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What drives DeFi prices? Investigating the effects of investor attention

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  • Corbet, Shaen
  • Goodell, John W.
  • Günay, Samet

Abstract

We comparatively assess drivers of DeFi token prices, testing the impact and connectedness between Bitcoin (as a cryptocurrency asset-class leader), Ethereum (as a platform for DeFi), and Google Trends (as a signal of investor attention). While we evidence varying causal linkages between Bitcoin or Ethereum and Defi tokens, these linkages are restricted to bear markets. In contrast, restricted MS-VAR (LR) modelling uncovers bi-causal relationships between DeFi tokens and investor sentiment in both bull and bear markets. We conclude that, rather than platform valuation, investor attention is a dominant driver of DeFi prices, with DeFi being a separate asset class from mainstream cryptocurrencies.

Suggested Citation

  • Corbet, Shaen & Goodell, John W. & Günay, Samet, 2022. "What drives DeFi prices? Investigating the effects of investor attention," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 48(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:finlet:v:48:y:2022:i:c:s1544612322001672
    DOI: 10.1016/j.frl.2022.102883
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    Cited by:

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    2. Ali, Shoaib & Ijaz, Muhammad Shahzad & Yousaf, Imran, 2023. "Dynamic spillovers and portfolio risk management between defi and metals: Empirical evidence from the Covid-19," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 83(C).
    3. Chu, Jeffrey & Chan, Stephen & Zhang, Yuanyuan, 2023. "An analysis of the return–volume relationship in decentralised finance (DeFi)," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 85(C), pages 236-254.
    4. Şoiman, Florentina & Dumas, Jean-Guillaume & Jimenez-Garces, Sonia, 2023. "What drives DeFi market returns?," Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, Elsevier, vol. 85(C).
    5. Shilov, Kirill (Шилов, Кирилл) & Zubarev, Andrey (Зубарев, Андрей), 2023. "Return factors of Ether cryptocurrency: on chain metrics and DeFi," Working Papers w20220221, Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration.
    6. Hodula, Martin, 2023. "Fintech credit, big tech credit and income inequality," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 51(C).
    7. Ghosh, Indranil & Alfaro-Cortés, Esteban & Gámez, Matías & García, Noelia, 2023. "Do travel uncertainty and invasion rhetoric spur Metaverse financial asset? – Gauging the role of media influence," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 51(C).
    8. Lee, Seungju & Lee, Jaewook & Lee, Yunyoung, 2023. "Dissecting the Terra-LUNA crash: Evidence from the spillover effect and information flow," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 53(C).
    9. Yousaf, Imran & Jareño, Francisco & Martínez-Serna, María-Isabel, 2023. "Extreme spillovers between insurance tokens and insurance stocks: Evidence from the quantile connectedness approach," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Finance, Elsevier, vol. 39(C).
    10. Bennett, Donyetta & Mekelburg, Erik & Williams, T.H., 2023. "BeFi meets DeFi: A behavioral finance approach to decentralized finance asset pricing," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 65(C).
    11. Qiao, Xingzhi & Zhu, Huiming & Tang, Yiding & Peng, Cheng, 2023. "Time-frequency extreme risk spillover network of cryptocurrency coins, DeFi tokens and NFTs," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 51(C).
    12. Ghosh, Indranil & Alfaro-Cortés, Esteban & Gámez, Matías & García-Rubio, Noelia, 2023. "Prediction and interpretation of daily NFT and DeFi prices dynamics: Inspection through ensemble machine learning & XAI," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 87(C).
    13. Cevik, Emrah Ismail & Gunay, Samet & Zafar, Muhammad Wasif & Destek, Mehmet Akif & Bugan, Mehmet Fatih & Tuna, Fatih, 2022. "The impact of digital finance on the natural resource market: Evidence from DeFi, oil, and gold," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 79(C).
    14. Yousaf, Imran & Jareño, Francisco & Esparcia, Carlos, 2022. "Tail connectedness between lending/borrowing tokens and commercial bank stocks," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 84(C).
    15. Yousaf, Imran & Riaz, Yasir & Goodell, John W., 2023. "Integration between asset management tokens, asset management stock, and other financial markets: Evidence from TVP-VAR modeling," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 57(C).
    16. Ghosh, Bikramaditya & Bouri, Elie & Wee, Jung Bum & Zulfiqar, Noshaba, 2023. "Return and volatility properties: Stylized facts from the universe of cryptocurrencies and NFTs," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 65(C).
    17. Kirimhan, Destan, 2023. "Importance of anti-money laundering regulations among prosumers for a cybersecure decentralized finance," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 157(C).
    18. Anton Badev & Cy Watsky, 2023. "Interconnected DeFi: Ripple Effects from the Terra Collapse," Finance and Economics Discussion Series 2023-044, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (U.S.).
    19. Yousaf, Imran & Riaz, Yasir & Goodell, John W., 2023. "Energy cryptocurrencies: Assessing connectedness with other asset classes," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 52(C).
    20. Shaen Corbet & John W. Goodell & Samet Gunay & Kerem Kaskaloglu, 2023. "Are DeFi tokens a separate asset class from conventional cryptocurrencies?," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 322(2), pages 609-630, March.
    21. Yousaf, Imran & Abrar, Afsheen & Goodell, John W., 2023. "Connectedness between travel & tourism tokens, tourism equity, and other assets," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 53(C).

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