Crypto Basics

What is Shiba Inu (SHIB) Coin and is it a Good Investment?

Learn everything about Shiba Inu, its history, benefits and top features in this descriptive guide.
Token Metrics Team
6 minutes
MIN

Shiba Inu (SHIB) is an Ethereum-based altcoin in the world of cryptocurrencies and has recently gained attention. It is a meme-inspired project based on the "Dogecoin" meme featuring the Shiba Inu dog as its mascot.

SHIB has been launched as a decentralized cryptocurrency built on the Ethereum blockchain. It is a deflationary token designed to be used as a medium of exchange and store of value. SHIB has a total supply of 1,000,000,000,000 tokens and is currently being traded on major exchanges such as Binance, OKEx, and Huobi.

SHIB has seen a huge surge in price and popularity since its launch in May 2021 and has become one of the most talked about cryptocurrencies in the market, with arguably the largest community than Bitcoin.

In this article, we will look at Shiba Inu coin, its features, and its potential for investors.

History Of Shiba Inu

Originally, Shiba Inu was launched as a direct competitor of Dogecoin as a joke. Both Shiba Inu and Dogecoin come under the category of meme coins. The meme coin originated from a 2013 meme featuring the Japanese breed dog of the same name. What began as a community-driven token representing a meme became a multi-billion dollar crypto project.

In 2020, an anonymous person or group called "Ryoshi” created a token named after the animal to continue the series of dog meme cryptocurrencies. After gaining full traction in 2021, it was declared the official rival of Dogecoin, leading Floki Inu, Akita Inu, and Dogelon Mars.

From its creation to up until October 2021, the SHIB coin raised from a low of $0.000000000056 to an all-time high of $0.00008616, rising an incredible 150 million percent.

Also, the generous donation of $1 billion in SHIB was a crucial moment in the coin's history that Ethereum's lead engineer and co-founder Vitalik Buterin granted to help fight the devastating spread of COVID-19 in India, making it the largest donation ever given in history. 

The Limelight Of SHIB

Having the support of Elon Musk is like getting the blue tick certification. Elon and his tweets have an extreme market sentiment influence which can make or break the deal for a cryptocurrency.

Shiba Inu is one such outrageously positive outcome of his tweets. When he first posted the Shiba Inu dog image, it gave the first major push to the SHIB token, powering it up by nearly 300%.

Some of the SHIB supporters believe it to be the "Dogecoin-Killer," too.

Top Features of SHIB

SHIB is a deflationary token designed to be used as a medium of exchange and store of value. It is a privacy-enabled decentralized peer-to-peer blockchain network. 

Three types of tokens affect the SHIB ecosystem:

  1. Shiba Inu (SHIB): This is the predominant currency of this project, which sums up to a total supply of 1 quadrillion tokens when it was launched. It can be exchanged with any of the ERC20 tokens of the Ethereum ecosystem.
  2. Leash (LEASH): It is the second token in the Shiba Inu ecosystem, with a total supply of only 107,646 tokens, and was initially a rebase token tied to the price of Dogecoin. A rebase token has a flexible monetary base in that its supply is set to increase or decrease to adjust the token price without affecting the value of anyone's share of coins. The rebase function was later switched off for good, and the token returned to its ERC20 design. 
  3. Bone (BONE): With a total supply of 250,000,000 tokens, only available on ShibaSwap, BONE is intended to fill up the circulation supply gap between the other two tokens. It is a kind of governance token that will allow the ShibArmy to vote on proposals. The more BONE users possess, the more weight their vote will carry in the decision process of future projects.

What are the Benefits of Investing in SHIB?

A Meme-Inspired Cryptocurrency - The core feature of SHIB is that it is a meme-inspired cryptocurrency launched on the Ethereum blockchain. It is a deflationary token designed to be used as a medium of exchange and store of value.

A Lower Price - SHIB is a low-priced token worth in pennies, which is easier for most people to invest in compared to something like Bitcoin.‍

A Decentralized Network - SHIB aims to be a decentralized network to keep on running, without any reasons for halting.‍

An Easy-To-Use Wallet - The SHIB blockchain network has been designed to be easy to use. This makes it a preferred option for most users. Three different wallets are available for use: Android, iOS, and Web.

How to Purchase SHIB Token?

