Skip to main content
Top
Published in: Quality & Quantity 1/2019

16-03-2018

Does Bitcoin bubble burst?

Authors: Zheng-Zheng Li, Ran Tao, Chi-Wei Su, Oana-Ramona Lobonţ

Published in: Quality & Quantity | Issue 1/2019

Log in

Activate our intelligent search to find suitable subject content or patents.

search-config
loading …

Abstract

This paper explores when will occur and collapse in Bitcoin bubbles by applying generalized sup augmented Dickey–Fuller test method proposed by Phillips et al. (Testing for multiple bubbles: historical episodes of exuberance and collapse in the S&P 500. Singapore Management University, Working Paper, No. 04-2013, 2013). The results show that there are six explosive bubbles in China and five bubbles in U.S. market, mostly occur in the period of huge surges in Bitcoin price. This is consistent with the bubble model originated by Blanchard and Watson (Bubbles, rational expectations and financial markets. NBER Working Paper, No. 945 1982) that certain asset price is decomposed into fundamental and the bubble components. In particular, exogenous shocks, including foreign or domestic economic events lead to the origination of bubbles. Serious financial crisis may trigger long-term and large- scale bubbles, while relative not persistence (short-term) bubbles are caused by domestic particular components. It can be inferred that Bitcoin can be used as a hedge against market specific risk. Finally, Bitcoin bubbles would collapse due to the administrative intervention by economic authorities. Thereby, government should lead public expectation to keep the confidence to authority and reduce the speculation behavior to stabilize the asset price and financial market.

Dont have a licence yet? Then find out more about our products and how to get one now:

Springer Professional "Wirtschaft+Technik"

Online-Abonnement

Mit Springer Professional "Wirtschaft+Technik" erhalten Sie Zugriff auf:

  • über 102.000 Bücher
  • über 537 Zeitschriften

aus folgenden Fachgebieten:

  • Automobil + Motoren
  • Bauwesen + Immobilien
  • Business IT + Informatik
  • Elektrotechnik + Elektronik
  • Energie + Nachhaltigkeit
  • Finance + Banking
  • Management + Führung
  • Marketing + Vertrieb
  • Maschinenbau + Werkstoffe
  • Versicherung + Risiko

Jetzt Wissensvorsprung sichern!

Springer Professional "Wirtschaft"

Online-Abonnement

Mit Springer Professional "Wirtschaft" erhalten Sie Zugriff auf:

  • über 67.000 Bücher
  • über 340 Zeitschriften

aus folgenden Fachgebieten:

  • Bauwesen + Immobilien
  • Business IT + Informatik
  • Finance + Banking
  • Management + Führung
  • Marketing + Vertrieb
  • Versicherung + Risiko




Jetzt Wissensvorsprung sichern!

Footnotes
1
The reason for the existence of price difference are recognized there is no central authority regulating the price. The arbitrary potentially exists, but it requires additional fees in setting up and verifying accounts at multiple exchanges and there is still the risk that the price differences will have normalized or even reversed by the time your transfer goes through.
 
2
Given the assumption of rational behavior and expectations, the price of an asset must simply reflect market fundamentals. Also, the price depends on information about current and future returns from this asset. Blanchard and Watson (1982) propose that a stochastic asset bubble occurs when speculators purchase a financial asset at a price above its fundamental value in the expectation of a subsequent capital gain. If such bubbles persist, investors are irrational in their failure to profit from the “overpriced” asset, which is referred as “irrational bubbles”. Deviations from this market fundamental value are taken as preliminary evidence of irrationality (Flood and Garber 1980).
 
3
Silk Road is a black-market shopping site using covert services. This website trades in Bitcoin, and the exchange rate is pegged to the dollar.
 
4
The block chain is a growing historical “book of records” containing full information about all transactions that take place in the network. Every BTC client keeps a complete copy of the block chain, stored locally in the form of raw binary data (Garcia et al. 2014).
 
