Blockchain mania: A perspective on corporate executive opportunism

This study investigates whether investors' overreactions to blockchain-related announcements is driven by corporate executive opportunism in the Chinese capital market. We manually collect blockchain-related announcements made by Chinese listed firms over 2016–2022 and conduct an event study to estimate market reaction. The announcements are further categorized as value-driven and speculation-driven announcements. Although both announcement types elicit positive short-term market reactions, the long-term reactions to speculation-driven announcements fade and even reverse, while the value-driven ones remain positive. Additionally, we determine that speculation-driven announcements are followed by seasoned equity offerings, negative news releases, and reductions in the stockholdings of large shareholders and executives, suggesting corporate executive opportunism. Finally, we demonstrate the efficacy of internal and external corporate governance in reducing corporate executive opportunism. Our study sheds light on market reactions to blockchain-related announcements from the perspective of executives’ opportunism.