SHIB and LEASH can be bought and sold on ShibaSwap, Uniswap, and a growing number of centralized exchanges (CEXs). On September 16, 2021, Coinbase listed SHIB, joining popular CEXs like Binance, Huobi, and Kucoin in trading the token. 

However, Robinhood, a U.S. financial services platform, has yet to list SHIB due to concerns over its security, as stated by its CEO. In contrast, Robinhood's rival Public.com listed SHIB in October 2021.

Is SHIB Token a Good Investment in 2023?

Shiba Inu's growth largely depends on market sentiment. During extremely fearful times, Shiba Inu underperforms; however, during euphoric times, Shiba Inu has the potential to explode in popularity.

While you analyze Shiba Inu's market position, make it a point to distinguish between market capitalization and price. SHIB's low price can deceive new investors, causing them to inaccurately gauge SHIB's price potential. Market capitalization is usually calculated by multiplying the total circulating supply of coins by the current market price of a single coin, which is useful for determining growth potential. 

At the time of writing, SHIB's price is roughly $0.000012. Therefore, if SHIB were to reach $0.01, investors would experience a return of over 800x. However, more importantly, to reach $0.01, Shiba Inu would need to reach a whopping market value north of $5 trillion. This value is greater than the market value of Apple, Google, and Bitcoin combined. As a result, when making realistic price predictions, it's paramount to consider market capitalization.

SHIB Price and Market Capitalization

As of Feb 1st,2023, Shiba Inu is trading at $0.000012 USD. The current market capitalization of the SHIB token is over $6.70B. This makes SHIB rank 81st in terms of market capitalization among all cryptocurrencies.

The Bottom Line

The Shiba Inu developing team is quite secretive about the coin roadmap. Therefore, it's rather difficult to anticipate what's in the cards for the cryptocurrency in the near future.

The developers might decide to burn other coins to make SHIB more deflationary than it is now and help with a price appreciation. We recently learned that Shiba is preparing to enter the Metaverse and will be burning more SHIB soon, further reducing the total supply.

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Crypto Basics

How Do AI Crypto Indices Work? Inside the Future of Smart Investing

Token Metrics Team
8 min
MIN

In the ever-evolving world of crypto, one thing is clear: automation and intelligence are the future. In 2025, AI-powered crypto indices are gaining traction as the most efficient, adaptive, and data-driven way to invest in digital assets. But how exactly do they work?

Unlike traditional crypto indices that follow fixed rules and rebalance on a schedule, AI indices adjust dynamically using real-time market signals, machine learning models, and smart risk management. They take the guesswork—and the emotion—out of investing.

In this article, we’ll break down what AI crypto indices are, how they function, and why they’re outperforming passive strategies in today’s market.

What Is an AI-Powered Crypto Index?

An AI-powered crypto index is a cryptocurrency investment portfolio managed by artificial intelligence. Rather than following rigid rebalancing schedules or fixed token lists, the AI actively decides:

  • Which tokens to include
  • How much weight to assign to each
  • When to buy, hold, or sell
  • Whether to move into stablecoins during market downturns

These decisions are made using a wide range of data inputs, processed through advanced algorithms and predictive models.

The Core Components of AI Crypto Indices

Let’s look under the hood. Here’s how AI-powered indices operate behind the scenes:

1. Data Collection

AI indices analyze vast amounts of crypto market data from multiple sources, including:

  • Price Action: Trends, volatility, momentum
  • Volume & Liquidity: How much is being traded and where
  • Social Sentiment: Mentions on Twitter, Reddit, Telegram, and news
  • Technical Indicators: RSI, MACD, moving averages, Bollinger Bands
  • On-Chain Metrics: Wallet activity, inflows/outflows, network usage
  • Macro Signals: Fed policy, global economic news, BTC dominance

This multi-dimensional data stack forms the foundation of the AI’s decision-making process.

2. Signal Generation

Using the data, the AI identifies bullish, neutral, or bearish conditions for each token under consideration.

It may use:

  • Machine learning classifiers
  • Neural networks trained on historical data
  • Natural language processing (NLP) to assess sentiment

The goal is to forecast short- to mid-term performance potential of each asset in the index.

3. Portfolio Allocation Logic

Once signals are generated, the AI engine builds the portfolio:

  • Include bullish tokens
  • Exclude bearish or sideways tokens
  • Adjust weights based on conviction
  • Cap exposure to volatile or illiquid assets
  • Shift into stablecoins if overall risk is high

This process replaces traditional “Top 10 Market Cap” logic with data-informed positioning.

