Is Shiba Inu (SHIB) a Good Investment? Here Are the Pros and Cons

Few assets have demonstrated more millionaire-maker potential than Shiba Inu (SHIB), a controversial cryptocurrency that soared by 45,278,000% in 2021.

Shiba Inu (CRYPTO: SHIB) is a meme coin that soared by 45,278,000% in 2021, easily making it one of the most explosive assets of the last decade. But this hype-fueled rally also led to a swift decline, with the token giving up most of its gains by mid-2022.

Now, after a period of relative calm, Shiba Inu is rising once again. Let's quickly discuss its pros and cons to decide if it has become a good long-term buy.

A more speculative way to bet on cryptoA meme coin, which started in 2013 with Dogecoin (CRYPTO: DOGE), is a less serious cryptocurrency that's typically based on an internet joke. Unlike mainstream cryptocurrencies, they aren't designed for any real-world utility or to improve upon the shortcomings of other networks. Shiba Inu was created in 2020 as an alternative to Dogecoin, copying some of the older cryptocurrency's branding, like the Shiba Inu hunting dog.

Over the long term, meme coins have tended to be poor investments because they are usually controlled by anonymous developers with little accountability. Their typically small size also makes them vulnerable to exit scams (also known as rug pulls), where the majority holders quickly sell their stakes for a profit and abandon the project. That said, there could be a silver lining for some of these controversial assets.

Can meme coins "graduate"?The truth is that no cryptocurrency boasts significant real-world utility. According to Statista, only 0.2% of online transactions are made using digital assets.

And while programmable blockchains like Ethereum (CRYPTO: ETH) have vast ecosystems of decentralized applications (dApps), most haven't left the speculative and experimental stage. To that point, Shiba Inu itself is a token programmed on the Ethereum network.

In general, cryptocurrencies (meme coins or otherwise) get their value based on what other people are willing to pay for them. And as meme coins like Shiba Inu gain more mainstream acceptance over time, they could eventually become viable alternatives to the big names.

Is the Trump administration a catalyst for growth?Shiba Inu prices have risen around 92% over the last 12 months, and some of this might be related to political optimism. On the campaign trail, President-elect Donald Trump struck a conciliatory tone toward the cryptocurrency industry, suggesting he might create a Bitcoin strategic reserve and potentially ease regulations on digital assets.

If true, this would mark a significant departure from the Biden administration, which saw the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) file lawsuits against major industry players like Coinbase (NASDAQ:COIN) over alleged violations of securities law.

According to The Associated Press, Trump plans to fill the open spot following the announced resignation of the current SEC head, Gary Gensler, with cryptocurrency advocate Paul Atkins, who is widely expected to take a softer approach.

Less regulatory uncertainty could open the door for more stable institutional ownership in the industry, which could reduce volatility and support growth. That said, the early benefits will probably flow to more established coins like Bitcoin and Ethereum. And it could take years for Shiba Inu to shed its meme coin stigma.

Is Shiba Inu a buy?Right now, most of the bullish catalysts for Shiba Inu this year are related to the cryptocurrency industry as a whole, not Shiba Inu specifically. The token doesn't have many fundamental advantages that help it stand out from the thousands of other competing projects.

If Shiba Inu remains popular over the long term, it could eventually shed the meme-coin stigma and become more accepted as an investment vehicle despite its lack of real-world utility. But until then, investors may want to stick to the more established coins like Bitcoin and Ethereum, which stand to benefit the most from potential industry deregulation.