[DigitalToday reporter Jinju Hong (홍진주)] Shiba Inu (SHIB) has posted a 44.1 percent cumulative return in the third quarter of 2026, showing its strongest third-quarter performance in the past five years.

On Sept. 23, blockchain media outlet U.Today reported that as of Sept. 23, Shiba Inu has built a technical base for a rebound ahead of October, in step with broader strength in the cryptocurrency market.

Shiba Inu has generally been seen as weak toward the end of the third quarter. In particular, its average return in September has been just 5.5 percent. This year, the trend has differed. Based on CryptoRank data, Shiba Inu shifted to monthly gains in line with the broader market after a 24 percent correction in June. It rose 12.2 percent in July and gained 7.55 percent in August. It has added another 19.4 percent in September, lifting its cumulative third-quarter gain to 44.1 percent.

That is its best third-quarter performance since the surge in 2021. Shiba Inu was also assessed as nearing its strongest third-quarter closing trend on record.

A structural change was also seen on charts. On the weekly Shiba Inu-dollar chart, a local structural reversal appeared. The token formed a double-bottom pattern in the $0.0000034 to $0.0000045 range and is gradually attempting an upside breakout. It indicates that charts are reflecting signals of a break from the downtrend that continued throughout last year.

The rebound was presented as a move linked to expanding liquidity across the overall market rather than a token-specific catalyst. Over the same period, total cryptocurrency market capitalisation rose to $2.89 trillion from $2.15 trillion. The last time the relative strength index and global trading volume revived at the same time after months of stagnation was in late 2023.

Against that backdrop, market attention is shifting to October. In the industry, October is known as 'Uptober', and Shiba Inu's historical average return in October is 167.5 percent. That figure is heavily influenced by the 833.6 percent surge recorded in October 2021. The median October return is much lower at 6.04 percent. That is why market participants see whether the current trend continues as more important than building optimism based only on the average.

The distinction in this phase is the entry point. Shiba Inu is not heading into October at the end of a downtrend as in the past. It is entering next month while maintaining a quarterly uptrend. Whether this can narrow the gap between statistical expectations and actual price moves is the key point to watch.

In the near term, $0.0000075 was presented as the closest resistance. If buying breaks through that level, it could open the possibility of a test of $0.0000110, cited as a long-term peak zone. Whether the strong finish to the third quarter holds into early October and whether it is accompanied by a break of psychological resistance are emerging as key variables that will determine Shiba Inu's next direction.