Shiba Inu has struggled to maintain relevance in the cryptocurrency market after its rapid rise in 2021. The token, once a major driver of retail enthusiasm, is now down more than 86% from its peak of $0.00008845.
This year alone, SHIB has dropped nearly 44%, currently trading around $0.00001226. While broader market assets like Bitcoin and Ethereum have managed steady gains, SHIB has remained stagnant near the $0.00001 level, fueling claims that the project has lost direction.
Despite these criticisms, several factors could help the project recover and restore investor confidence. Addressing long-standing concerns while completing key ecosystem goals may be essential to putting SHIB back on track. These include the following;
Improved Transparency and Leadership Structure
One of the most frequent criticisms of Shiba Inu is the anonymity of its leadership. Although pseudonymous figures such as Shytoshi Kusama played a role in SHIB’s early growth, maintaining anonymous leadership at this stage creates barriers to accountability.
In contrast, leading blockchain projects like Cardano, Ripple, and Dogecoin are managed by publicly identifiable teams. Moving toward a more transparent leadership structure could strengthen credibility and reassure investors.
Strengthen Focus on the SHIB Ecosystem
Concerns have also arisen regarding the team’s attention being divided between SHIB and other unrelated projects. Shytoshi Kusama’s promotion of the SHY token has drawn criticism for distracting investors from core SHIB ecosystem assets, including BONE, LEASH, and TREAT.
Refocusing resources and messaging toward SHIB’s long-term utility would reinforce its relevance and could help realign the community’s attention.
Improved Community Engagement
The Shiba Inu community, known as the Shib Army, was once one of the most active forces in crypto. Their efforts contributed to SHIB’s listings on major platforms and its historic 2021 rally. However, enthusiasm has cooled in recent years.
A renewed focus on direct engagement, clearer communication, and reward‑driven participation could help reignite the community’s involvement and strengthen grassroots momentum.
Addressing Oversupply Through Token Burns
SHIB’s circulating supply of nearly 589 trillion tokens continues to limit price appreciation. While more than 41% of the total supply has already been burned, helped by community initiatives and Vitalik Buterin’s high‑profile burn, progress remains slow.
A structured, consistent, and large‑scale token reduction plan could introduce meaningful scarcity and create better conditions for price recovery.
Rebuild Security and Trust After Shibarium Incident
The Shibarium Bridge hack raised significant concerns about the ecosystem’s security. Although steps have been taken, such as adopting multi‑party custody solutions, cooperating with authorities, and offering bounties to attackers, the project must continue demonstrating commitment to robust security practices.
Successfully restoring full functionality to the bridge would be a milestone in rebuilding trust among users and investors.
Delivering on Pending Projects
Shiba Inu has also faced criticism for delays in delivering major ecosystem products. Announcements around projects such as Shib: The Metaverse and the NFT marketplace have not translated into meaningful progress.
Prioritizing the completion of these initiatives, rather than introducing new ones, would provide tangible value and demonstrate that the team can meet its commitments.
Shiba Inu’s prolonged underperformance has prompted skepticism about its future, but dismissing it entirely may be premature.
Greater transparency, stronger community engagement, meaningful supply reduction, improved security, and timely delivery of promised projects could help restore SHIB’s relevance in the cryptocurrency market. Without these changes, however, the project risks continuing its slide into obscurity.