Shiba Inu (SHIB) has once again proven that meme coins can play in the big leagues. With an impressive surge in momentum, SHIB has officially outpaced Hedera (HBAR) in market capitalization — and all eyes are now on its next target: Stellar (XLM).
Over the past week, SHIB has quietly mounted a steady comeback. Riding a broader bullish wave in the crypto market, the token has climbed from a recent low of $0.00001476 to a peak of $0.00001607, before pulling back slightly to around $0.00001594. That’s a 3.13% increase in just 24 hours, according to data from CoinMarketCap.
But price alone doesn’t tell the full story. SHIB’s 24-hour trading volume has risen by 3.71%, reaching approximately $595 million — a clear sign that investor interest is far from fading. With this renewed activity, SHIB’s market cap has grown to around $9.3 billion, overtaking Hedera’s $8.79 billion and pushing SHIB into the 15th spot among the largest cryptocurrencies by market capitalization.
Now, SHIB is eyeing Stellar (XLM), which holds the 14th position with a market cap of $9.404 billion. That’s just about a $100 million gap — a distance SHIB could close if its upward momentum continues and if XLM doesn’t accelerate.
Interestingly, while SHIB logged over 3% gains recently, XLM saw a modest 0.25% increase over the same period. If these trends persist, SHIB could realistically catch up to — and potentially surpass — Stellar in the near term.
Adding to the optimism is SHIB’s historical strength in May. The token has historically delivered an average gain of 61% during this month, making a strong case for continued upside. Some SHIB supporters even believe the coin could drop another zero from its price — a milestone that would propel it significantly higher in the rankings.
A move like that would likely require strong support from SHIB’s dedicated community. Long-term holders still make up about 78% of its base, and their continued belief in the token’s ecosystem plays a crucial role in sustaining growth during volatile market conditions.
Of course, all projections hinge on both SHIB and XLM maintaining their current trajectories — and in the world of crypto, that’s never guaranteed. Still, with momentum on its side, SHIB has positioned itself as more than just a meme — it’s a contender.
As May unfolds, the question remains: can SHIB’s loyal following and bullish momentum carry it past another major player?
