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A crypto investor’s tale of regret has gone viral after he shared how he sold a massive portion of Shiba Inu (SHIB) too early—missing out on what could have been nearly $900 million.
Rick Primes, one of SHIB’s earliest adopters, recently opened up on X (formerly Twitter) about his missed opportunity during a trending discussion around crypto regrets. While others spoke about not buying certain coins early or cashing out too soon, Primes stood out with a rare confession: at one point, he held as much as 2.1% of Shiba Inu’s total supply.
For perspective, when Shiba Inu was first introduced, it had a total supply of 1 quadrillion tokens. A 2.1% stake translates to 21 trillion SHIB tokens—a jaw-dropping number in hindsight. Based on current figures from Shiba Inu’s circulating supply of around 589 trillion tokens, that 2.1% would still equal nearly 11 trillion SHIB today.
Unfortunately, Primes sold his stake well before SHIB’s historic rally in 2021. Though he didn’t reveal the exact amount he originally cashed out for, he admitted that the potential value at the token’s all-time high would have been approximately $882 million.
A Second Chance That Fell Short
After his initial exit, Primes wasn’t completely out of the SHIB ecosystem. He returned to accumulate more tokens—this time about 0.8% of the total supply, hoping to ride the next big wave. However, once again, he sold too early. This time, he realized somewhere between $20 million and $30 million from the sale.
Not bad by any standard, but when compared to the nearly $900 million potential from his original holdings, it’s no surprise the investor feels a sense of regret.
The price of Shiba Inu hit its all-time high on October 28, 2021, when it reached $0.00008845. From its initial price of just $0.000000000056, SHIB erased six leading zeros in about 14 months. That kind of movement turned even modest early investments into life-changing fortunes.
SHIB’s Wild Ride from Joke to Juggernaut
Shiba Inu was originally seen as a novelty in the crypto world. Positioned as a “Dogecoin killer,” few investors or analysts took it seriously when it debuted. It began trading at an almost negligible price, and by late 2020, the project appeared to be abandoned.
Community interest dwindled, development updates were few and far between, and many early holders exited their positions. Yet, a small group stayed invested, holding their SHIB tokens in spite of the uncertainty.
That patience eventually paid off in 2021, as Binance and other major exchanges listed SHIB, driving renewed interest. One of the key moments that reignited public attention was when SHIB’s anonymous founder, Ryoshi, sent half of the project’s total supply to Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin.
What followed was unexpected: Buterin chose to burn 410 trillion SHIB, removing them from circulation permanently by sending them to a dead wallet. He then donated the rest to charity. This massive burn significantly reduced SHIB’s supply, increasing scarcity and setting the stage for its meteoric price rise.
Regret, Realizations, and Relatable Lessons
Despite missing out on a ten-figure fortune, Rick Primes’ story ends far better than many others. While some early investors sold all their holdings and never looked back, Primes managed to earn tens of millions from his secondary investment round.
That said, it’s impossible not to sympathize with his situation. Watching a former stake rise in value to nearly $900 million is a tough pill to swallow, even for someone who earned eight figures from the same asset.
Many crypto investors shared similar feelings in response to Primes’ post. The “what if” scenarios in the crypto world are endless—whether it’s buying Bitcoin at $100 and selling at $1,000, or holding Ethereum from the ICO and letting go at $100 instead of $4,000.
Shiba Inu has consistently been one of the biggest examples of rapid, unexpected gains in the crypto market. From being labeled a joke to making millionaires out of casual investors, its story is both exciting and educational.
Other SHIB Millionaires
Primes isn’t the only one to make millions from Shiba Inu. One of the most famous success stories involves two brothers from New York, who turned an investment of just $7,900 into $9 million. Others who invested during SHIB’s early days and held through the volatility saw life-altering returns.
Of course, such gains are rare and often depend on a perfect combination of timing, luck, and conviction. For every investor who becomes a millionaire, there are many more who exit early or invest too late.
The Takeaway
Crypto can offer massive rewards, but it also comes with emotional highs and lows. Rick Primes’ journey with SHIB is a perfect example. He had everything in his hands—2.1% of a token that would go on to dominate headlines—and let it go too early. While $30 million is still a win by any standard, the thought of $882 million remains a haunting “what could have been.”
For crypto investors today, the lesson is clear: conviction, timing, and patience are key. And even then, not every opportunity plays out perfectly.
