- Bitcoin hit $124,128 and Ethereum surged past $4,700, while SHIB struggles near $0.000014.
- Shiba Inu’s 2021 all-time high was fueled by Vitalik Buterin’s huge token burn, unlikely to happen again.
- SHIB lacks an ETF, leaving it without the institutional inflows boosting BTC and ETH.
Bitcoin just set another monster milestone, crossing $124,128 on Aug. 14, 2025. Ethereum isn’t far behind either, finally breaking through $4,700 after nearly seven years. Shiba Inu, on the other hand, is still dragging its feet around $0.000014, struggling against a wall of resistance. The question floating around now—can SHIB actually follow BTC and ETH to a fresh all-time high, or is it stuck chasing shadows?
Shiba Inu’s Past and Present Struggles
Back in October 2021, SHIB reached its peak at $0.00008616, a high that feels almost mythical today. Since then, the token has dropped more than 80%, and while the market is showing signs of life, SHIB just hasn’t been running at the same pace as Bitcoin. A big part of its 2021 surge was driven by Vitalik Buterin’s burn of 410 trillion tokens, an event that can’t really be replicated again. Without something that extreme, SHIB has to rely on market conditions alone, and that puts it in a tricky spot compared to BTC’s momentum.
Why Bitcoin and Ethereum Are Winning
Bitcoin’s surge is largely being powered by macro conditions. Falling CPI numbers raised hopes for interest rate cuts, making riskier assets more attractive. At the same time, consistent inflows into Bitcoin ETFs have brought institutional money pouring in, keeping the rally alive. Ethereum’s move has followed a similar pattern, with ETH ETFs drawing billions in capital over the past few months. This steady stream of institutional inflows has been a game changer, giving BTC and ETH the kind of legitimacy and support that SHIB doesn’t yet have.
The ETF Problem for SHIB
And that’s really the catch—Shiba Inu doesn’t have an ETF, and realistically, it’s unlikely to get one. Memecoins carry a level of risk and volatility that regulators aren’t exactly eager to endorse. Without a spot ETF, SHIB is missing the same institutional backing that’s fueling Bitcoin and Ethereum’s climbs. That doesn’t mean SHIB can’t rally in its own way, but it does mean the path to a new all-time high is way steeper, and probably slower. For now, SHIB’s future still depends heavily on community demand, network upgrades, and broader risk appetite in the crypto space.
