JOURNAL ARTICLE

The value of crypto? Sociotechnical imaginaries on cryptocurrency in YouTube content.

  • Published In: Socio-Economic Review, 2025, v. 23, n. 2. P. 759 1 of 3

  • Database: Sociology Source Ultimate 2 of 3

  • Authored By: Keere, Kobe De; Trans, Martin; Milan, Stefania 3 of 3

Abstract

This article investigates how the value of cryptocurrency is culturally and economically imagined, focusing on the sociotechnical imaginaries disseminated through YouTube content from 2013 to 2022. By analyzing transcripts of 1,921 videos using qualitative coding and Exploratory Factor Analysis, the study identifies four main imaginaries attributing value to crypto: (1) investment, emphasizing short-term profit and trading; (2) utility, highlighting practical use and mass adoption; (3) digital metallism, framing crypto—especially Bitcoin—as a scarce, sound money alternative to fiat currency inspired by Austrian economics; and (4) infrastructural mutualism, envisioning crypto as a decentralized technological and social infrastructure promoting privacy and sovereignty. The research underscores YouTube's role, shaped by its algorithm, as a significant market device influencing public perceptions of crypto's value and suggests further inquiry into how these imaginaries interact with different market actors and adoption phases.

Additional Information

  • Source:Socio-Economic Review. 2025/04, Vol. 23, Issue 2, p759
  • Document Type:Article
  • Subject Area:Technology
  • Publication Date:2025
  • ISSN:1475-1461
  • DOI:10.1093/ser/mwae081
  • Accession Number:187125468
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