Literature
go back to reference Ahamed, L.: Lords of Finance: The bankers Who Broke the World. Penguin Press, New York (2009) Ahamed, L.: Lords of Finance: The bankers Who Broke the World. Penguin Press, New York (2009)
go back to reference Blanchard, O.J., Watson, M.W.: Bubbles, rational expectations and financial markets. NBER Working Paper, No. 945 (1982) Blanchard, O.J., Watson, M.W.: Bubbles, rational expectations and financial markets. NBER Working Paper, No. 945 (1982)
go back to reference Brandvold, M., Molnár, P., Vagstad, K., Valstad, O.C.A.: Price discovery on Bitcoin exchanges. J. Int. Financ. Mark. Inst. Money 36, 18–35 (2015)CrossRef Brandvold, M., Molnár, P., Vagstad, K., Valstad, O.C.A.: Price discovery on Bitcoin exchanges. J. Int. Financ. Mark. Inst. Money 36, 18–35 (2015)CrossRef
go back to reference Bouoiyour, J., Selmi, R.: What does Bitcoin look like? Ann. Econ. Finance 16(2), 449–492 (2015) Bouoiyour, J., Selmi, R.: What does Bitcoin look like? Ann. Econ. Finance 16(2), 449–492 (2015)
go back to reference Bouoiyour, J., Selmi, R., Tiwari, A.K.: Is Bitcoin business income or speculative bubble? Unconditional vs. conditional frequency domain analysis. Ann. Financ. Econ. 10(2), 1–23 (2015) Bouoiyour, J., Selmi, R., Tiwari, A.K.: Is Bitcoin business income or speculative bubble? Unconditional vs. conditional frequency domain analysis. Ann. Financ. Econ. 10(2), 1–23 (2015)
go back to reference Bouoiyour, J., Selmi, R., Tiwari, A.K., Olayeni, O.R.: What drives Bitcoin price? Econ. Bull. 36(2), 843–850 (2016) Bouoiyour, J., Selmi, R., Tiwari, A.K., Olayeni, O.R.: What drives Bitcoin price? Econ. Bull. 36(2), 843–850 (2016)
go back to reference Cheah, E.T., Fry, J.: Speculative bubbles in Bitcoin markets? An empirical investigation into the fundamental value of Bitcoin. Econ. Lett. 130, 32–36 (2015)CrossRef Cheah, E.T., Fry, J.: Speculative bubbles in Bitcoin markets? An empirical investigation into the fundamental value of Bitcoin. Econ. Lett. 130, 32–36 (2015)CrossRef
go back to reference Cheung, A., Roca, E., Su, J.J.: Crypto-currency bubbles: an application of the Phillips–Shi–Yu (2013) methodology on Mt. Gox bitcoin prices. Appl. Econ. 47(23), 2348–2358 (2015)CrossRef Cheung, A., Roca, E., Su, J.J.: Crypto-currency bubbles: an application of the Phillips–Shi–Yu (2013) methodology on Mt. Gox bitcoin prices. Appl. Econ. 47(23), 2348–2358 (2015)CrossRef
go back to reference Ciaian, P., Rajcaniova, M., Kancs, D.: The economics of Bitcoin price formation. Appl. Econ. 48(19), 1799–1815 (2015)CrossRef Ciaian, P., Rajcaniova, M., Kancs, D.: The economics of Bitcoin price formation. Appl. Econ. 48(19), 1799–1815 (2015)CrossRef
go back to reference Dale, R.S., Johnson, J.E., Tang, L.: Financial markets can go mad: evidence of irrational behaviour during the South Sea Bubble. Econ. Hist. Rev. 58(2), 233–271 (2005)CrossRef Dale, R.S., Johnson, J.E., Tang, L.: Financial markets can go mad: evidence of irrational behaviour during the South Sea Bubble. Econ. Hist. Rev. 58(2), 233–271 (2005)CrossRef
go back to reference Diba, B.T., Grossman, H.I.: Explosive rational bubbles in stock prices? Am. Econ. Rev. 78(3), 520–530 (1988) Diba, B.T., Grossman, H.I.: Explosive rational bubbles in stock prices? Am. Econ. Rev. 78(3), 520–530 (1988)
go back to reference Dowd, K.: New Private Monies: A Bit-Part Player?. Institute of Economic Affairs, London (2014). ISBN 978-0-255-36694-6 Dowd, K.: New Private Monies: A Bit-Part Player?. Institute of Economic Affairs, London (2014). ISBN 978-0-255-36694-6
go back to reference Dyhrberg, A.H.: Hedging capabilities of bitcoin. Is it the virtual gold? Finance Res. Lett. 16, 139–144 (2016)CrossRef Dyhrberg, A.H.: Hedging capabilities of bitcoin. Is it the virtual gold? Finance Res. Lett. 16, 139–144 (2016)CrossRef
go back to reference Evans, G.W.: The fragility of sunspots and bubbles. J. Monet. Econ. 23(2), 297–317 (1989)CrossRef Evans, G.W.: The fragility of sunspots and bubbles. J. Monet. Econ. 23(2), 297–317 (1989)CrossRef
