Adverse Selection in Cryptocurrency Markets
49 Pages Posted: 4 Aug 2022
Date Written: July 06, 2022
Abstract
This paper investigates the influence that information asymmetry may possess upon the future volatility, liquidity, market toxicity, and returns within cryptocurrency markets. We use the adverse selection component of the effective spread as a proxy for overall information asymmetry. Using order and trade data from the Bitfinex Exchange, we first document statistically significant adverse selection costs for major cryptocurrencies. Our results also suggest that adverse selection costs, on average, correspond to ten percent of the estimated effective spread, indicating an economically significant impact of adverse selection risk on transaction costs in cryptocurrency markets. We finally document that adverse selection costs are important predictors of intraday volatility, liquidity, market toxicity, and returns.
Keywords: Cryptocurrencies, Market Microstructure, Adverse Selection, Informed Trading
JEL Classification: G12, G14, G15, C51
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation