Dutch auction dynamics in non-fungible token (NFT) markets

Abstract

Non-fungible tokens (NFTs) rose to prominence as a wide-scale implementation of blockchain technology to support the emergence of crypto-asset markets. These nascent digital markets raise questions about the behaviours of investors in the digital economy and their appetite for risk. Using 28,919 auction listings, 4937 sales, and 30,197 Telegram messages, we conduct a field study on the bidding and selling behaviours of NFT investors in a Dutch auction system. We reveal risk-seeking behaviours in our sample of Dutch auction sales. We document that time pressures and value propositions significantly influence NFT investors: fast clock speeds and greater price separations induce underbidding behaviours and are associated with low value retention for sellers. These results are confirmed using a matched-pairs analysis. Our study raises further questions on the risk preferences of investors in emergent digital marketplaces. We propose value maximisation strategies for marketplace developers and participants, while drawing attention to the presence of potentially exploitable biases and heuristics amongst participants, courtesy of bidding incentivisation schemes significantly altering how investors value NFTs.