Only One Can Win? Shiba Inu (SHIB) and Bitcoin Set up Rare February Face-Off

The February setup has never been this bullish for both Bitcoin and Shiba Inu (SHIB), as it lines up for the second month of 2026. Historically, the two have rarely won together in February. 

According to CryptoRank over the last four cycles, SHIB and BTC have printed a simultaneous green candle in February once only — in 2022. In every other year, either SHIB plunged while BTC climbed or both plunged by double digits, as they did last year.

Statistically, Bitcoin dominates February with an average return of +14.3% and a median of +12.2%, based on over a decade of data. In contrast, the meme coin averages +9.26% and has a median of +10.9% but has far fewer samples. 

Still, SHIB makes up for its low frequency with high volatility. In 2024, the meme coin posted a stunning 41.3% gain in February, while Bitcoin stalled near break-even.

This year, both coins surged in January: Shiba Inu rose 25.9%, while Bitcoin rose 8.37%, creating a rare double-bullish setup into February. However, the data implies that one will likely underperform. The odds do not support continued growth for both.

Shiba Inu versus Bitcoin, or with?

The SHIB/BTC weekly chart reinforces this imbalance. Since November 2021, SHIB has lost over 93% of its value relative to Bitcoin. Every temporary breakout has been punished, and the pair is now trading at its lowest level since Shiba Inu’s rise in 2021. 

Not even SHIB’s most explosive moves, such as those in Q1 of 2024, have changed the longer-term erosion against BTC.

For context, SHIB’s outperformance tends to be isolated, short-lived and detached from broader market cycles. Bitcoin grinds while SHIB spikes, but rarely at the same time. And when they do align, it does not last. 

If February ends up in the green for both, it will mark only the second time in history that this has occurred.