go back to reference Evans, G.W.: Pitfalls in testing for explosive bubbles in asset prices. Am. Econ. Rev. 81, 922–930 (1991) Evans, G.W.: Pitfalls in testing for explosive bubbles in asset prices. Am. Econ. Rev. 81, 922–930 (1991)
go back to reference Evans-Pughe, C.: From megabytes to megabucks [e-currency]. Eng. Technol. 7(4), 59–61 (2012)CrossRef Evans-Pughe, C.: From megabytes to megabucks [e-currency]. Eng. Technol. 7(4), 59–61 (2012)CrossRef
go back to reference Flood, R.P., Garber, P.M.: Market fundamentals versus price-level bubbles: the first tests. Polit. Econ. 88, 745–770 (1980)CrossRef Flood, R.P., Garber, P.M.: Market fundamentals versus price-level bubbles: the first tests. Polit. Econ. 88, 745–770 (1980)CrossRef
go back to reference Froot, K.A., Obstfeld, M.: Intrinsic bubbles: the case of stock prices. Am. Econ. Rev. 81, 1189–1214 (1989) Froot, K.A., Obstfeld, M.: Intrinsic bubbles: the case of stock prices. Am. Econ. Rev. 81, 1189–1214 (1989)
go back to reference Fry, J., Cheah, E.T.: Negative bubbles and shocks in cryptocurrency markets. Int. Rev. Financ. Anal. 47, 343–352 (2016)CrossRef Fry, J., Cheah, E.T.: Negative bubbles and shocks in cryptocurrency markets. Int. Rev. Financ. Anal. 47, 343–352 (2016)CrossRef
go back to reference Garcia, D., Tessone, C.J., Mavrodiev, P., Perony, N.: The digital traces of bubbles: feedback cycles between socio-economic signals in the Bitcoin economy. J. R. Soc. Interface 11(99), 20140623 (2014)CrossRef Garcia, D., Tessone, C.J., Mavrodiev, P., Perony, N.: The digital traces of bubbles: feedback cycles between socio-economic signals in the Bitcoin economy. J. R. Soc. Interface 11(99), 20140623 (2014)CrossRef
go back to reference Grinberg, R.: Bitcoin: an innovative alternative digital currency. Hastings Sci. Technol. Law J. 4(1), 160–206 (2011) Grinberg, R.: Bitcoin: an innovative alternative digital currency. Hastings Sci. Technol. Law J. 4(1), 160–206 (2011)
go back to reference Grinberg, R.: Bitcoin: an alternative digital currency. Hastings Sci. Technol. Law J. 4, 159–208 (2012) Grinberg, R.: Bitcoin: an alternative digital currency. Hastings Sci. Technol. Law J. 4, 159–208 (2012)
go back to reference Gürkaynak, R.S.: Econometric tests of asset price bubbles: taking stock. J. Econ. Surv. 22(1), 166–186 (2008)CrossRef Gürkaynak, R.S.: Econometric tests of asset price bubbles: taking stock. J. Econ. Surv. 22(1), 166–186 (2008)CrossRef
go back to reference Homm, U., Breitung, J.: Testing for speculative bubbles in stock markets: a comparison of alternative methods. J. Financ. Econom. 10(1), 198–231 (2012)CrossRef Homm, U., Breitung, J.: Testing for speculative bubbles in stock markets: a comparison of alternative methods. J. Financ. Econom. 10(1), 198–231 (2012)CrossRef
go back to reference Kindleberger, C.P.: Manias, panics, and crashes: a history of financial crises. Scriblerian Kit-Cats 32(2), 379 (2000) Kindleberger, C.P.: Manias, panics, and crashes: a history of financial crises. Scriblerian Kit-Cats 32(2), 379 (2000)
go back to reference Kristoufek, L.: BitCoin meets Google Trends and Wikipedia: quantifying the relationship between phenomena of the Internet era. Sci. Rep. 3(3415), 1–7 (2013) Kristoufek, L.: BitCoin meets Google Trends and Wikipedia: quantifying the relationship between phenomena of the Internet era. Sci. Rep. 3(3415), 1–7 (2013)
go back to reference Kristoufek, L.: What are the main drivers of the Bitcoin price? Evidence from wavelet coherence analysis. PLoS ONE 10(4), e0123923 (2014)CrossRef Kristoufek, L.: What are the main drivers of the Bitcoin price? Evidence from wavelet coherence analysis. PLoS ONE 10(4), e0123923 (2014)CrossRef
go back to reference Kurihara, Y., Fukushima, A.: The market efficiency of Bitcoin: a weekly anomaly perspective. J. Appl. Finance Bank. 7(3), 57 (2017) Kurihara, Y., Fukushima, A.: The market efficiency of Bitcoin: a weekly anomaly perspective. J. Appl. Finance Bank. 7(3), 57 (2017)
