Shiba Inu just delivered a double surprise, which was a sudden spike in its burn rate, and the long-awaited release of its AI whitepaper by lead developer Shytoshi Kusama.
Together, they’ve sparked fresh momentum for the meme coin that’s been quietly reshaping its identity behind the scenes.
Here’s what you need to know.
41,000% Burn Rate Spike – But Not What It Seems
According to data from Shibburn, SHIB’s burn rate surged 41,016% in just 24 hours. On the surface, that sounds massive, and it is, but here’s the catch: the actual amount of SHIB destroyed was around 2.26 million tokens. That’s a big jump in activity, but a relatively small burn by volume.
The two largest burns in this period, 1 million SHIB and 850,808 SHIB, made up most of it. In comparison, the weekly total burn stands at over 111 million SHIB, largely thanks to one big transaction that wiped out 100 million tokens in a single go.
So while the daily burn spike grabbed headlines, it’s the weekly action that shows the real impact.
Shiba Inu’s AI Whitepaper Finally Drops
Over the weekend, Kusama released the long-awaited SHIB AI whitepaper, a document the community has been waiting on for months.
Soon after the whitepaper was published, SHIB’s burn rate jumped again, this time by 3,615%, suggesting strong community reaction.
In the whitepaper, Kusama lays out Shiba Inu’s AI ambitions: building a system that combines centralized and decentralized AI to boost community engagement and expand the SHIB ecosystem. Gaming, content creation, and real-world use cases are all part of the plan.
And in typical Kusama style, the paper leans into bold language. He even claims, metaphorically, to have “traveled in time” and seen the future himself.
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What This Means for SHIB Holders
Big picture – Shiba Inu is no longer positioning itself as just a meme coin. The AI whitepaper marks a clear pivot, with real goals and utility-focused plans. The sharp rise in burn activity, both before and after the announcement, shows the community is paying attention.
Analysts say the AI angle could lead to more market volatility in the short term, especially as automated strategies kick in. But long term, this could give SHIB the edge it needs to stand out in a crowded space.
For now, SHIB holders will be watching two things: the burn numbers and whether this AI vision can actually deliver.
