Curious to know the difference between Shiba vs Safemoon? Want to have in-depth knowledge of both meme cryptos? You have landed in the right place. In this article, SAFEMOON vs. SHIB: which one should be in your portfolio, we are going to distinguish between these two coins.
SafeMoon and Shiba Inu have been receiving a lot of attention since last year, as the meme coin trend shows no signs of slowing down. But which presents the better opportunity for investors?
Meme coins became big business in 2021, with the more famous tokens experiencing substantial price growth - often within just 24 hours. Whilst Dogecoin remains the undisputed king of the meme coin world, many investors are now eager to find its next biggest rival.
Realistically, the other most notable meme coins at the time of writing are Shiba Inu and SafeMoon - both of which hit the headlines in the last months of last year, following significant bulls. Whilst they definitely remain high-risk investments, both of these projects have arguably taken the meme coin to the next level and both have a very real chance of eventually overtaking DOGE.
What makes SHIB and SAFEMOON stand out is that they both offer more than just a simple token for value exchange, as is the case with Dogecoin. They both offer a more complete DeFi ecosystem as well as some interesting approaches to tokenomics, all wrapped up in fun, eye-catching branding.
When it comes to meme coins, community is everything so building popularity early on could be a deciding factor in the future success of all the tokens we have mentioned so far. But of Shiba Inu and SafeMoon, which presents the better investment opportunity in 2023? In the following comparison, we’ll take a closer look at each project and what they have to offer the wider market.
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Safemoon vs Shiba: Which Is the Better Buy?
Shiba and Safemoon May Already Be in Your Portfolio. But Which one Has the Better Investment Going Forward?
SHIB and SAFEMOON, two of the top followed meme cryptocurrencies, have been mainstays of many investors’ portfolios. Even the lay investor knows about them, which is why they’re perhaps the two crypto assets our trading-community friends most frequently ask us about.
Specifically, what they ask are: What is the main difference between Safemoon and Shiba? Is SAGEMOON a better investment? With that in mind, we thought it might be useful to break it down with SAFEMOON vs. SHIB tale of the tape.
Shiba Inu vs SafeMoon - An Overview
Shiba Inu and SafeMoon arguably represent the next generation of meme coin. Whereas Dogecoin simply offers a means of value exchange, these newer projects include other DeFi features and ways for token holders to earn a passive income.
Whilst there are quite a few similarities between Shiba Inu and SafeMoon, they both have a different approach to tokenomics, branding and future developments. Let’s take a look at the key fundamentals of each project:
Background
SafeMoon is very much the new kid on the block, having just launched in March 2021. The name refers to a popular industry term ‘to the moon’ referring to significant price growth - the ‘safe’ part of it refers to SafeMoon’s attempts to establish a price floor for its token and reduce volatility.
Thanks to the popularity of meme coins at the time of its launch, SafeMoon quickly gained a foothold on the market and a few celebrity endorsements helped get the ball rolling in terms of an online following. Whilst it is undoubtedly a meme token, SafeMoon has a slightly more serious air about it, as well as some solid technical fundamentals.
In addition to its namesake token, there’s also a SafeMoon DeX in the works, which the team behind it say will offer a ‘revolutionary’ new approach and will offer SAFEMOON holders further benefits.
Shiba Inu leaves little doubt as to its meme-coin credentials, proudly displaying its mascot and even describing itself as a ‘Dogecoin Killer’ at one point. However, despite its lighthearted branding, the team behind Shiba Inu actually has some interesting ideas on where the project might go.
SHIB itself is an ERC-20 token, built on the Ethereum platform. This is especially relevant given that there’s also the Shiba Inu exchange - being on Ethereum means it is seamlessly compatible with several other top tokens. The fact that Shiba Inu has its own DeX, as well as several options for liquidity mining, makes it a more intriguing project than its predecessor, Dogecoin.
In fact, aside from SHIB, the Shiba Inu platform also offers BONE and LEASH, which have different use cases associated with the DeFi facilities on the exchange. SHIB is what drives the whole show, allowing users to pay for services and take part in the project’s governance.
Whilst there are plenty of superior DeX platforms out there, Shiba Inu’s foray into the DeFi world shows that it is more than just a one-trick pony.
