The Role of Social Media Engagement in Shaping Blockchain Adoption: Insights from Thai Users

[Purpose] This study examines the effect of social media engagement (SME) on blockchain technology adoption, focusing on awareness, trust, and perceived usefulness among Thai social media users. [Design/methodology/approach] Structural equation modeling (SEM) was employed to test six hypotheses using data from 400 Thai social media users collected via an online survey. [Findings] SME significantly increases blockchain awareness, which strongly influences adoption. However, SME did not directly affect trust or perceived usefulness. Trust moderately influenced adoption, while perceived usefulness was a key driver. Awareness is a critical mediator, indicating SME's limited direct impact on trust and usefulness. [Research limitations/implications] The cross-sectional design limits causal claims. Findings may not generalize beyond Thailand due to cultural and regulatory variations. [Practical implications] Marketers and policymakers should complement social media campaigns with deeper educational initiatives and trusted institutional backing to foster blockchain adoption. [Social implications] Insights inform strategies for responsible blockchain promotion, ensuring public understanding and trust in emerging digital technologies. [Relevance to Decision Sciences] The findings directly inform Decision Sciences by modeling the cognitive and social factors that drive user adoption decisions for complex, high-risk technologies, offering a new framework for predicting technology uptake in uncertain environments. Within the broader Decision Sciences field, this research specifically advances Information Systems and Management by demonstrating how digital engagement and behavioral data can be integrated into technology adoption models, providing actionable insights for system designers and managers seeking to enhance trust, awareness, and perceived usefulness in digital innovation ecosystems. [Originality/value] This study integrates social media engagement into TAM/UTAUT frameworks in an emerging market, refining adoption theory and offering evidence-based guidance for digital engagement in technology uptake.