Cryptocurrency boom, a problem for gamers, is a bonanza for GPU makers

Enlarge / Six graphics cards sit in a mining rig built by Philadelphia miner Matthew Freilich. (credit: Matthew Freilich)

The cryptocurrency boom has created a persistent shortage of high-end graphics cards. That has been a headache for gamers, who have to pay inflated prices for GPUs-if they can find them at all. But it has been a financial windfall to leading graphics card makers Nvidia and AMD.

On Thursday, Nvidia reported soaring profits for the fourth quarter of 2017-a period when rapidly rising prices for Ethereum and other cryptocurrencies was driving a boom in amateur cryptocurrency mining with graphics cards.

"Strong demand in the cryptocurrency market exceeded our expectations," Nvidia chief financial officer Colette Kress said in a call with analysts on Thursday.

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