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Understanding Bitcoin liquidity

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  • Scharnowski, Stefan

Abstract

This paper analyzes the evolution of Bitcoin liquidity and its determinants. Using a new methodology to identify the most liquid exchange at each point in time, I find that driving factors behind the overall increases in liquidity and trading activity come mostly from within the Bitcoin network. While the state of the US economy only weakly influences Bitcoin liquidity, there is some evidence that gold and Bitcoin are perceived as complements. Moreover, patterns in market making and trading are consistent with the activity of both institutional and retail traders.

Suggested Citation

  • Scharnowski, Stefan, 2021. "Understanding Bitcoin liquidity," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 38(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:finlet:v:38:y:2021:i:c:s1544612319311286
    DOI: 10.1016/j.frl.2020.101477
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    Cited by:

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    2. Brauneis, Alexander & Mestel, Roland & Riordan, Ryan & Theissen, Erik, 2022. "Bitcoin unchained: Determinants of cryptocurrency exchange liquidity," Journal of Empirical Finance, Elsevier, vol. 69(C), pages 106-122.
    3. Mudassar Hasan & Muhammad Abubakr Naeem & Muhammad Arif & Syed Jawad Hussain Shahzad & Xuan Vinh Vo, 2022. "Liquidity connectedness in cryptocurrency market," Financial Innovation, Springer;Southwestern University of Finance and Economics, vol. 8(1), pages 1-25, December.
    4. Fernandes, Leonardo H.S. & Bouri, Elie & Silva, José W.L. & Bejan, Lucian & de Araujo, Fernando H.A., 2022. "The resilience of cryptocurrency market efficiency to COVID-19 shock," Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, Elsevier, vol. 607(C).
    5. Liebi, Luca J., 2022. "Is there a value premium in cryptoasset markets?," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 109(C).
    6. Sharif, Arshian & Brahim, Mariem & Dogan, Eyup & Tzeremes, Panayiotis, 2023. "Analysis of the spillover effects between green economy, clean and dirty cryptocurrencies," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 120(C).
    7. Jana, Rabin K. & Ghosh, Indranil & Wallin, Martin W., 2022. "Taming energy and electronic waste generation in bitcoin mining: Insights from Facebook prophet and deep neural network," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 178(C).
    8. Karmakar, Sayar & Demirer, Riza & Gupta, Rangan, 2021. "Bitcoin mining activity and volatility dynamics in the power market," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 209(C).
    9. Ahmed, Walid M.A., 2022. "Robust drivers of Bitcoin price movements: An extreme bounds analysis," The North American Journal of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 62(C).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Cryptocurrency; Bitcoin; Liquidity; Market microstructure;
    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
    • G15 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - International Financial Markets

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