Dash coins are created through a process called mining, in which users deploy their computer hardware to perform resource-intensive computations and secure the network. In exchange for this, Dash miners are rewarded with newly-issued DASH coins. Anyone can join a mining pool, form their own, participate in P2Pool, or solo mine the currency. Mined blocks may additionally be locked by masternode quorums, preventing 51% attacks (ChainLocks).
Every 2.5 minutes, a block is added to Dash’s blockchain, and the miner who added the block is rewarded with a set amount of DASH coins. This reward process is a bit random, which is why a lot of miners join together to form a pool and split the rewards in order to have a more dependable profit.
Since Dash mining can be done using consumer hardware, such as CPU or GPU, it is possible with a small investment. However, depending on your location, the profit can vary, as mining requires a considerable amount of electrical power. This makes mining a much worse option in countries where electricity is more expensive, which is a major part of the upkeep cost and can even cause a net loss for miners.