Xiaoquan Jiang, professor of finance and Ryder Systems Research Fellow at FIU Business, has been selected for the Fulbright-University of Turku Scholar Award to advance research on cryptocurrency volatility.
Jiang will spend over six months at the University of Turku in Finland beginning in January 2027, working on a project titled “Decrypting Cryptocurrency Volatility.”
His research seeks to move beyond broad “fear and greed” explanations of cryptocurrency markets by developing a data-driven framework to better understand the forces behind digital asset volatility.
The project will examine how macroeconomic shifts, monetary policy, market shocks, trading activity, leveraged liquidations, investor sentiment and regulatory announcements contribute to cryptocurrency price swings.
Jiang also plans to compare U.S. and European market dynamics, including how different regulatory environments may influence volatility.
“This award is a direct testament to the strength and rising global reputation of FIU’s finance faculty,” Jiang said. “FIU Business has strategically invested in fintech and financial data analytics, creating a research environment where faculty are encouraged to tackle nascent, high-risk topics like cryptocurrency.”
Jiang said the University of Turku is a strong fit for the project because of its expertise in time-series forecasting, machine learning, algorithmic finance and European financial markets. The Fulbright experience will also support greater international collaboration between FIU Business and scholars in Finland.
The Fulbright Program is one of the world’s most widely recognized academic exchange programs, supporting research, teaching and international collaboration.