Guild Wars 2

What exactly controls this?
I typed in that I’d trade 1 Gold, and then it told me that in return I’d receive 11 Gems.

It wasn’t like I could offer a certain amount of Coin for a certain amount of Gems, so how exactly does the price change if it forces you to work to a certain ratio?

The ratios are controlled by players’ actions. It’s constantly updating, because players are constantly making exchanges both ways.

As for the UI, that was ANet’s doing. Since the ratio is constantly varying it sort of makes sense doing it the same way as a child in a candy shop, “Mister how many gumballs can I get with this?” as the child holds out his hands full of loose change.

Thanks guys. So the more Gold that gets traded for Gems will increase the cost of Gems, or lower it?

When the number of Gold → Gem exchanges are greater than the number of Gem → Gold exchanges, it will continuously cost more Gold to get 1 Gem.

Increase it.

The exchange was set up with a fix but ginormous amount of gems and very little gold. The ratio between the two sets the base exchange rate that is adjusted depending if you are buying or selling gems, that’s why there are two rates.

If you exchange gold for gems, the exchange amount of gold at the exchange goes up, the amount of gems go down thus making the remaining gems worth more gold. Selling gems to the exchange does the opposite and make gems worth less gold.

This is why there’s a spike up at the exchange if something highly desirable becomes available at the Gem Store. Players rush to exchange gold for gems, rather than buying gems with cash, to purchase said item.