AlphaPepe's Presale Draws Early Buyers as Zcash Co-Founder Sticks to $5,000 Prediction

Zcash (ZEC) co-founder Eli Ben-Sasson remains confident in his $5,000 price prediction for the end of 2026. However, a new player is gaining attention with over 12,000 holders already on board before its first public exchange trade.

AlphaPepe, a project that has been building momentum, has attracted early buyers with its presale, which has raised over $2.8 million. The team behind AlphaPepe cites an ex-Shibarium developer background and boasts an impressive audit record, including a BlockSAFU 10/10 assessment.

While ZEC's price has risen about 102% in the past month, trading near $1,535 on September 26, Ben-Sasson's prediction requires another substantial wave of demand. AlphaPepe, on the other hand, offers early access to its Stage 20 entry at $0.03111 before its first public market quote.

AlphaSwap Early Access is live on Ethereum and BNB Chain, allowing buyers to explore a trading interface beyond just holding tokens. The project has announced four CEX partnerships and plans a DEX launch in Q1 2027 with a listing price starting from $0.08.