Dogecoin Celebrates 12th Anniversary, Founders Reflect on Humble Beginnings of Meme Coin Pioneer

Dogecoin (DOGE), the original meme cryptocurrency, marked its 12th anniversary on December 6, 2025, celebrating a journey that began as an internet joke and evolved into a multi-billion dollar digital asset. The coin was launched on December 6, 2013, by software engineers Billy Markus and Jackson Palmer, and is widely recognized as both the first "meme coin" and the first "dog coin."

Co-founder Billy Markus, who uses the alias Shibetoshi Nakamoto on social media platform X, commemorated the occasion with a characteristically witty tweet. "12 years ago i made something stupid and then a bunch of even stupider stuff happened and now i am posting about it on the internet to 2.15 million followers, happy 12th genesis day, Dogecoin," Markus wrote. He later corrected himself, noting his follower count had actually surpassed 2.26 million.

The project's origins trace back to Palmer, who was working in Adobe's marketing department in Sydney, Australia, at the time. He purchased the domain Dogecoin.com and created a simple splash page featuring the now-iconic Shiba Inu logo and Comic Sans text. After seeing the site, Markus reached out, and the pair collaborated to develop the currency. Markus designed Dogecoin's protocol based on existing cryptocurrencies Luckycoin and Litecoin, utilizing their scrypt technology in its proof-of-work algorithm.

The face of the cryptocurrency is the Japanese Shiba Inu dog named Kabosu, who inspired the viral "doge" meme. A picture of Kabosu, taken in 2010 by her owner, a teacher from Sakura, Japan, became the foundation for countless internet jokes and ultimately the Dogecoin brand. Kabosu passed away in May 2024 after 14 years of internet fame.

Despite its humorous beginnings, Dogecoin has achieved significant traction in the cryptocurrency space. As of the anniversary, it ranks as the ninth-largest cryptocurrency with a market capitalization of approximately $22.56 billion, trading around $0.1396. Its growth is attributed to its accessibility, low transaction fees, and an extremely active, community-driven fan base.

The coin's journey has been notably influenced by Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, whose social media endorsements since 2019 have triggered massive price rallies, including a surge of over 10,000% in 2021. Musk's involvement helped cement Dogecoin's place in mainstream culture and remains a significant factor in its ongoing market relevance.

Dogecoin is credited with spawning an entire category of digital assets, pioneering the meme-coin ecosystem that saw thousands of similar coins emerge in the following years. While critics point to its lack of sophisticated utility, proponents highlight its unparalleled cultural presence, durability, and status as a symbol of community strength and internet culture within the volatile crypto market.