Cryptocurrency bubbles, information asymmetry and noise trading

Purpose This paper examines the relationship between the degree of information asymmetry among investors and the occurrence of bubbles in cryptocurrency markets. Design/methodology/approach The study applies the Philipps, Shi and Yu (PSY) methodology to identify bubbles in 74 cryptocurrencies from July 2014 to April 2021. Findings The findings indicate that there is a negative relationship between the degree of information asymmetry among investors and the number and duration of bubbles across cryptocurrencies. Originality/value This finding supports the riding-bubble argument of Asako et al. (2020), which suggests that when the information asymmetry among investors is high, rational investors are less certain about what irrational, inexperienced investors might decide. This strategic uncertainty leads rational investors to close out their positions more quickly, resulting in a shorter duration of the bubble and a reduced propensity for new bubbles to emerge. The study’s findings hold regardless of the proxies used to measure information asymmetry and noise trading, cryptocurrency characteristics and regression model specifications.