Growing Liquidations Lead to 5% Weekend Drop in Shiba Inu

By Chris MacDonald – Feb 23, 2026 at 4:18PM ESTKey PointsShiba Inu's status as a key gauge of investor sentiment is on full display right now.With sentiment declining, and investors' bullish bets being unwound, some are concerned about the future of this top-tier meme coin.Here's what to make of this weekend's move, and what it may tell us about what is ahead. We’re bullish on these 10 stocks ›CRYPTO: SHIBShiba InuMarket Cap$3.5BToday's Changeangle-down(-0.02%) $0.00Current Price$0.00Price as of February 23, 2026 at 4:36 PM ETLeverage is working against investors in this key speculative meme coin.The world's second-largest meme coin, Shiba Inu (SHIB 1.96%) is a cryptocurrency that some investors rightly view as more of a gauge of speculative fervor in the digital asset sector than an actual investment vehicle. ExpandCRYPTO: SHIBShiba InuToday's Change(-1.96%) $-0.00Current Price$0.00Key Data PointsMarket Cap$3.5BDay's Range$0.00 - $0.0052wk Range$0.00 - $0.00Volume116M It's well known that traders view Shiba Inu as a vehicle to play momentum swings to the upside and downside. But the sheer volume of liquidation activity over the past weekend is notable and is sending a signal to many who are considering putting capital to work in other, seemingly safer alternatives. Let's dive into what transpired this weekend, which led to a 5.5% decline from the equity market close on Friday to 4:00 p.m. ET Monday. Liquidations galore Source: Getty Images. Over the past day alone, nearly $500 million has been liquidated across the entire crypto market. Most of the positions getting unwound have been on the long side of the trade (bulls betting on a rebound), with Shiba Inu's liquidation data signaling that leverage remains a key driver of near-term volatility for most digital assets. Over the past day, investors using derivatives to bet on bullish price movements in Shiba Inu have seen nearly a quarter million dollars liquidated. In comparison to the amount of similar short bets liquidated over the same time frame (only $16,000 or so), it's clear to see how lopsided the momentum for this particular meme token is right now. Adding net spot inflows into Shiba Inu (which are down nearly $1 million over the past 10 days), the overall market is painting a very bearish picture for this token today. For assets like Shiba Inu and its meme coin peers, I tend to pay closer attention to key technical factors than to larger, more established networks that generate revenue or cash flow-like metrics. With speculative fervor abating in a big way in recent weeks, this is one digital asset I think investors need to be very careful with right now, particularly for those thinking about taking the long side of the bet. Read NextFeb 19, 2026 •By Neil PatelCould Buying Shiba Inu Today Set You Up for Life?Jan 27, 2026 •By Neil PatelShiba Inu for the Next 10 Years: Buy, Hold, or Avoid?Jan 19, 2026 •By Anthony Di PizioCan Shiba Inu Reach $1 in 2026?

The Answer Will Make Your Head Spin.Jan 17, 2026 •By Keith Noonan2 Overhyped Cryptocurrencies That Could Turn $100,000 Into NothingJan 5, 2026 •By Chris MacDonaldShiba Inu Is Mooning Today: Why This Top Meme Token Surged More than 15% This WeekendDec 28, 2025 •By Lyle Daly3 Reasons I Will Never Buy Shiba InuAbout the AuthorChris MacDonald is a contributing Motley Fool cryptocurrency analyst covering digital assets and blockchain companies. Chris has more than 10 years of professional experience in venture capital and corporate finance. He holds an MBA in finance from the University of British Columbia’s Sauder School of Business.TMFChrisMacDStocks MentionedShiba InuCRYPTO: SHIB$0.00 (1.96%) $0.00*Average returns of all recommendations since inception. Cost basis and return based on previous market day close.