4. Rebalancing & Execution

AI indices typically rebalance on a weekly or as-needed basis—far more responsive than quarterly rebalancing in passive indices.

Rebalancing involves:

  • Selling underperforming assets
  • Increasing exposure to trending tokens
  • Reducing concentration risk
  • Locking in profits by trimming over-extended positions

Execution may be simulated (in research products) or actual (for tokenized index platforms or connected wallets).

Real-World Example: Token Metrics AI Indices

Token Metrics is a leader in AI index technology. Their indices:

  • Analyze over 80 data points per token
  • Issue weekly buy/sell signals
  • Rebalance portfolios based on market sentiment and momentum

Example: DeFi AI Index

  • Week 1: AAVE, LDO, RUNE get bullish signals → added to the index
  • Week 2: LDO signal turns bearish → replaced by GMX
  • Week 3: Broad DeFi market looks weak → 30% of portfolio shifted into USDC

This approach ensures the portfolio actively adapts to changing market conditions without user intervention.

Benefits of AI-Powered Indices

âś… Smarter Risk Management

Exit early during downturns, move into stablecoins, avoid overexposure.

âś… Better Timing

Capture gains earlier by entering tokens before trend exhaustion.

âś… Emotion-Free Investing

No panic selling or FOMO buying—just data-driven decisions.

âś… Automation at Scale

Ideal for passive investors who want active performance.

âś… Competitive Performance

Outperformed passive indices in 2024–2025 due to faster reaction times and smarter rebalancing.

AI vs. Passive Crypto Indices

Are AI Crypto Indices Safe?

While no crypto investment is “safe,” AI indices help reduce risk compared to manual investing or passive index strategies by:

  • Avoiding weak tokens
  • Reducing exposure in downturns
  • Allocating capital to strong-performing assets

This makes them a compelling choice for both beginners and advanced investors looking for automated performance optimization.

Common Misconceptions

❌ "AI indices are just hype."

Wrong. Real AI indices use trained models and live market data—not just price trends—to make decisions.

❌ "They’re only for pros."

Most platforms now offer user-friendly AI indices that are fully automated and beginner-friendly.

❌ "They’re too risky."

While aggressive AI indices exist (e.g., Memecoins), many offer conservative modes with stablecoin rotation and low-volatility token selection.

Who Should Use AI-Powered Indices?

  • Busy Professionals – Want hands-off performance
  • Trend Traders – Prefer smart auto-rebalancing
  • Beginners – Need risk-managed crypto exposure
  • Wealth Builders – Looking for alpha over time

Final Thoughts: AI Indices Are the Future of Crypto Investing

AI-powered crypto indices bring hedge-fund-level sophistication to individual investors. With intelligent signal generation, data-driven risk management, and weekly rebalancing, these indices outperform traditional strategies—especially in volatile markets.

Whether you want to follow the hottest trends, avoid losses during bear markets, or simply invest smarter, AI indices offer an automated and strategic approach to growing your crypto portfolio.

Platforms like Token Metrics lead this space with real-time AI signal engines, offering performance-optimized indices across Memecoins, DeFi, AI tokens, RWAs, and more.

Crypto Basics

Can AI or Data Tools Help Identify Moonshots?

Token Metrics Team
8 min
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From Hype to Science — The Role of AI in Finding Moonshots

In the past, finding a 100x moonshot often meant trolling crypto Twitter threads, scanning Discord servers, or jumping into Telegram groups filled with bots and hype. But times have changed. In 2025, the smartest investors use AI and data analytics tools to uncover hidden gems before they explode.

This blog explores how AI and crypto-specific data platforms like Token Metrics are transforming moonshot discovery into a science — removing the guesswork and helping investors spot massive opportunities early.

Why Human-Only Research Isn’t Enough Anymore

With over 2 million crypto tokens and hundreds launching weekly, it’s virtually impossible to manually research everything. Retail traders are often overwhelmed, relying on gut feelings or influencer tweets.

AI levels the playing field by:

  • Analyzing massive datasets at scale
  • Spotting hidden patterns in price, volume, and sentiment
  • Scoring tokens based on fundamentals, momentum, and risk
  • Filtering out noise, scams, and pump-and-dumps

Simply put, AI sees what the human eye misses.

