Understanding cryptocurrency investment behaviour in Jordan: an examination of motivational drivers through the lens of the UTAUT2 model

Purpose This study aims to explore the factors affecting investment behaviour in cryptocurrencies among Jordanian investors. Specifically, it aims to assess how various motivational and behavioural drivers impact the intention to use cryptocurrencies, grounded in the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology 2 (UTAUT2) framework. The choice of Jordan as the research context is particularly relevant due to the lack of adequate regulations on cryptocurrency investment. Design/methodology/approach This study uses a quantitative research approach, using an online survey as the primary method for data collection. The final data set consists of 285 responses collected through a self-administered questionnaire to cryptocurrency users in Jordan. Next, structural equation modelling (SEM) was used to test the developed theoretical framework based on the UTAUT2 model. Findings The findings reveal that performance expectancy, trust, hedonic motivation and price value significantly enhance the intention to invest in cryptocurrencies, with performance expectancy acting as a mediator. Effort expectancy is not directly related to behavioural intention; however, it positively impacts performance expectancy, validating the mediation hypothesis. Trust affects both the intention to use and the performance expectancy, reinforcing its role as a mediator in cryptocurrency adoption. Hedonic motivation and price value also positively affect the intention to use cryptocurrency. In contrast, social influence and facilitating conditions do not significantly impact behavioural intention, suggesting that cryptocurrency adoption decisions are less influenced by external opinions or the availability of necessary conditions. The findings also show that the demographic profiles of the cryptocurrency users were young, educated males, which suggests a demographic skew in cryptocurrency usage in Jordan. Originality/value This study innovatively adapts the UTAUT2 model, focusing on the mediating role of performance expectancy between effort expectancy, trust, and behavioural intention. This study pioneers by examining the mediation effect of performance expectancy, showing how users' ease in using cryptocurrencies positively affects their belief in positive outcomes, subsequently influencing their behavioural intention to use cryptocurrencies. Moreover, this study sheds light on the factors driving cryptocurrency adoption in developing countries like Jordan. It also underscores the demographic trends in cryptocurrency use and proposes targeted recommendations for policymakers and cryptocurrency platforms to foster more inclusive and informed investment environments.