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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 15 cryptocurrencies based on market capitalisation, making it one of the largest memecoins in the market.

While one SHIB is currently worth around $US0.00002261, that’s down by over 70% from its peak in October 2021, when Tesla owner and owner of X (formerly Twitter) Elon Musk tweeted about the memecoin.

SHIB is a great example of the volatility of cryptocurrencies, which often fluctuate huge amounts within short periods of time.

If you’re considering investing in crypto, you should be prepared to lose everything you put in—that’s the warning from the Australian government-backed Moneysmart.

But if you’re aware of the risks and still want to buy Shiba Inu, here’s how to do it.

How to Buy Shiba Inu Coin (SHIB) in Four Steps

Follow the following steps to buy and store your Shiba Inu.

Choose a Crypto Exchange

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 one cryptocurrency for another.

There are hundreds of exchanges to choose from, some of them based in Australia. They include big names such as eToro Australia, as well as Australian exchanges like Swyftx and CoinSpot.

Some things to consider include:

  • Payment methods: check that the exchange accepts your preferred payment method and what fees apply. Many exchanges don’t accept PayPal, for example, and many charge higher fees on debit or credit card payments. Fast and free AUD OSKO payments via PayID have become the norm for most exchanges operating in Australia.
  • Integrated wallet: check if the exchange offers an integrated wallet to hold your SHIB securely. If you’d prefer to hold it in an external wallet, check whether any withdrawal fees apply. Reputable exchanges will always allow you to withdraw your crypto.
  • Currencies traded: make sure that the exchange you’re signing up to actually allows you to trade SHIB.
  • Security practices: ensure the exchange you are signing up to is transparent about their security practices for your personal information and assets. Look for exchanges that use cold storage to protect user assets.

Choose a Payment Method

Bank transfers are the most widely accepted and cost-effective way to pay for cryptocurrency.Many Australian exchanges even allow for Osko payments via PayID, allowing you to clear deposits in less than a minute.

Many exchanges accept debit and credit cards, but for a fee of around 0.5-1.5%—and any money spent on fees is money that could have been invested.

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.

Very few exchanges accept PayPal, and those that do charge fees.

Place an Order

Once you’ve chosen an exchange and a way to pay, navigate to the Shiba Inu page on the 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 at 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.

Choose a Storage Method

Many exchanges have integrated wallets in which to store your SHIB, but you may prefer to store it in a private wallet. There are two main types of 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, depending on the wallet provider, may be able to offer assistance 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 holders and a hot wallet for a smaller, short-term portfolio.

This article is not an endorsement of any particular cryptocurrency, broker or exchange nor does it constitute a recommendation of cryptocurrency as an investment class.

How to Sell Shiba Inu Coin (SHIB)

Selling your Shiba Inu (SHIB) tokens is a pretty 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 of 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 a profit from selling your Shiba Inu tokens, you may be subject to capital gains taxes with the Australian Taxation Office (ATO). Be sure to keep track of your profits and consult with a professional tax advisor if required. Crypto tax calculation software is available to assist investors with multiple transactions during tax season.

Is Shiba Inu Coin (SHIB) a Good Investment?

Recently, multiple new memecoins, such as DogWifHat (WIF) and Pepe (PEPE), have been making waves within the crypto industry. Given there are new coins popping up every single day, you might find yourself leaning towards investing in a more established memecoin such as  Shiba Inu (SHIB). Regularly compared to Dogecoin, Shiba Inu has captured the attention of mainstream audiences and experienced significant price fluctuations as a result.

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. Due to the fact it was created as a memecoin and the inherent volatility of the crypto market, any investment in Shiba Inu is often viewed more as a gamble than a calculated investment.

As Shiba Inu sits in the top 15 cryptocurrencies by market capitalisation, it also does not have the same ability to create insane 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 balancing your risk tolerance with a 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, be sure to consult with a professional financial advisor.

Disclaimer: This article is not an endorsement of any particular cryptocurrency, broker or exchange nor does it constitute a recommendation of cryptocurrency or CFDs as an investment class.  Cryptocurrency is unregulated in Australia and your capital is at risk. Trading in contracts for difference (CFDs) is riskier than conventional share trading, not suitable for the majority of investors, and includes the potential for partial or total loss of capital. You should always consider whether you can afford to lose your money before deciding to trade in CFDs or cryptocurrency, and seek advice from an authorised financial advisor.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How to buy Shiba Inu coin now?

To buy Shiba Inu (SHIB), first, choose a reputable cryptocurrency exchange that supports SHIB trading. Create an account, complete any necessary identity verification, and deposit funds into your account using your preferred payment method. Once your funds are available, find the Shiba Inu market on the exchange and place a buy order. You can either buy at the current market price or set a specific price at which you’d like to purchase. After your order is executed, your SHIB tokens will be added to your exchange wallet. From there, you can move your tokens to a non-custodial wallet, such as a hardware wallet, for better security.

