Asset market equilibria in cryptocurrency markets: Evidence from a study of privacy and non-privacy coins

Niranjan Sapkota and Klaus Grobys

Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, 2021, vol. 74, issue C

Abstract: This paper explores whether asset market equilibria in cryptocurrency markets do exist. In doing so, it distinguishes between privacy and non-privacy coins. Most recently, privacy coins have attracted increasing attention in the public debate as non-privacy cryptocurrencies, such as Bitcoin, do not satisfy some users’ demands for anonymity. Analyzing ten cryptocurrencies with the highest market capitalization in each submarket in the 2016–2018 periods, we find that privacy coins exhibit a distinct market equilibrium. Contributing to the current debate on the market efficiency of cryptocurrency markets, our findings provide evidence of market inefficiency. Moreover, the asset market equilibrium of privacy coins appears to originate from non-privacy coins with highest market capitalizations. We argue that the reason for this finding could be that non-privacy coins may be the first choice for criminals who might prefer cryptocurrencies exhibiting both a high level of anonymity and liquidity.

Keywords: Cryptocurrency; Bitcoin; Privacy coins; Non-privacy coins; Market equilibria (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: G12 G14 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (6)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:intfin:v:74:y:2021:i:c:s1042443121001190

DOI: 10.1016/j.intfin.2021.101402

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