Shiba Inu Introduces ‘Shib Owes You’ System to Compensate Shibarium Hack Victims

• Shiba Inu’s SOU framework comes with advanced safeguards along with an on-chain NFT-based system to transparently track and repay affected users.
• The project is shifting to a revenue-first recovery strategy while pausing all non-performing initiatives.

In his latest address to the community, Shiba Inu lead developer Kaal Dhairya issued a public statement for the community. While addressing concerns around the recent Shibarium hack, Dhairya said that it has one of the most challenging periods in history for this network. Commenting on the recent leadership churn, Dhairya said that while others left without accountability, he and the remaining team stayed to manage the recovery. He also admitted that the team has failed to engage with law enforcement following the incidence. He confirmed that he has been interviewed by three federal agents and has shared all available information gathered during and after the hack. Shiba Inu Completes Technical Recovery Along With SOU System Kaal Dhairya confirmed that Shiba Inu has completed the technical recovery after the Shibarium hack. The team has restored the Plasma Bridge with additional safeguards such as blacklisting, seven-day withdrawal delays, and hardened smart contracts. Besides, they have migrated over 100 critical contracts to hardware custody, and all other major changes have been audited by Hexens. He added that they are now working to decouple the bridge from validators, a key step for Shibarium’s decentralization. Dhairya spoke about a new initiative called SOU (Shib Owes You), designed to track and repay losses to the affected users. The system issues an on-chain NFT to each user, which represents a verifiable claim recorded on the Ethereum blockchain. Each SOU shows the remaining amount owed. Besides, it also updates automatically as payouts or community donations are made. He noted that SOU NFTs can be transferred, merged, split, or sold, thereby allowing users flexibility if they need liquidity. The entire system has been audited, though Dhairya cautioned that SOU is not yet live and warned users to remain alert for scams. Addressing the Revenue Accountability Dhairya noted that SOU can only function if revenue flows back into the system. He said all parties that benefit from the Shiba Inu ecosystem must contribute to recovery efforts. He framed this as an obligation rather than a voluntary contribution, stating that accountability is critical if the community is asked to remain patient. To prioritize recovery, Dhairya announced that non-revenue-generating or loss-making projects will be paused or sunset. From now on, only initiatives capable of generating revenue to support SOU payouts and maintain core infrastructure will move ahead. He said this may involve ending legacy systems, revisiting tokenomics, and consolidating technical operations. This would also mean taking some decisions that are controversial but necessary. Dhairya reaffirmed that Shiba Inu remains an open, decentralized brand. He said intellectual property tied to the ecosystem will be licensed in a way that supports affected users and long-term sustainability. The existing revenue allocation model, covering burns, foundations, teams, and non-profits, remains in place, though he noted repayment efforts will take priority. In closing, Dhairya explained why he continues to work on the project despite personal financial and professional costs. He said Shiba Inu’s original vision as a decentralized, community-driven network remains intact, though the focus will shift toward long-term repair rather than hype. He asked the community for patience, participation, and accountability, urging members to judge progress by outcomes rather than promises.