From a cryptocurrency perspective, if custom hardware (ASICs) gives a mining edge, then mining power will concentrate to those who build custom hardware. If co

From a cryptocurrency perspective, if custom hardware (ASICs) gives a mining edge, then mining power will concentrate to those who build custom hardware. If commodity hardware is competitive for mining, then mining power is more likely to be distributed amongst a network of users, rather than owned by a few big players. You might ask why the network of users doesn't just buy the custom mining hardware. But the economics of it doesn't work out in the long run. If you can build a machine that prints money, why would you sell it to me for less than its lifetime money-printing value?