The Role of Promotion Versus Prevention-Orientation to Predict Individual Cryptocurrency Participation

Abstract

We investigate cryptocurrency participation within the context of Regulatory Focus Theory (RFT) among 1,519 individuals in Denmark, Finland and Sweden. Analysis of survey responses identifies the tendency for promotion-focused investors to gravitate towards the high-risk, high-reward potential of cryptocurrencies, while prevention-focused investors adopt a more cautious approach that prioritizes safer assets. Our results which demonstrate that RFT can be used to predict current and future cryptocurrency participation contribute to understanding the profile of participants in the rapidly growing cryptocurrency market.

Keywords: Cryptocurrencies, individual investors, investment decision-making, Regulatory Focus Theory