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Token fundamentals
A key feature of SafeMoon and arguably its main USP is that it has an in-built mechanism designed to encourage holding of the coin and deter day traders. Anyone looking to sell their SafeMoon is subject to a 10%, the proceeds of which are re-invested into the network.
Half of the selling fee is redistributed amongst the remaining token holders, which means anyone with SAFEMOON in their wallet can earn passive income. The remaining half is then split between liquidity pools to ensure there is always SafeMoon available for those wishing to buy into the project.
SafeMoon’s reflection system will certainly appeal to fans of things like liquidity mining, but it also serves to stabilise the price of the token and reduce the extreme volatility seen with the likes of Dogecoin. Whether it will be effective or not remains to be seen, but we’d certainly see it as a plus point for SafeMoon.
Much like SAFEMOON, SHIB is an ERC-20 token, which means it runs on the Ethereum blockchain. This means that its transaction rate is in line with other ERC-20 coins, which is estimated at 13 transactions per second - though the high usage rate has led to some claims the SHIB can take more than a second to complete a transaction.
Whilst the Shiba Inu transaction rate is hardly setting any cryptocurrency industry records, investors should be aware that Ethereum is currently undergoing substantial upgrades to its protocol, which will hopefully reduce congestion on the network and massively increase transaction speeds.
Of course, both SafeMoon and Shiba Inu are pretty much when it comes to transaction rates, although SHIB lacks the same in-built reflection protocol that SafeMoon has.
Supply and Demand
SAFEMOON currently has a total supply of 1 quadrillion tokens and of that number an estimated 575.5 trillion are in open circulation at the time of writing. Whenever SafeMoon is sold, a fee is charged and a fraction of that fee is used to provide liquidity, so those looking to buy the token should have no issues.
There is, however, an inflationary mechanism built into the SafeMoon protocol. The network has a burn wallet, which holds an amount of the token. This is included in the reflection mechanism detailed earlier, so anytime SafeMoon is sold, a fraction of the fee goes to the burn wallet and is effectively taken out of circulation - permanently.
The burn wallet effectively chips away at the supply of SAFEMOON as the years go by, meaning that the token’s scarcity increases with time - another reason it’s better to hold on to SafeMoon.
The total supply of Shiba Inu was capped at 1 quadrillion. However, the project founders famously ‘gifted’ a large proportion of it to Ethereum frontman Vitalik Buterin - who promptly gave it away. Supposedly, a large proportion of this initial supply was then burned. At the time of writing, SHIB has a circulating supply of around 550 trillion.
Shiba Inu was initially touted as an alternative to fiat currency, but it seems developers behind the token have now shifted their attention to DeFi, with numerous reward mechanisms available via the ShibaSwap DeX. Of course, this has nowhere near the popularity of the big players like Uniswap or Binance, but it has been steadily growing since its launch in 2021.
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Shiba Inu vs SafeMoon: Which Is The Better Investment?
It’s probably fair to say at this point that SafeMoon and Shiba Inu are the biggest rivals to Dogecoin when it comes to being the number one meme coin on the market. However, investors should acknowledge two things: firstly, DOGE is still far more popular than SHIB and SAFEMOON combined and, secondly, Shiba Inu has a bigger following at the time of writing than SafeMoon.
However, SafeMoon has built a substantial community in a very short space of time - so there’s no way of knowing if, given the time, it will eventually surpass both Shiba Inu and Dogecoin.
Ultimately, victory in the meme coin arena comes down to popularity - which can make it difficult to make any reliable predictions. But to try and get an idea of which is the better investment out of Shiba Inu and SafeMoon, we still need to take into account the usual key metrics.
SafeMoon Vs Shiba Inu: Price History
Price forecasts are built by analysing previous data, so before we find out what analysts are predicting for SafeMoon vs Shiba Inu, it's worth taking some time to review how each project has performed previously.
SafeMoon
SafeMoon was only launched in March of 2021, so there isn’t a huge amount of date to analyse. The fact that its launch coincided with a major meme-token buying frenzy also means it's difficult to get an objective picture on how the token has responded to other market forces. However, we can at least get an idea of its recent price bands.
Suffice to say, SafeMoon is not a cryptocurrency known for reaching big numbers. The token started trading at around $0.00000004 and has never approached anything resembling a whole value when compared with the US dollar. However, just a month after launching, the token had soared to $0.000007 - an increase of several thousand percent.
