Overview
Render Network connects people who need GPU computing power with people who have spare GPUs. It grew out of OTOY, a graphics software company led by Jules Urbach, best known for its OctaneRender software used in films, ads and games. The project started in 2017.
Originally, Render was about 3D rendering: turning 3D scenes into finished images and animations, which takes a lot of GPU power. Since 2024 it has expanded strongly into AI computing.
How it works
- A creator or developer submits a job: a 3D scene to render or an AI task to run.
- The network sends it to node operators, people and companies with powerful GPUs.
- When the job is done, the customer pays and the operators earn RENDER tokens.
For AI customers, Render launched Dispersed, a platform that pools the network’s GPUs for AI training and running AI models. AI work rose from under 10% of network activity in 2024 to an estimated 35–40% in 2026.
At RenderCon in April 2026, the community approved bringing in about 60,000 consumer GPUs from Salad Network as a separate subnet. Even so, demand outgrew supply: in the second quarter of 2026, Render reported a GPU shortage for the first time since 2018.
The RENDER token
| RENDER at a glance | |
|---|---|
| Maximum supply | about 644 million RENDER |
| In circulation (Oct 2026) | about 519 million |
| Price (21 Oct 2026) | about $1.85 |
| All-time high | about $13.53 (March 2024) |
| Market cap | about $960 million (#79) |
Render uses a burn-and-mint model. Jobs are priced in dollars; customers pay in RENDER, and those tokens are burned. Separately, a set amount of new RENDER is created and paid to node operators. When usage is high, more is burned than created, and the supply shrinks.
Burns grew strongly in 2026, but they remain small compared with the total supply, so the token hasn’t tightened much yet. Because jobs are priced in dollars, more usage doesn’t automatically mean more demand for the token at a higher price.
The token moved from Ethereum to Solana in late 2023 and was renamed from RNDR to RENDER.
Security and reliability
Render has operated for years without major hacks. The main risks are business risks:
- Competition. Amazon, Google, Microsoft and specialist GPU clouds compete for the same AI customers, with far more resources.
- Token disconnect. The network can grow while the token lags, as 2026 has shown.
- Dependence on OTOY. Much of Render’s software and many relationships come from one company.
Render vs. the competition
| Render | Bittensor | Akash | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Focus | GPU rendering and AI compute | Open AI marketplace | General cloud computing |
| Token model | Burn-and-mint | Fixed supply, halvings | Inflation plus fees |
| Blockchain | Solana | Own chain | Own chain (Cosmos) |
| Real paying customers | Yes, established | Mixed | Yes, smaller |
Our verdict
Render is one of the few crypto projects with a real, working business: artists and AI teams pay to use it, and demand grew so much in 2026 that the network ran out of GPUs.
The problem is the token. Network growth hasn’t translated into a higher RENDER price, and the token trades about 86% below its 2024 peak. RENDER is a high-risk bet that usage will eventually outpace new supply. Invest only what you can afford to lose.
This review is for information only and is not financial advice.