The heated exchanges between Cardano founder Charles Hoskinson and the XRP community are well known. On December 17, 2022, Hoskinson delivered a stark assessment of the Ripple-affiliated XRP token, asserting that it offers no partnership or technical value. Ripple’s CTO, David Schwartz, interjected, urging Hoskinson to reconsider these bold statements but received no response in return. Now, exactly a year later, the crypto community is once again reminded of the viral confrontation.
Amidst the ongoing struggles and legal battles surrounding XRP, Hoskinson seized the opportunity to reinforce his stance. Describing the XRP community as “toxic” and “petty,” he even went so far as to label them “conspiracy theorists” in a previous post. When questioned about whether he stands by his declarations regarding XRP’s value, Hoskinson responded unequivocally with a blunt “yes.”
Pressed further on the basis for his conclusions, the Cardano founder cited two years of daily harassment from the XRP community, the absence of technical overlap between Cardano and XRP, and differences in product market fit. He emphasized that projects like Tezos, Algorand, Polkadot, Ethereum, and Cardano are addressing similar problems, while Ripple is designed for a distinct purpose, making any technological connection nonsensical. Hoskinson also expressed frustration with the continuous personal attacks, harassment, and the community’s inability to engage in constructive conversation.
Cardano’s Charles Hoskinson Weighs in on Ethereum’s Role
A year ago, he garnered attention for describing the community as “toxic and petty,” expressing his ability to live without it. During that time, he categorically rejected any notion of a partnership or technical synergy between Cardano and XRP. Despite Schwartz’s attempt to prompt reconsideration, Hoskinson remained steadfast, offering only a terse “No comment.”
In a more recent development, Hoskinson also targeted certain conspiracies circulating within the XRP community, particularly those targeting Ethereum. He distinguished between the speculation surrounding Ethereum’s alleged preferential treatment by the SEC and the possibility of entities associated with Ethereum influencing the SEC’s decision against XRP.
Despite the U.S. regulatory classification of Cardano as an investment contract, Hoskinson maintains his unwavering conviction that early Ethereum developers did not engage in bribery to hinder XRP’s competition—a viewpoint that resonates with many advocates of XRP even today.