Naturally, this sudden price hike drew lots of attention and within just a few weeks SAFEMOON was on the move again, this time shooting to its all-time high of $0.000010 in May 2021. Once again, this may not seem like a big number but it represents a substantial increase in value from an investment perspective.
SafeMoon went into decline over the summer of 2021, settling down at around $0.000001 heading into October. However, the downturn then came to a halt and SAFEMOON clawed its way back up to $0.000006 before the month was out.
Shiba Inu (SHIB)
Whilst SafeMoon is the new kid on the block, Shiba Inu is hardly long in the tooth, having burst onto the scene in August 2020. Once again, this means that limited data is available. The other similarity between the two is that SHIB also launched with a remarkably low token price - equivalent to <$0.00000001 - the intention being this would create a buying frenzy.
Shiba Inu was not met with any initial success. The price fluctuated a little, but there were no significant upswings until 2021, wherein DOGE-mania took hold and helped to drag SHIB out of the shadows. Shiba Inu went from $0.0000001 to $0.0000036 in April before continuing up to $0.0000379 in May. This helped Shiba Inu carve out a reputation as a genuine threat to Dogecoin.
However, this pales in comparison to what happened after the summer. In October, SHIB underwent a steep price increase, going from $0.000007 to $0.000027 in a single week. Come November, Shiba Inu suddenly skyrocketed to its all-time high of $0.000086 - once again an increase of many thousand percent on its trading price at the start of 2021.
SafeMoon Vs Shiba Inu: Future Predictions
So we’ve seen what each token is capable of when it comes to bull and bear markets but what investors really want to know is how these tokens are likely to perform in the coming months. To try and build an idea, let us refer to some of the leading market analysts, to see how they see each token’s future price potential.
SafeMoon
We’ve already noted that meme coins owe much of their success to trends originating in online communities - which are notoriously hard to predict. With this in mind, the following price predictions should serve illustrative purposes only and be seen as merely reflecting current market sentiment towards SafeMoon.
First up, DigitalCoinPrice is predicting growth for SafeMoon - and substantial growth at that.
Based on its most recent analysis, SAFEMOON is expected to rise slowly, ending 2023 about 33% higher than today’s trading price. And by 2023 SAFEMOON is expected to be up by 77%, trading at a potential high of $0.00000159457.
Elsewhere, TradingBeasts is also highly optimistic about SAFEMOON’s potential in the near future. It expects SafeMoon to gradually increase over the next 12 months, growing 66% in value by December. Going into 2024, SAFEMOON could be up 122.37% on today’s price, according to TradingBeasts.
Another analyst predicting a positive year for SafeMoon is Coinpedia. According to its best-case scenario, SAFEMOON could be up by as much as 90% in the first six months of 2023.
Read More: SafeMoon Price Predictions
Shiba Inu
There are also plenty of analysts that believe Shiba Inu will build on its foundations and continue to grow in 2023, spurred on by its continued expansion into the world of DeFi. According to DigitalCoinPrice, for example, sees SHIB gaining by almost 38.14% before the end of 2023, which would equate to a trading price of around $0.00002889809. Looking further ahead, the platform believes SHIB could be up by 85% come 2025.
Meanwhile, WalletInvestor is even more optimistic. It has SHIB gaining around 237% by December 2023, before continuing to make substantial gains across 2023. By the January 2024, the platform expects SHIB to be closing in on growth equating to 450%, with a trading price averaging $0.000116.
It seems that growth is predicted across the board for SHIB, with even the usually reserved TradingBeasts pointing to growth with its forecast. It is predicting that SHIB will grow by about 84% over the course of 2023, with some volatility experienced in the summer months. By the time 2023 comes around, SHIB is predicted to be closing in on 100% growth, at a trading price of $0.0000388.
Read Also: Shiba Inu Price Predictions
Shiba Inu Vs SafeMoon: What the Experts Say
The more serious cryptocurrency market commentators tend to steer clear of meme coins, as they are often regarded as undermining the integrity of the industry when it comes to the more serious financial institutions. However, given that these coins need to establish a following, it's worth hearing from celebrity supporters - who are often responsible for igniting price explosions.
