Cryptocurrency as a new method for participant compensation in research

Public health research relies heavily on participant involvement. Investigators have examined factors that affect participation and found that altruism enables engagement. At the same time, time commitment, family concerns, multiple follow-up visits, and potential adverse events are barriers to engagement. Thus, investigators may need to find new methods to attract and motivate participants to participate, including new compensation methods. As cryptocurrency is being increasingly used and accepted to pay and reimburse people for work activities, this currency should be similarly explored as an option for research participants to attempt to incentivize them to participate in studies and offer new possibilities for study reimbursement. This paper explores the potential use of cryptocurrency as a form of compensation in public health research studies and discusses the pros and cons of its use. Although few studies have used cryptocurrency to compensate participants, cryptocurrency may be used as a reward for various research tasks, including filling out surveys, participating in-depth interviews or focus groups, and/or completing interventions. Using cryptocurrencies to compensate participants in health-related studies can provide benefits such as anonymity, security, and convenience. However, it also poses potential challenges, including volatility, legal and regulatory challenges, and the risk of hacking and fraud. Researchers must care-fully weigh the benefits against the potential downsides before using them as a compensation method in health-related studies. Lay Summary: People who participate in research are provided with compensation to reimburse them for being involved. This compensation is usually in the form of cash, check, or electronic gift cards. Given the increasing use of and interest in cryptocurrencies, such as Bitcoin and Ethereum, cryptocurrencies should be explored as a possibility for paying participants to participate in studies. This manuscript describes that compensation option, with considerations for researchers and the public.