This article is for informational purposes only and is not a financial promotion. It does not recommend any provider, product or strategy. For more information, visit the FCA’s guide.
Shiba Inu (SHIB) is a memecoin – a distinction it shares with Dogecoin (DOGE), which also has a Japanese dog breed as a mascot.
A memecoin is an ‘altcoin’ – a cryptocurrency other than Bitcoin – which is based on an internet meme. This, in turn, is a kind of online inside joke in the form of an image repeatedly altered and shared.
SHIB is one of the top 25 cryptocurrencies based on market capitalisation, making it one of the largest memecoins in the market.
As of November 2025, one SHIB is currently worth around £0.000007. That’s down by almost 60% compared to this time last year. Its current market cap is around £4.1 billion.
SHIB provides a great example of the volatility of cryptocurrencies, which often fluctuate by huge amounts within short periods of time.
If you’re considering investing in crypto, you should be prepared to lose everything you put in. But if you’re aware of the risks and still want to buy Shiba Inu, here’s how to do it.
You’ll need a crypto exchange to buy Shiba Inu. An exchange is a place, either a website or an app, where buyers and sellers meet to exchange fiat currency for cryptocurrencies, or to trade one cryptocurrency for another.
There are hundreds of exchanges, so we’ve written a guide to help you choose the best crypto exchange for you in the UK.
Some things to consider include:
Bank transfers are the most widely accepted and cost-effective way to pay for cryptocurrency, though debit and credit card payments may also be accepted.
There are two good reasons not to use a credit card to pay for cryptocurrency. First, taking on debt to pay for an investment as volatile as crypto is generally a bad idea.
Second, your card issuer will treat the payment as a cash advance rather than a regular purchase and charge a higher interest rate from the point of the transaction.
In some cases, the card provider will limit or flat out block any transactions that appear to be related to cryptocurrency.
Once you’ve chosen an exchange and a way to pay, navigate to the Shiba Inu page on the exchange website or app and enter the amount you’d like to invest.
You will generally have the option to place a market order, which will buy the SHIB at the available market price, or a limit order, which will buy the SHIB if and when it reaches a price determined by you.
Limit orders are a good idea if you aren’t in a rush and would like to try and purchase your coins at a lower price than the current market price.
Many exchanges have integrated wallets in which to store the encryption keys related to your SHIB, but you may prefer to store it in a private wallet. There are two main types of these non-custodial wallets: ‘hot’ and ‘cold’ wallets.
A cold wallet is a physical storage device like a hard drive or flash drive that isn’t connected to the internet. A hot wallet is a virtual wallet held online.
The former is more secure against hackers but only accessible by you. If you were to lose your own access keys, there would be nobody else with access to help you retrieve your crypto. The latter is less secure against hackers as it’s online, but the wallet provider may be able to help if you lose your access codes and can’t get into your wallet.
The choice between the two is a matter of weighing up ease of access against security. Many investors opt to use both: a cold wallet for their long-term holdings and a hot wallet for a smaller, short-term portfolio.
We’ve put together a guide to choosing the best crypto wallet, which may be useful.
Selling your Shiba Inu (SHIB) tokens is a straightforward process. To begin, you’ll want to choose a cryptocurrency exchange that supports SHIB trading or use the exchange that you originally bought the coins through.
Once you have your chosen exchange account open, you can create a ‘sell’ order for your SHIB tokens. Exchanges typically offer multiple order types, which provide the flexibility to either sell at the current market rate or set a specific price at which you’d like to sell.
You also have the option to sell all your SHIB holdings or just a specified amount, depending on your investment plan.
After your sell order is executed and the transaction is complete, you can transfer the proceeds to your bank account. Keep in mind that some exchanges may have a holding period before you can withdraw your funds. This is a standard practice to ensure the transaction clears properly.
It’s important to remember that if you’ve made more than £3,000 worth of profits from selling your Shiba Inu tokens, you will be liable for Capital Gains Tax (CGT). For the current tax year that’s at a rate of between 18% and 24%, depending on your earned income for the year.
While the potential for impressive returns may exist, especially given the growing interest in altcoins, it’s important to tread carefully when considering Shiba Inu, or any memecoin, as an investment. The fact it was created as a memecoin, together with the inherent volatility of the crypto market, means any investment in Shiba Inu can be viewed more as a gamble than a calculated investment.
As Shiba Inu sits in the top 25 cryptocurrencies by market capitalisation, it also does not have the potential to create the same level of dizzyingly high returns for early investors as have been seen in the past. For SHIB to double in price, it takes a significant amount of demand, which was not the case when the project was much smaller in size.
To make an informed decision, be sure to evaluate your personal financial situation and investment goals. Remember, the key to a successful investment strategy is matching your risk tolerance with a suitably diversified portfolio.
In the end, the choice to invest in Shiba Inu should stem from careful consideration and thorough research. If you are ever unsure, consult a professional financial advisor.
