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Cryptocurrency price volatility and investor attention

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  • Al Guindy, Mohamed

Abstract

This study examines the relationship between the price volatility of cryptocurrencies and investor attention. Using a large dataset of approximately 25 million tweets about 23 of the largest cryptocurrencies, I show that investor attention, as proxied by the number of tweets, retweets, and favorites, corresponds to greater cryptocurrency price volatility. I use a Vector Autoregression (VAR) framework to show that investor attention predicts future price volatility. Additionally, days on which investors are “distracted” because of attention-grabbing events correspond to lower price volatility in cryptocurrency markets. The results suggest that increased investor attention to cryptocurrencies has the undesirable effect of increasing price volatility.

Suggested Citation

  • Al Guindy, Mohamed, 2021. "Cryptocurrency price volatility and investor attention," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 76(C), pages 556-570.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:reveco:v:76:y:2021:i:c:p:556-570
    DOI: 10.1016/j.iref.2021.06.007
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    Cited by:

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    2. Ozdamar, Melisa & Sensoy, Ahmet & Akdeniz, Levent, 2022. "Retail vs institutional investor attention in the cryptocurrency market," Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, Elsevier, vol. 81(C).
    3. Ziyao Wang & Yufei Xia & Yating Fu & Ying Liu, 2023. "Volatility Spillover Dynamics and Determinants between FinTech and Traditional Financial Industry: Evidence from China," Mathematics, MDPI, vol. 11(19), pages 1-23, September.
    4. N. L. Balasudarsun & Bikramaditya Ghosh & Sathish Mahendran, 2022. "Impact of Negative Tweets on Diverse Assets during Stressful Events: An Investigation through Time-Varying Connectedness," JRFM, MDPI, vol. 15(6), pages 1-12, June.
    5. Aiman Hairudin & Azhar Mohamad, 2024. "The isotropy of cryptocurrency volatility," International Journal of Finance & Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 29(3), pages 3779-3810, July.
    6. Smales, L.A., 2022. "Investor attention in cryptocurrency markets," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 79(C).
    7. Christian Pinto-Gutiérrez & Sandra Gaitán & Diego Jaramillo & Simón Velasquez, 2022. "The NFT Hype: What Draws Attention to Non-Fungible Tokens?," Mathematics, MDPI, vol. 10(3), pages 1-13, January.
    8. Tong, Zezheng & Goodell, John W. & Shen, Dehua, 2022. "Assessing causal relationships between cryptocurrencies and investor attention: New results from transfer entropy methodology," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 50(C).
    9. Adekoya, Oluwasegun B. & Oliyide, Johnson A. & Saleem, Owais & Adeoye, Habeeb A., 2022. "Asymmetric connectedness between Google-based investor attention and the fourth industrial revolution assets: The case of FinTech and Robotics & Artificial intelligence stocks," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 68(C).
    10. Amin Izadyar & Shiva Zamani, 2022. "Investor base and idiosyncratic volatility of cryptocurrencies," Papers 2211.13274, arXiv.org.
    11. Abakah, Emmanuel Joel Aikins & Wali Ullah, GM & Adekoya, Oluwasegun B. & Osei Bonsu, Christiana & Abdullah, Mohammad, 2023. "Blockchain market and eco-friendly financial assets: Dynamic price correlation, connectedness and spillovers with portfolio implications," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 87(C), pages 218-243.
    12. Jyothi Chittineni, 2022. "A Study on Cryptocurrency Investors Purchase Intentions: Revisiting the Brand Personality Theory," International Journal of Economics and Financial Issues, Econjournals, vol. 12(4), pages 28-33, July.
    13. Piñeiro-Chousa, Juan & Šević, Aleksandar & González-López, Isaac, 2023. "Impact of social metrics in decentralized finance," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 158(C).
    14. Baur, Dirk G. & Karlsen, Jonathan R. & Smales, Lee A. & Trench, Allan, 2024. "Digging deeper - Is bitcoin digital gold? A mining perspective," Journal of Commodity Markets, Elsevier, vol. 34(C).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Cryptocurrencies; Bitcoin; Investor attention; Social media;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G10 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - General (includes Measurement and Data)
    • G12 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Asset Pricing; Trading Volume; Bond Interest Rates
    • G40 - Financial Economics - - Behavioral Finance - - - General

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