How AI Tools Detect Moonshots

AI models trained on crypto data can identify early-stage projects by analyzing:

These insights allow you to rank tokens and prioritize research efforts.

How Token Metrics AI Grades Work

Token Metrics, a pioneer in AI-driven crypto analytics, uses machine learning to generate Investor Grades, Trader Grades, and Bullish/Bearish Signals for thousands of tokens.

Here's how:

  • Investor Grade – Long-term potential based on fundamentals, community, tech
  • Trader Grade – Short-term potential based on price action, momentum, liquidity
  • Bullish Signal – Triggered when AI detects high-probability upside within 7–14 days
  • Bearish Signal – Warns of likely downturns or profit-taking zones

Moonshots that rank highly across these metrics are often early movers with breakout potential.

Top Tools to Find Moonshots with AI & Data

Use these tools together to spot patterns others miss.

Case Study: AI Spotting a Moonshot Early

Let’s say a low-cap AI token called NeuroLink AI launches. It’s not yet on CEXs but shows:

  • Spike in GitHub commits
  • Surge in Telegram growth
  • 24h price up 18%, volume 400%
  • Mentioned in 3 Token Metrics Bullish Signals in one week
  • AI Trader Grade: 91/100

That’s a prime moonshot candidate worth further analysis — and most retail traders wouldn’t catch it until it’s up 5x.

Human + AI = The Winning Formula

AI doesn't replace human judgment — it enhances it. The best approach is:

  1. Use AI to scan, sort, and filter top candidates
  2. Manually research the top 5–10 picks
  3. Evaluate community, product, team, and roadmap
  4. Use risk metrics and technicals for entry/exit planning

This hybrid approach minimizes FOMO and maximizes precision.

Moonshot AI Checklist

Before diving in, check:

âś… High AI Trader or Investor Grade (85+)
âś… Momentum score surging
âś… Early-stage narrative (AI, DePIN, RWA, etc.)
âś… Community growth across socials
âś… Smart money inflows on-chain
âś… No major unlocks in next 30 days

If all boxes are ticked, you may have found your next 10x.

Final Thoughts: AI is the Ultimate Edge in 2025

Crypto moonshots are no longer found in meme threads and TikTok videos alone. In 2025, the best investors use AI-powered research to systematically uncover explosive opportunities before they go viral.

By leveraging platforms like Token Metrics, you turn chaos into clarity — and emotion into execution.

Announcements

How to Build On-Chain Crypto Trading Bots Using Token Metrics Crypto API and Chainlink Functions

Token Metrics Team
8 min
MIN

In the evolving world of Web3 development, the need for real-time, reliable, and institutional-grade crypto data has never been greater. Whether you’re building decentralized trading bots, DeFi apps, or smart contract platforms, accessing powerful off-chain data is key to creating intelligent and profitable on-chain systems.

That’s where the Token Metrics Crypto API comes in.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through how to integrate the Token Metrics API with Chainlink Functions, enabling you to deploy live smart contracts that interact with real-time crypto signals, token prices, and trader grades. You’ll learn how to use more than 20 API endpoints and smart contract adapters to power decentralized apps with actionable data.

If you’re searching for the best crypto API for smart contract development, or you need a free crypto API to start testing on testnets, this article is your ultimate resource.

What Is the Token Metrics Crypto API?

The Token Metrics API is an advanced data interface designed for traders, developers, and Web3 builders. It provides access to over 20 endpoints covering everything from:

  • Token prices
  • AI-powered trading signals (bullish/bearish)
  • Trader and Investor Grades (0–100 scoring system)
  • Quant metrics
  • Support and resistance levels
  • Sentiment analysis

Built by a team of quant analysts, machine learning engineers, and crypto-native researchers, the Token Metrics Crypto API brings hedge-fund-grade intelligence into the hands of everyday builders.

Why Use the Token Metrics API with Chainlink Functions?

Chainlink Functions enable smart contracts to securely retrieve off-chain data from any API. By integrating with the Token Metrics Crypto API, you can bridge institutional-grade analytics into fully decentralized apps—something not possible with basic or unreliable data sources.

Here’s why this combo is so powerful:

  • đź”— Chainlink decentralizes your execution
  • đź§  Token Metrics powers your logic with predictive analytics
  • ⚙️ Smart contracts can now act on real market intelligence

This integration enables the creation of intelligent trading bots, dynamic token allocations, and governance proposals backed by hard data—not speculation.

