 2 inherently focused on meme coins and related applications – that could be huge.
### “Pepe Chain” Will Offer Speeds 100x Faster than Ethereum
Buying meme coins on “Pepe Chain” will be faster than sending a text message. According to its website, it’ll be 100x faster than Ethereum. Coupled with its lower trading fees, the chain could well become a hotbed for meme coin activity. Using the robust toolkit of the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM), developers can build whatever their skills allow on the Pepe Chain.
![Pepe Chain](https://cryptopotato.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/3.png)
They could build Pepe Chain’s version of Pump.fun – a high-risk Solana meme coin deployer that is generating millions in weekly revenue. Other ideas could include a meme coin-focused P2E game or even a meme coin-AI hybrid project for those quick-footed devs up to date with market trends.
Pepe Unchained’s utility separates it from most meme coins on the market. While others are governed by speculative-driven demand, $PEPU plans to amass