user48968: Are there any other uses for ASIC hardware besides mining crypto?
Also what are the consequences of the hashing power race?

user208: ASIC stands for Application Specific Integrated Circuit.
This is hardware that is specifically designed for one use case.
Bitcoin mining ASICs are good at one thing: Bitcoin mining. If they were good at more things, they'd be less efficient and/or more costly than they need to be, and competition would replace them.

48968: <p>Are there any other uses for ASIC hardware besides mining crypto?
Also what are the consequences of the hashing power race?</p>
 208: <p>ASIC stands for Application Specific Integrated Circuit.</p>

<p>This is hardware that is specifically designed for one use case.</p>

<p>Bitcoin mining ASICs are good at one thing: Bitcoin mining. If they were good at more things, they'd be less efficient and/or more costly than they need to be, and competition would replace them.</p>