go back to reference Lucas Jr., R.E.: Asset prices in an exchange economy. Econom. J. Econom. Soc. 46, 1429–1445 (1978) Lucas Jr., R.E.: Asset prices in an exchange economy. Econom. J. Econom. Soc. 46, 1429–1445 (1978)
go back to reference MacDonell, A.: Popping the Bitcoin bubble: an application of log-periodic power law modeling to digital currency. University of Notre Dame, Working Paper (2014) MacDonell, A.: Popping the Bitcoin bubble: an application of log-periodic power law modeling to digital currency. University of Notre Dame, Working Paper (2014)
go back to reference Pavlidis, E., Paya, I., Peel, D.: A new test for rational speculative bubbles using forward exchange rates: the case of the interwar German hyperinflation. Working Paper, No. 09-2012 (2012) Pavlidis, E., Paya, I., Peel, D.: A new test for rational speculative bubbles using forward exchange rates: the case of the interwar German hyperinflation. Working Paper, No. 09-2012 (2012)
go back to reference Phillips, P.C.B., Perron, P.: Testing for a unit root in time series regression. Biometrika 75, 335–346 (1988)CrossRef Phillips, P.C.B., Perron, P.: Testing for a unit root in time series regression. Biometrika 75, 335–346 (1988)CrossRef
go back to reference Phillips, P., Yu, J.: Dating the timeline of financial bubbles during the subprime crisis. SMU Economics and Statistics Working Paper Series, No. 18-2009 (2009) Phillips, P., Yu, J.: Dating the timeline of financial bubbles during the subprime crisis. SMU Economics and Statistics Working Paper Series, No. 18-2009 (2009)
go back to reference Phillips, P.C.B., Shi, S., Yu, J.: Testing for multiple bubbles. Singapore Management University, Working Paper, No. 09-2011 (2011a) Phillips, P.C.B., Shi, S., Yu, J.: Testing for multiple bubbles. Singapore Management University, Working Paper, No. 09-2011 (2011a)
go back to reference Phillips, P.C.B., Wu, Y., Yu, J.: Explosive behavior in the 1990s Nasdaq: when did exuberance escalate asset values. Int. Econ. Rev. 52, 201–226 (2011)CrossRef Phillips, P.C.B., Wu, Y., Yu, J.: Explosive behavior in the 1990s Nasdaq: when did exuberance escalate asset values. Int. Econ. Rev. 52, 201–226 (2011)CrossRef
go back to reference Phillips, P.C.B., Yu, J.: Dating the timeline of financial bubbles during the subprime crisis. Quant. Econ. 2, 455–491 (2011)CrossRef Phillips, P.C.B., Yu, J.: Dating the timeline of financial bubbles during the subprime crisis. Quant. Econ. 2, 455–491 (2011)CrossRef
go back to reference Phillips, P.C.B., Shi, S., Yu, J.: Testing for multiple bubbles. Yale University, New Haven, CT, Working Paper, No. 1843 (2012) Phillips, P.C.B., Shi, S., Yu, J.: Testing for multiple bubbles. Yale University, New Haven, CT, Working Paper, No. 1843 (2012)
go back to reference Phillips, P.C.B., Shi, S., Yu, J.: Testing for multiple bubbles: historical episodes of exuberance and collapse in the S&P 500, Singapore Management University, Working Paper, No. 04-2013 (2013) Phillips, P.C.B., Shi, S., Yu, J.: Testing for multiple bubbles: historical episodes of exuberance and collapse in the S&P 500, Singapore Management University, Working Paper, No. 04-2013 (2013)
go back to reference Plassaras, N.A.: Regulating digital currencies: bringing Bitcoin within the reach of the IMF. Chicago J. Int. Law 14, 377–407 (2013) Plassaras, N.A.: Regulating digital currencies: bringing Bitcoin within the reach of the IMF. Chicago J. Int. Law 14, 377–407 (2013)
go back to reference Ponsford, M.P.: A comparative analysis of Bitcoin and other decentralised virtual currencies: legal regulation in the people’s republic of China, Canada, and the United States. Hong Kong J. Legal Stud. 9, 29–50 (2015) Ponsford, M.P.: A comparative analysis of Bitcoin and other decentralised virtual currencies: legal regulation in the people’s republic of China, Canada, and the United States. Hong Kong J. Legal Stud. 9, 29–50 (2015)
