{"title":"One Cryptocurrency to Explain Them All? Understanding the Importance of Bitcoin in Cryptocurrency Returns","authors":"Lee Alan Smales","doi":"10.1111/1759-3441.12282","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p>We utilise principal component analysis to determine whether a (small) set of factors can explain cryptocurrency returns and whether this varies over time. We find that a substantial proportion of cryptocurrency return variation is explained by a single principal component that is highly correlated with bitcoin returns. The explanatory power of this factor is greatest for larger cryptocurrencies and increases markedly in the most recent part of the sample. Our results have implications for investors determining optimal portfolio decisions and for policy-makers wary of systemic risk.</p>","PeriodicalId":45208,"journal":{"name":"Economic Papers","volume":"39 2","pages":"118-132"},"PeriodicalIF":0.9000,"publicationDate":"2020-04-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1111/1759-3441.12282","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Economic Papers","FirstCategoryId":"1085","ListUrlMain":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1759-3441.12282","RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":null,"ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q3","JCRName":"ECONOMICS","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
We utilise principal component analysis to determine whether a (small) set of factors can explain cryptocurrency returns and whether this varies over time. We find that a substantial proportion of cryptocurrency return variation is explained by a single principal component that is highly correlated with bitcoin returns. The explanatory power of this factor is greatest for larger cryptocurrencies and increases markedly in the most recent part of the sample. Our results have implications for investors determining optimal portfolio decisions and for policy-makers wary of systemic risk.
期刊介绍:
Economic Papers is one of two journals published by the Economics Society of Australia. The journal features a balance of high quality research in applied economics and economic policy analysis which distinguishes it from other Australian journals. The intended audience is the broad range of economists working in business, government and academic communities within Australia and internationally who are interested in economic issues related to Australia and the Asia-Pacific region. Contributions are sought from economists working in these areas and should be written to be accessible to a wide section of our readership. All contributions are refereed.