Shina Inu has already won plenty of support, with a subReddit currently boasting some over 432 thousand members. Many have been impressed with the projects acknowledgement of its position as a meme coin - “SHIB coin is a meme coin and embraces that,” says head of research and strategy at cryptocurrency exchange AAX, Ben Casin.
He added that “the hype around meme coins such as Shiba… is not a financial, but a social phenomenon” in reference to the token’s Reddit-driven price surge earlier in 2021.
Elsewhere, Sam Bankman-Fried, who heads up cryptocurrency derivatives exchange FTX added: “I’d be surprised if SHIB overtook DOGE, but anything can happen!”
SafeMoon is still in its relative infancy, but it has already accumulated its share of supporters - albeit most of them questionable celebrities. Social media personalities Jake Paul, Jesse Wellens, Daniel Keem and DJ AfroJack have all promoted SafeMoon - and between them they have a wide reach.
When it comes to voices from within the crypto industry, co-founder of Bitcoin IRA, Chris Kline, has given SafeMoon a backhanded compliment, saying he accepts that "[meme coins] are part of the evolution of digital finance in their own unique way."
Shiba Inu Vs SafeMoon: Conclusion
There’s no getting around it, meme coins represent the riskier side of the cryptocurrency market and, despite experiencing surging popularity in 2021, there are no guarantees that these tokens will hold on to their value over the long term. What makes them so appealing, however, is their almost unparalleled ability to suddenly surge dramatically in price.
Whilst Dogecoin is still the frontrunner in the meme coin world, projects like SafeMoon and Shiba Inu represent the next evolution in the trend, as they offer much more than a means of value exchange. Each project brings a more sophisticated DeFi system and each one has genuine potential to rival DOGE in the very near future.
So when weighing up Shiba Inu vs SafeMoon, which is the better investment? Realistically, there is very little between these projects. Both bring some great innovations to the cryptocurrency space, both have superb branding and both have already garnered a solid following online. It’s also fair to say that analysts expect each token to perform well going into 2023.
Realistically, meme coins like SafeMoon and Shiba Inu represent a great opportunity to diversify your existing cryptocurrency portfolio. Their low token price means you can acquire a large holding with minimal outlay and despite their volatility compared to the wider market, both of these projects have the potential to yield significant returns.
How To Invest In Safemoon and Shiba Inu Coins In 2023
SafeMoon and Shiba Inu each have their strengths and weaknesses and you should conduct plenty of their own research before committing funds to an investment strategy. However, when you find yourself ready to buy, the first thing you’ll need to do is find a reputable broker that lists your chosen token.
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FAQs
Will SafeMoon overtake Shiba Inu?
SafeMoon is the latest so-called meme coin to garner attention, launching less than a year after its rival Shiba Inu. Whilst SHIB currently boasts a larger fan base on Reddit, SafeMoon has been steadily closing the gap. When it comes to future price growth, there’s little between them so only time will tell if SafeMoon can overtake Shiba Inu.
Can I double my money with Shiba Inu?
It’s never a good idea to assume that a cryptocurrency will hit a particular figure with regards to price growth, but it seems that some analysts believe SHIB could double in value in the foreseeable future. This might not happen in 2023, but there’s every chance that SHIB will be up by 100% come 2024, based on the current forecasts.
How do I buy cryptocurrency?
To buy cryptocurrency you need a broker that can give you access to the market. We recommend eToro, as it’s a trusted name with a highly accessible trading platform. You’ll also find plenty of information related to trading and the different cryptocurrencies listed by the broker.
Is Shiba Inu better than Dogecoin?
Dogecoin is still the undisputed king of the meme coin world, but newer projects like Shiba Inu and SafeMoon appear to be bringing more to the table. Shiba Inu, for example, has its own digital exchange and numerous ways for token holders to earn additional income. Is it better than Dogecoin? On paper, it certainly has its advantages, but as we know, the meme coin industry is very much a popularity contest.
What is a meme coin?
Meme tokens have risen to prominence in 2021 following the unprecedented success of Dogecoin after a Reddit-fuelled buying frenzy sent prices skyrocketing. The term refers to the fact that Dogecoin was originally set up as a joke - a way of satirising the cryptocurrency market. It has as its mascot the Shiba Inu dog - the subject of an infamous meme back in 2013, hence the name.
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