Iconic Shiba Inu behind the Dogecoin memecoin passes away at 17

The dog became famous for its connection to the cryptocurrency that started as a joke

The dog behind the famous “Doge” meme and the face of Dogecoin has passed away. Kabosu, the Shiba Inu who inspired over a decade of online jokes, died peacefully on May 24. The dog’s owner, Atsuko Sato, believed she was around 18 years old.

Sato announced on her official blog her appreciation for the admiration given to Kabosu since she gained popularity in 2010. Sato also announced that a farewell party for “Kabo-chan” will be held on May 26 at Flower Kaori in Kotsu no Mori, Narita City.

Fans worldwide have been sharing tributes to Kabosu, including many of their fond memories of the dog that was an internet sensation in the meme community and the face of Dogecoin and crypto culture. 

Rest in Peace, Doge 💔 pic.twitter.com/odgzw7Nnfj

— DogeDesigner (@cb_doge) May 24, 2024

Photos posted by Sato in 2010 of her adopted dog posing with legs crossed and a comical expression soon went viral, inspiring the “Doge” meme. Kabosu’s popularity exploded when Dogecoin was launched in 2013,  using the popular image as its logo.

In December 2022, Sato announced in late 2022 that Kabosu’s health was in a “dangerous position,” igniting overwhelming support from crypto community members, such as Dogecoin co-founder Shibetoshi Nakamoto, also known as Billy Markus.

Kabosu’s influence has even impacted recent political campaigns like US President Joe Biden’s reelection drive that announced it was hiring a “master of memes.” This is essential for the meme movement, as the primary official task of the role would be to oversee digital media relationships and provide various meme pages among social media outlets.