Cryptocurrencies increase demand for AMD-based graphics cards

Powerful graphics cards can be used to make money. The rise of cryptocurrencies means that there is a gold rush in the hunt for virtual coins and this is driving up the demand for AMD’s latest models, which offer a lot of computing power for the money.

To SweClockers, the graphics card manufacturer Club3D now states that so-called miners, people who use graphics cards to calculate cryptographic signatures for virtual coins, are becoming a significant customer group.

This is especially true in Central European countries, the United States, Asia and the Middle East, where the price of electricity is favorable. Demand is said to be so high that retailers are now raising the prices of the most popular models, in particular the Radeon R9 280X, 290X and 290.

At gathering places like Reddit, virtual gold diggers tell you that it is possible to earn the cost of a Radeon R9 280X in less than a month. There are also several examples of users who have invested tens of thousands of dollars in hardware to participate in the most popular networks Bitcoin and Litecoin.

However, the value of the virtual currencies fluctuates sharply, not least because they are mainly used for speculation – trading in currencies that aim to make a profit on movements in the exchange rate. The actual uses are limited and at the same time there are fears that the cryptocurrencies contribute to the black market and facilitate money laundering.