Shiba Inu (SHIB) investors have shown significant movement in their holdings, with mid-sized investors, those holding between 0.1% and 1% of the total supply, leading the charge. Despite some price fluctuations and market uncertainties, these investors have accumulated a staggering 7.63 trillion SHIB tokens, pointing to an evolving trend in the SHIB community and the cryptocurrency market at large.
Shiba Inu recently saw a drop below the critical $0.00002 mark, a price point that had previously provided strong support. This drop coincided with broader market fluctuations, which have affected numerous digital assets this week. Initially, SHIB managed to hold its ground before slipping below this support level on Thursday. However, in the past 24 hours, the token has regained some momentum, rising by 1.55% to $0.00002026. Despite this rebound, SHIB is still down 11.11% over the past week, indicating ongoing volatility.
While the price of SHIB fluctuates, one trend has emerged clearly: mid-sized investors are dominating the accumulation of SHIB. According to data from IntoTheBlock, investors holding between 0.1% and 1% of the circulating SHIB supply have dramatically increased their holdings.
As of January 20, 2025, these investor wallets held a total of 155.97 trillion SHIB tokens, an increase of 7.63 trillion from the 148.34 trillion tokens they held on December 31, 2024. This increase represents a 5.51% rise in holdings, and these mid-sized investors now control 15.07% of the total SHIB supply. This surge highlights the growing confidence and interest from this group, positioning them as the dominant force in SHIB accumulation so far this year.
In contrast, whale investors—those holding large quantities of SHIB—have seen a slight decline in their share of the total supply. As of January 20, whales controlled 569.57 trillion SHIB, or 57.88% of the circulating supply. This figure is down from 575.41 trillion SHIB at the end of December, marking a small decrease in whale dominance.
Retail investors, too, have seen a slight reduction in their holdings. On December 31, retail investors held 260.56 trillion SHIB, but by January 20, their holdings had fallen to 258.73 trillion SHIB, representing 26.29% of the total supply. While the decline is modest, it reflects a slight dip in retail participation amidst a broader market slowdown.
In addition to changes in overall holdings, there’s been a noticeable shift in the holding patterns among SHIB investors. Data shows that short-term and long-term holders have been outpaced by a new category of investors—those who hold SHIB for between one and twelve months.
In January 2025, “cruisers”—as these investors are called—saw a 13.52% increase in their holdings. In comparison, long-term holders saw a minimal increase of just 0.05%, while short-term traders who hold SHIB for less than a month experienced a significant 31.93% decrease. This suggests that speculation has slowed, with fewer traders looking to capitalize on short-term price movements. Instead, a growing number of investors seem to be holding SHIB for the medium-term, possibly in anticipation of future price rallies.
Another notable trend is the decrease in SHIB reserves on exchanges. According to data from CryptoQuant, Shiba Inu’s reserves on exchanges dropped to an all-time low of 98.4 trillion SHIB on January 21, 2025. This marked a 27.4% decline from the start of the year. A lower exchange reserve often signals that investors are transferring their tokens to private wallets or staking platforms, thus reducing the available supply of SHIB for buying and selling on exchanges.
Although reserves have slightly rebounded to 98.6 trillion SHIB, the overall decrease remains significant, reflecting a 27.2% drop from the beginning of the year. This decrease could indicate that investors are becoming more confident in holding SHIB outside of exchanges, reducing the available supply for traders and potentially signaling long-term faith in the token’s value.
The shift in accumulation patterns, with mid-sized investors taking the lead and whale holdings slightly declining, could signal a changing landscape for Shiba Inu. While SHIB’s price has faced challenges in recent weeks, the increased accumulation among mid-sized investors suggests a belief in the long-term potential of the token. The decline in short-term speculation also indicates that investors may be taking a more cautious approach to trading SHIB, choosing instead to hold for the medium to long term.
Moreover, the drop in SHIB’s exchange reserves further supports the idea that investors are becoming more confident in holding SHIB for the future. With fewer tokens available for trading, the overall supply of SHIB could become more limited, which may help to drive up its value if demand increases.
Shiba Inu investors have made a clear statement in 2025 with the accumulation of 7.63 trillion SHIB tokens by mid-sized investors. Despite fluctuations in SHIB’s price, these investors are betting on the token’s future growth, while whales and retail investors see smaller declines in their holdings. The reduction in exchange reserves and the rise in medium-term holders further underscore growing confidence in SHIB as a long-term asset. While the future remains uncertain, these trends could signal a shift toward sustained accumulation and growth in the SHIB ecosystem.
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