Elon Musk Switches X Username to ‘Kekius Maximus’, Meme Coin Surges 119%

Musk’s cryptic new display name and profile image fuel speculation and cause the meme-inspired ‘Kekius Maximus’ token to skyrocket on crypto exchanges — again.

World News | May 17, 2025 Elon Musk has once again sparked intrigue in the crypto world by changing his display name on X (formerly Twitter) to “Kekius Maximus”, accompanied by a Roman-style profile picture. Though the billionaire CEO offered no explanation, the shift triggered a 119% spike in the Kekius Maximus meme coin’s value, according to Binance data.

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This marks the second time Musk has adopted the name Kekius Maximus on the platform. The last instance was in December 2024, when he changed his profile image to a golden-armoured ‘Pepe the Frog’ meme. At the time, the coin surged nearly 498% in 24 hours, before plummeting when Musk reverted to his usual identity.

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What Is ‘Kekius Maximus’?

Kekius Maximus is a meme-based cryptocurrency token currently operating on Ethereum and Solana blockchains. It draws cultural inspiration from a combination of gaming slang, ancient mythology, and pop culture.

• “Kek” is gamer-speak for “LOL”, later associated with alt-right internet culture.
• “Kek” is also the name of an Egyptian deity of chaos and darkness, often depicted with a frog’s head — echoing the meme lineage of ‘Pepe’.
• “Maximus” likely references Gladiator’s iconic character, Maximus Decimus Meridius, adding a mock-heroic flair.

The coin has gained attention for its volatility and Musk’s influence over its value through his X profile activity.

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Musk’s Previous Profile Name: ‘Gorklon Rust’

Earlier this month, Musk changed his name to “Gorklon Rust”, which social media speculated was a mashup of:

• “Grok”, the chatbot developed by Musk’s xAI
• “Rust”, a systems programming language used in X’s backend

Following that change, GORK, a related meme coin, saw a 100% jump in price within 24 hours.

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Why It Matters

While the financial link between Musk’s identity changes and these meme tokens remains unconfirmed, the billionaire’s past influence on crypto markets — notably Dogecoin and Bitcoin — highlights the continued susceptibility of digital assets to celebrity-driven volatility.

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Tags:

Elon Musk X name change, Kekius Maximus coin, meme cryptocurrency, crypto volatility, Elon Musk crypto impact, Grok AI, Rust programming, GORK coin, Elon Musk meme culture