Impact of Cryptocurrency Volatility on Stock Market Performance in Nigeria

Cryptocurrencies have gained popularity and are increasingly used in the global financial system, despite their volatile nature. They have become an attractive financial instrument for individuals and corporations due to their potentials for high returns, decentralized nature, and exemption from strict government regulations. This study aims to investigate how cryptocurrency volatility affects the performance of companies listed on the Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX). The study uses an ex post facto research design and the GARCH (1,1) model. Weekly data on Bitcoin and Ethereum were obtained from www.ng.investing.com and used to construct a cryptocurrency composite index with principal component analysis (PCA). The All-Share Index data were extracted from the Security and Exchange Commission (SEC) statistical bulletin between January 2017 and December 2021. The result of the mean equation shows that cryptocurrency trading in Nigeria responds more to positive sentiment and good news than bad news, while the variance equation reveals that current conditional volatility of cryptocurrencies and companies' performance is influenced by their previous shocks and past volatility conditions. The study also found evidence of volatility clustering in companies’ performance on the NGX. Therefore, investors are advised to exercise caution in an expanding cryptocurrency market, while regulators and policymakers should use relevant indicators to avoid contagion risk that could spread to the stock market. This paper is significant and relevant to achieving the Nigerian government's plan to introduce an official virtual currency.