Title: Cryptocurrencies: from characteristics to behaviours

Authors: Rui Gonçalves; Leandro Pereira; Renato Lopes Da Costa; Álvaro Dias; Natália Teixeira

Addresses: LABest – PIAGET Almada, Quinta da Arreinela, 2805-059, Almada, Portugal ' WINNING LAB, Business Research Unit (BRU), Instituto Universitário de Lisboa (ISCTE), Av. das Forças Armadas, 1649-026, Lisbon, Portugal ' Business Research Unit – BRU-IUL, Instituto Universitário de Lisboa (ISCTE), Lisbon, Portugal ' Universidade Lusófona de Humanidades e Tecnologias, Campo Grande, 376, 1749-024 Lisboa, Portugal; Instituto Universitário de Lisboa (ISCTE), Av. das Forças Armadas, 1649-026, Lisbon, Portugal ' Business and Economics School (ISG), Av. Marechal Craveiro Lopes No. 2, 1700-284, Lisbon, Portugal

Abstract: Over the past few years, cryptocurrencies have been increasingly spoken and have become a global phenomenon known. Their high volatility and lack of regulation makes these investments very risky, and even though these coins are often associated with criminal activities, an increase on the number of investors is visible every day. Most of the published studies explain the technology behind cryptocurrencies, however, there was no published study that aims to understand what kind of profile these investors have and what are their motivations or expectations. Based on a questionnaires and interviews presented to the investors, this study concluded that there are two separate investor profiles and also understood what are their motivations and expectations for the future. It was also possible to see what vision regulators, private equities and corporate banking have for this new type of currency and if they consider them as a valid mean of payment.

Keywords: cryptocurrencies; investors; financial companies; Bitcoin.

DOI: 10.1504/IJASS.2022.124082

International Journal of Applied Systemic Studies, 2022 Vol.9 No.3, pp.214 - 239

Received: 01 May 2021
Accepted: 23 Aug 2021
Published online: 12 Jul 2022 *