Step-by-Step: How to Integrate Token Metrics API with Chainlink Functions

Let’s walk through how to connect the best crypto API—Token Metrics—with Chainlink Functions to build and deploy a live smart contract.

1. Clone the GitHub Repo

Start by cloning the GitHub repository that contains the full codebase. This includes:

  • A set of ~20 pre-built smart contracts
  • API adapter logic
  • Sample scripts to interact with the contracts
  • A detailed README with setup instructions

Each smart contract is tailored to one Token Metrics API endpoint—meaning you can plug and play any dataset, from prices to sentiment scores.

2. Set Up Your Environment

The README provides a full list of recommended environment variables, including:

  • API_KEY for Token Metrics
  • LINK_TOKEN_ADDRESS
  • CHAINLINK_SUBSCRIPTION_ID
  • ORACLE_ADDRESS

Once your .env is ready, you can start compiling and deploying.

3. Build and Deploy a Sample Trading Bot Smart Contract

In this walkthrough, the developer built a Solidity smart contract that:

  • Pulls live data from Token Metrics (price, signal, grade)
  • Evaluates the signal (e.g., bullish)
  • Executes a buy trade if the signal is positive

The contract is compiled in Remix IDE, connected via MetaMask (on testnet), and deployed using testnet ETH and LINK tokens.

After deployment, you’ll receive a contract address that can be added to your Chainlink subscription.

4. Create a Chainlink Subscription

To fund your contract for data requests:

  1. Go to the Chainlink portal
  2. Create a new subscription (testnet or mainnet)
  3. Fund it with some LINK
  4. Add your deployed smart contract as a consumer

This allows your contract to make external data calls using Chainlink’s decentralized oracle network.

5. Run a Script to Invoke Real-Time Token Metrics Data

Using the provided JavaScript scripts, you can interact with the smart contract and test data flow:

  • Check the bot’s active status
  • Retrieve token price, trading signal, and grade
  • See how the smart contract responds to live market conditions

In the demo, the bot received a bullish signal, saw that the grade was high, and executed a buy trade accordingly. This logic can be expanded into full-scale trading strategies, rebalancing rules, or even on-chain governance triggers.

Why Token Metrics API Is the Best Crypto API for Smart Contracts

Here’s what makes the Token Metrics Crypto API the best crypto API for building advanced, data-driven dApps:

âś… Institutional-Grade Signals

Get access to proprietary AI trading signals, used by hedge funds and institutional desks.

âś… 20+ Endpoints for Every Use Case

Whether you need sentiment data, grades, price trends, or quant models, it’s all there.

âś… Real-Time and Back-Tested

The data is not just live—it’s tested. Token Metrics backtests every signal against market conditions.

âś… Easy to Integrate

Pre-built smart contract adapters make it easy to use the API in Chainlink, Remix, or any EVM-compatible environment.

âś… Free Crypto API Tier Available

Start testing on testnets with a free crypto API key. Upgrade later for full production access.

Real-World Use Cases for Token Metrics + Chainlink Functions

Here are some examples of what you can build using this integration:

  • On-Chain Trading Bots: React to bullish or bearish signals in real time
  • Decentralized Rebalancing Strategies: Adjust token allocations based on trader grades
  • Token Governance: Trigger proposal alerts when sentiment crosses a threshold
  • Risk Management Contracts: Move funds to stablecoins when volatility spikes
  • NFT Floor Price Triggers: Use sentiment and price data for automated mint/pass logic

Final Thoughts: The Future of Crypto Intelligence Is On-Chain

As Web3 matures, the ability to combine decentralized execution with centralized intelligence will define the next generation of dApps. The integration of Token Metrics Crypto API with Chainlink Functions is a major step in that direction.

Developers can now build on-chain applications that make smarter, faster, and more profitable decisions—powered by data that was once out of reach.

Whether you're a DeFi developer, a DAO engineer, or just exploring your first smart contract, this setup gives you a free crypto API to experiment with and the power of the best crypto API when you're ready to scale.

🚀 Ready to Get Started?

  • âś… Get your free Token Metrics API key
  • âś… Clone the GitHub repo and install the smart contracts
  • âś… Join the Token Metrics Dev Telegram community
  • âś… Start building intelligent, AI-powered crypto applications today

Your next-generation crypto trading bot starts here.

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