How much is Shiba Inu coin in Australia?

As of May 9, 2024, one SHIB token is worth $0.00003424 in Australian dollars. However, the price is constantly fluctuating so be sure to get the current market price from a reputable source such as CoinMarketCap.

Will Shiba Inu ever reach 1 cent?

The likelihood of Shiba Inu reaching 1 cent is quite low due to the large number of outstanding tokens and the resulting market cap if it were to reach that price. To understand why this is unlikely, let’s use the current circulating supply of 589,350,518,331,853 SHIB tokens. If SHIB were to reach 1 cent, the market cap would be:

589,350,518,331,853 (circulating supply) x $0.01 (price per SHIB) = approximately $5.9 trillion (market cap)

This market cap of nearly $5.9 trillion would be several times larger than the entire cryptocurrency market cap at the time of writing and even larger than many well-established companies like Apple or Amazon. Such a valuation is highly improbable given the current state of the cryptocurrency market, making it unlikely that Shiba Inu will reach 1 cent in the foreseeable future.

Can Shiba Inu still make you a millionaire?

While it’s not impossible for Shiba Inu to make someone a millionaire, predicting such an outcome is highly speculative. The crypto market is volatile, and the price of SHIB can change drastically in short periods of time. To become a millionaire by investing in SHIB, one would likely need to invest a substantial amount and see a significant increase in the token’s value. Keep in mind that investing in cryptocurrencies, especially memecoins like SHIB, carries inherent risks, and you should only invest what you can afford to lose.

Can you buy SHIB with AUD?

Yes, it is possible to purchase SHIB with AUD through various cryptocurrency exchanges that facilitate both SHIB transactions and AUD deposits. To begin, create an account on a compatible exchange and complete any necessary identity verification steps. Afterwards, deposit AUD into your newly created account. Once your funds become accessible, locate the SHIB-AUD trading pair on the exchange and initiate a buy order. When the order is successfully executed, your SHIB tokens will appear in your exchange wallet. For enhanced security, you may consider transferring your tokens to a non-custodial crypto wallet, such as a hardware wallet.

What crypto will boom in 2024?

Predicting the next cryptocurrency to boom is challenging due to the volatile and unpredictable nature of the crypto market. Factors such as technological advancements, regulatory changes, and market sentiment play significant roles in influencing crypto prices. While established cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum have historically shown resilience and growth, emerging coins and tokens, including meme coins like Shiba Inu, Dogecoin and Pepe, have the potential for substantial gains (and losses) based on community support and market sentiment. It’s important for investors to conduct thorough research, consider diversifying their portfolio, and stay informed about market trends and news. Remember, investing in cryptocurrencies involves risk, and it’s wise to only invest what you can afford to lose.

How Much Shiba Inu Do I Need to Be a Millionaire?

Becoming a millionaire with Shiba Inu depends on the coin’s price when you buy versus when you sell. With Shiba Inu’s price at $US0.00002248 on May 9, 2024, you would need 44,642,857,143 tokens to have a million dollars in Shiba Inu. Of course, the price of Shiba Inu changes from minute to minute, so this number is always fluctuating.

Will Shiba go up in 10 years?

It’s difficult to predict with certainty how Shiba Inu (SHIB) will perform over the next decade. As a memecoin, SHIB is subject to high volatility and is heavily influenced by market attention and social media trends. While it’s possible that SHIB could experience significant growth, it’s equally possible that it could lose value or become irrelevant in the rapidly evolving cryptocurrency landscape. As with any investment, it’s crucial to conduct thorough research and consider your risk tolerance before making a decision.

How to buy Shiba Inu directly?

To buy Shiba Inu (SHIB) directly, you’ll need to follow these steps:

  1. Choose a reputable cryptocurrency exchange that supports SHIB trading, such as Binance, Coinbase, or Kraken.
  2. Create an account on the exchange and complete the necessary verification process.
  3. Fund your account with a supported currency, such as AUD or another cryptocurrency. Most exchanges operating in Australia allow instant AUD deposits using PayID.
  4. Navigate to the SHIB trading pair (e.g., SHIB/USDT or SHIB/BTC) and place a buy order, specifying the amount of SHIB you wish to purchase at your desired price.
  5. Once your order is filled, the SHIB tokens will be credited to your exchange wallet. You can then choose to store your SHIB on the exchange or withdraw it to a personal wallet for added security.

Remember to always prioritise the security of your funds and never invest more than you can afford to lose.

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