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On the hedge and safe haven properties of Bitcoin: Is it really more than a diversifier?

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Listed:
  • Bouri, Elie
  • Molnár, Peter
  • Azzi, Georges
  • Roubaud, David
  • Hagfors, Lars Ivar

Abstract

This paper uses a dynamic conditional correlation model to examine whether Bitcoin can act as a hedge and safe haven for major world stock indices, bonds, oil, gold, the general commodity index and the US dollar index. Daily and weekly data span from July 2011 to December 2015. Overall, the empirical results indicate that Bitcoin is a poor hedge and is suitable for diversification purposes only. However, Bitcoin can only serve as a strong safe haven against weekly extreme down movements in Asian stocks. We also show that Bitcoin hedging and safe haven properties vary between horizons.

Suggested Citation

  • Bouri, Elie & Molnár, Peter & Azzi, Georges & Roubaud, David & Hagfors, Lars Ivar, 2017. "On the hedge and safe haven properties of Bitcoin: Is it really more than a diversifier?," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 20(C), pages 192-198.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:finlet:v:20:y:2017:i:c:p:192-198
    DOI: 10.1016/j.frl.2016.09.025
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Dirk G. Baur & Brian M. Lucey, 2010. "Is Gold a Hedge or a Safe Haven? An Analysis of Stocks, Bonds and Gold," The Financial Review, Eastern Finance Association, vol. 45(2), pages 217-229, May.
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    6. repec:agr:journl:v:1(590):y:2014:i:1(590):p:103-114 is not listed on IDEAS
    7. Elie Bouri & Luis A. Gil‐Alana & Rangan Gupta & David Roubaud, 2019. "Modelling long memory volatility in the Bitcoin market: Evidence of persistence and structural breaks," International Journal of Finance & Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 24(1), pages 412-426, January.
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    9. Hafner, Christian M. & Reznikova, Olga, 2012. "On the estimation of dynamic conditional correlation models," Computational Statistics & Data Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 56(11), pages 3533-3545.
    10. Anne Haubo Dyhrberg, 2015. "Bitcoin, Gold and the Dollar – a GARCH Volatility Analysis," Working Papers 201520, School of Economics, University College Dublin.
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    12. Mehmet Balcilar & Elie Bouri & Rangan Gupta & David Roubaud, 2016. "Can Volume Predict Bitcoin Returns and Volatility? A Nonparametric Causality-in-Quantiles Approach," Working Papers 201662, University of Pretoria, Department of Economics.
    13. Angela ROGOJANU & Liana BADEA, 2014. "The issue of competing currencies. Case study – Bitcoin," Theoretical and Applied Economics, Asociatia Generala a Economistilor din Romania / Editura Economica, vol. 0(1(590)), pages 103-114, January.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Bitcoin; Cryptocurrency; Diversifier; Hedge; Safe haven; DCC;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G11 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Portfolio Choice; Investment Decisions
    • G15 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - International Financial Markets
    • Q02 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - General - - - Commodity Market

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