Institutional traders are quietly rotating back into memecoins, with shiba inu emerging as a key focus for desks tracking on-chain flows.
Whale transactions jump 111% on-chain
Large-scale transactions involving Shiba Inu cryptocurrency increased 111% this week, according to data from market intelligence firm Santiment. This sharp rise in high-value transfers signals a renewed presence of institutional and high-net-worth market participants after a period of muted activity.
Santiment’s latest metrics place Shiba Inu among the top cryptocurrencies for whale transaction growth across projects with substantial market capitalization. Moreover, the data suggests this is not an isolated spike but part of a broader rotation toward higher-volatility tokens.
The report indicates that large-volume holders are positioning ahead of the expected 2026 trading cycle. That said, recent price action shows support from both private investors and professional trading desks, with order books absorbing sizeable flows efficiently.
Liquidity and market structure attract institutions
Market analysts link the rising institutional participation to Shiba Inu’s liquidity profile and deep order books. The token’s multi-billion dollar market capitalization allows large orders to be executed with limited price slippage, a key requirement for funds managing significant capital.
Institutional investors typically set a minimum threshold of market capitalizations in the hundreds of millions of dollars before taking positions, according to market structure specialists. However, lower-cap assets often carry elevated exit risk, where large liquidations can trigger sharp and destabilizing price moves.
The Santiment report also confirms a broader capital rotation into high-volatility segments of the market. Meme-based cryptocurrency projects are showing elevated whale transaction growth among large-cap tokens, suggesting professional traders are using these assets as high-beta proxies for broader risk exposure.
Retail remains quiet as institutions accumulate
Current indicators show that institutional participation is leading the move, while retail remains largely on the sidelines. Retail engagement metrics, including search trends and cryptocurrency exchange app downloads, are described as flat or at baseline levels based on available data.
Historically, large transaction volumes and increased whale counts often precede broader retail participation during speculative rallies. Moreover, institutional players tend to exploit deep order books on major exchanges to move capital in size before public attention and momentum trading arrive.
Within this context, analysts note that the current shiba inu whale activity aligns with earlier cycles, where professional accumulation occurred well in advance of more visible retail inflows. That said, confirmation of a durable uptrend would still depend on macro conditions and overall crypto market sentiment.
High-value flows and long-term positioning
Institutional desks reportedly favor Shiba Inu because its liquidity depth reduces execution risk for high-value transfers. The ability to enter and exit positions without materially impacting price remains a central factor for portfolio managers allocating to riskier digital assets.
Whale transaction counts continue to climb, indicating sustained interest in the asset class and in Shiba Inu specifically. However, analysts caution that while deep liquidity and a strong market cap support institutional shib accumulation, volatility in meme tokens can still be significant in both directions.
Overall, the combination of elevated large-scale flows, resilient liquidity and subdued retail engagement suggests the current phase is dominated by professional positioning. If historical patterns repeat, any future surge in retail engagement metrics could amplify the effects of this early institutional build-up.
In summary, the latest Santiment data highlights a notable whale transaction surge in Shiba Inu, driven primarily by institutions seeking high-beta exposure in a liquid meme-asset, while most retail traders have yet to follow.
Source: https://en.cryptonomist.ch/2026/01/08/shiba-inu-institutional-flows-2026/