go back to reference Richardson, V.: Currency kings. Entrepreneur 42, 40 (2014) Richardson, V.: Currency kings. Entrepreneur 42, 40 (2014)
go back to reference Reinhart, C.M., Rogoff, K.S.: The aftermath of financial crises. NBER Working Paper No. w14656 (2009) Reinhart, C.M., Rogoff, K.S.: The aftermath of financial crises. NBER Working Paper No. w14656 (2009)
go back to reference Shiller, R.: Stock prices and social dynamics. Brook. Pap. Econ. Activity 2, 457–498 (1984)CrossRef Shiller, R.: Stock prices and social dynamics. Brook. Pap. Econ. Activity 2, 457–498 (1984)CrossRef
go back to reference Shiller, R.J.: Irrational Exuberance. Princeton University Press, Princeton (2005) Shiller, R.J.: Irrational Exuberance. Princeton University Press, Princeton (2005)
go back to reference Stokes, R.: Virtual money laundering: the case of Bitcoin and the linden dollar. Inf. Commun. Technol. Law 21, 221–236 (2012)CrossRef Stokes, R.: Virtual money laundering: the case of Bitcoin and the linden dollar. Inf. Commun. Technol. Law 21, 221–236 (2012)CrossRef
go back to reference Swartz, N.D.: Bursting the Bitcoin bubble: the case to regulate digital currency as a security or commodity. Tulane J. Technol. Intell. Property 17, 319 (2014) Swartz, N.D.: Bursting the Bitcoin bubble: the case to regulate digital currency as a security or commodity. Tulane J. Technol. Intell. Property 17, 319 (2014)
go back to reference Tirole, J.: On the possibility of speculation under rational expectations. Econometrica 50, 1163–1181 (1982)CrossRef Tirole, J.: On the possibility of speculation under rational expectations. Econometrica 50, 1163–1181 (1982)CrossRef
go back to reference Tirole, J.: Asset bubbles and overlapping generations. Econometrica 53, 1499–1528 (1985)CrossRef Tirole, J.: Asset bubbles and overlapping generations. Econometrica 53, 1499–1528 (1985)CrossRef
go back to reference Tsukerman, M.: The block is hot: a survey of the state of Bitcoin regulation and suggestions for the future. Berkeley Technol. Law J. 30, 11–27 (2015) Tsukerman, M.: The block is hot: a survey of the state of Bitcoin regulation and suggestions for the future. Berkeley Technol. Law J. 30, 11–27 (2015)
go back to reference van Wijk, D.: What can be expected from the Bitcoin? Erasmus Rotterdam University. Working Paper, No. 345986 (2013) van Wijk, D.: What can be expected from the Bitcoin? Erasmus Rotterdam University. Working Paper, No. 345986 (2013)
go back to reference Vogel, H.L., Werner, R.A.: An analytical review of volatility metrics for bubbles and crashes. Int. Rev. Financ. Anal. 38, 15–28 (2015)CrossRef Vogel, H.L., Werner, R.A.: An analytical review of volatility metrics for bubbles and crashes. Int. Rev. Financ. Anal. 38, 15–28 (2015)CrossRef
go back to reference Williams, M. T.: Virtual currencies—Bitcoin risk. In: World Bank Conference, Washington, DC. No. 21 (2014) Williams, M. T.: Virtual currencies—Bitcoin risk. In: World Bank Conference, Washington, DC. No. 21 (2014)
go back to reference Wu, C.Y., Pandey, V.K.: The value of Bitcoin in enhancing the efficiency of an investor’s portfolio. J. Financ. Plan. 27(9), 44–52 (2014) Wu, C.Y., Pandey, V.K.: The value of Bitcoin in enhancing the efficiency of an investor’s portfolio. J. Financ. Plan. 27(9), 44–52 (2014)
go back to reference Yermack, D.: Is Bitcoin a real currency? An economic appraisal. NBER Working Paper, No. 19747 (2014) Yermack, D.: Is Bitcoin a real currency? An economic appraisal. NBER Working Paper, No. 19747 (2014)
Metadata
Title
Does Bitcoin bubble burst?
Authors
Zheng-Zheng Li
Ran Tao
Chi-Wei Su
Oana-Ramona Lobonţ
Publication date
16-03-2018
Publisher
Springer Netherlands
Published in
Quality & Quantity / Issue 1/2019
Print ISSN: 0033-5177
Electronic ISSN: 1573-7845
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11135-018-0728-3

Other articles of this Issue 1/2019

Quality & Quantity 1/2019 Go to the issue

Premium Partner