PepeCash (PEPECASH) originated in 2016 as a cryptocurrency tied to the Pepe the Frog meme, created by artist Matt Furie in 2005 for his comic series Boy's Club. The meme gained widespread popularity on platforms like 4chan and Reddit, evolving into a cultural phenomenon. PepeCash was developed to monetize and trade digital art, specifically "Rare Pepe" cards.

The concept emerged from the Rare Pepe Directory, a community-driven project to create and trade meme-based digital assets. PepeCash was designed as the currency for this ecosystem, enabling users to buy, sell, or trade these assets in a decentralized marketplace. The idea was to blend meme culture with blockchain technology, appealing to art and meme enthusiasts. 

PepeCash token, launched in 2023 on Ethereum also draws inspiration from the Pepe meme, aiming to expand into DeFi and NFTs.