Blockchain Token Economics: A Mean-Field-Type Game Perspective

Abstract

This paper studies the blockchain cryptographic tokens by means of mean-field-type game theory. It introduces the variance-aware utility function per decision-maker to capture the risk of cryptographic tokens associated with the uncertainties of technology adoption, network security, regulatory legislation, and market volatility. We establish a relationship between the network characteristics, token price, number of token holders, and token supply. Both in-chain diversification and cross-chain diversification among tokens are examined by using a mean-variance approach. The results suggest that the number of tokens in circulation needs to be adjusted in order to capture risk-awareness and self-regulatory behavior in blockchain token economics. The Sharpe and Modigliani ratios for cryptographic tokens are revisited.

Keywords

• Blockchain
• token
• risk
• network economics
• game theory
• mean-field