Cryptocurrency investors are grappling with a crucial decision: whether to pursue the allure of meme coins like Dogecoin and Shiba Inu or to stick with the more traditional and established Bitcoin. While recent market trends show significant rises in the prices of both Dogecoin and Shiba Inu, it raises an interesting question regarding the sustainability and long-term value of these assets compared to Bitcoin.
Over the past five years, Dogecoin has experienced an impressive surge of 5,800%, while Bitcoin’s growth stands at a more modest 560%. This dramatic difference in price performance can tempt investors to chase the excitement of meme coins. However, a deeper examination reveals a more complex picture.
At the heart of this conversation lies the issue of supply and demand. Bitcoin boasts a capped supply of 21 million coins, making it a scarce asset. The mining rewards for Bitcoin halve approximately every four years, leading to an ever-decreasing new supply. This creates favorable conditions for long-term price appreciation, especially as institutional investors and asset managers increasingly adopt Bitcoin, elevating its demand.
The recent introduction of spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) since 2024 has opened up significant avenues for mainstream investors. These ETFs have collectively attracted tens of billions of dollars in net inflows, which indicates a structurally persistent demand for Bitcoin. Unlike meme coins, Bitcoin’s supply cannot be arbitrarily increased, giving it an edge in preserving value amid economic fluctuations.
In contrast, meme coins lack a robust investment thesis. Both Dogecoin and Shiba Inu are perceived as community-centric assets, allowing for a sense of belonging among their holders. However, they rest on shaky foundations. Dogecoin, for instance, mints a staggering 5 billion new coins each year without a supply cap, which leads to persistent dilution for existing holders. By late 2025, its circulating supply had soared to approximately 151.6 billion coins, raising questions about long-term value longevity.
Shiba Inu attempts to mitigate this dilution through mechanisms like coin burns and the Shibarium Layer-2 network, designed to add utility to the token. However, the effectiveness of these measures remains questionable due to sporadic burn activity and low transaction volumes.
While it’s conceivable that Dogecoin or Shiba Inu could experience short-term bursts of growth during speculative market phases, this should not be mistaken for a solid investment strategy. Relying on continuous inflows of new investors to counterbalance dilution is a precarious plan that may not hold up over time.
In summary, when evaluating investment options among these three cryptocurrencies, Bitcoin stands out as the only asset with strong long-term potential. The importance of a sound investment strategy cannot be overstated; adopting a dollar-cost averaging approach for Bitcoin purchases allows investors to accumulate this scarce asset during both market ups and downs. In the long run, the approach favors those who invest in Bitcoin over those who chase the fleeting excitement of meme coins.
