A Social Network Analysis–based approach to investigate user behaviour during a cryptocurrency speculative bubble

Abstract

In this article, we present a Social Network Analysis–based approach to investigate user behaviour during a cryptocurrency speculative bubble in order to extract knowledge patterns about it. Our approach is general and can be applied to any past, present and future cryptocurrency speculative bubble. To verify its potential, we apply it to investigate the Ethereum speculative bubble happened in the years 2017 and 2018. We also describe several interesting knowledge patterns about the behaviour of specific categories of users that we obtained from this investigation. Furthermore, we describe how our approach can support the construction of an identikit of the speculators who maneuvered behind the Ethereum bubble analysed. Finally, we show that this capability of supporting the hunting for speculators is intrinsic of our approach and can cover past, present and future bubbles.