Top DEX Criticizes Shiba Inu Leadership, Says “They Won’t Leave or Hand Over Keys to Capable Hands”

A prominent DEX within the Shiba Inu ecosystem has blamed the ecosystem’s ongoing struggles on its leadership, including lead developer Shytoshi Kusama.

The criticism came from WoofSwap, a decentralized exchange (DEX) within the Shiba Inu ecosystem. The remarks have sparked fresh debate about $SHIB’s leadership and long-term direction, particularly as concerns continue to grow over Kusama’s prolonged silence on X.

WoofSwap Argues $SHIB Has Lost Market Confidence

According to WoofSwap, a significant portion of investors has already lost confidence in $SHIB because the ecosystem has failed to deliver meaningful results over an extended period.

Most people have completely lost faith in $SHIB because the ecosystem has failed to deliver anything meaningful.

A few die-hards still keep saying “$SHIB is $SHIB,”

The truth is, in the market’s eyes, $SHIB and its ecosystem are now one and the same. No single person can…

— WOOF (@woofswap) June 22, 2026

While some loyal supporters continue to defend the token with the argument that “$SHIB is $SHIB,” WoofSwap contends that the broader market no longer separates the token from the ecosystem built around it. Instead, investors increasingly judge $SHIB based on the ecosystem’s overall performance, leadership effectiveness, and ability to deliver promises.

As a result, WoofSwap believes that negative sentiment surrounding the ecosystem directly affects $SHIB’s reputation and valuation.

The DEX further argued that no individual or group can detach $SHIB from the controversies linked to the project. In its view, market perception is shaped by the collective judgment of investors rather than by a vocal minority of supporters. Consequently, it suggests that sentiment has become increasingly negative as expectations continue to go unmet.

Leadership Accused of Holding Back Progress

Beyond criticizing market performance, WoofSwap also targeted the ecosystem’s current leadership. According to WoofSwap, the individuals who continue to control “the keys” within the ecosystem have delivered little value and are slowing progress.

The DEX suggested that $SHIB could experience a surprisingly bullish market reaction if the current controlling figures stepped aside. In its view, such a transition could reset market expectations and restore confidence by allowing new leadership to emerge.

However, WoofSwap expressed skepticism that such a change will occur anytime soon.

“The problem is they won’t leave, and they refuse to hand over the keys to anyone more capable,” the DEX argued, claiming that those currently in control are unwilling to relinquish authority or transfer critical ecosystem resources to other contributors.

Kusama’s Silence Fuels Community Concerns

The comments arrive amid broader frustration within the $SHIB community, particularly regarding Kusama’s extended absence from X.

His silence has drawn increased attention during a period marked by weak price performance and declining market prominence for Shiba Inu. As concerns mount, some community members have questioned the project’s direction and leadership visibility. At press time, Shiba Inu was trading at $0.000004630, representing a decline of 94.76% from its all-time high.

The token has also faced increasing pressure in cryptocurrency rankings. Having come close to dropping out of the top 30 digital assets on multiple occasions, $SHIB currently ranks as the 29th-largest cryptocurrency by market cap, with a valuation of $2.72 billion.

Not New

Notably, this is not the first time Kusama has stepped away from X before returning with updates related to the ecosystem. However, his latest absence appears linked to his work on an independent artificial intelligence initiative known as R. OS.

According to available updates, the project has entered its final stage of development, with the beta application completed and final bug fixes already addressed. While the initiative is separate from Shiba Inu, Kusama’s focus on the project has coincided with growing scrutiny from members of the $SHIB community.