Abstract

“The Shy Investor: CryptoCurrencies” is a fictional case written from the point of view of an investor carrying out investment risk analysis. The protagonist is a reasonably wealthy woman in Russia who wishes to diversify her investment portfolio. The case uses a fictitious cryptocurrency called URLBoyzCoyn issued by or on behalf of an equally unreal thrash heavy metal band called the URLBoyz. The overall theme is the assessment of risk and the factors to consider before investing in cryptocurrency. The case contrasts the high returns that can be and have been made by early speculators in cryptocurrencies generally. With the risks that later entrants to the market may have to shoulder.

Learning Objectives

The case has five main learning objectives:

1. Understand cryptocurrencies and blockchain and their impacts on various social and business activities.

2. Discuss the marketing investments and strategy needed to build a sustainable ecosystem that can support a blockchain vision.

3. Illustrate the challenges of a start-up that may be placing bets on a new technology.

4. Provide insights into the emerging market dynamics as well as the unrestrained yet creative approaches to doing e-business.

5. Discuss the value proposition of blockchain initiatives and cryptocurrencies.