Charles Hoskinson Explains Controversial Bitcoin Comments

Charles Hoskinson, the influential CEO of Cardano, addressed the recent uproar within the crypto community. This controversy was triggered by an old video in which he criticized Bitcoin’s role in the industry.

The video resurfaced on social media and captured Hoskinson claiming the crypto sector no longer requires Bitcoin to thrive. He hinted that newer technologies could potentially replace it as “digital gold.”

Bitcoin Needs Crypto Industry to Survive: Charles Hoskinson

The controversy began when Hoskinson, in the circulated footage, expressed skepticism about Bitcoin’s long-term viability. He suggested that another crypto with strong scientific backing could offer equal, if not superior, security.

“Bitcoin needs the industry to survive… But the industry doesn’t need Bitcoin anymore. I just dont see how that survives. It’s a religion, its not an ecosystem. So no, we don’t necessary need Bitcoin,” Hoskinson asserted in the video.

Hoskinson also stated that Bitcoin needs to adapt and change. Otherwise, it will lose its first-mover advantage. Moreover, he compared Bitcoin to Microsoft’s Windows operating system.

“People stopped caring about the desktop, and now we all have cell phones and tablets, and look at Android and iOS versus Windows, the adoption race,” Hoskinson said.

Read more: Who Is Charles Hoskinson, the Founder of Cardano?

Following the video’s resurgence, Bitcoin proponents, including noted analyst Tuur Demeester, criticized Hoskinson. Demeester highlighted Cardano’s diminishing market capitalization relative to Bitcoin over the past three years, which significantly dropped from 10% to just 1% of Bitcoin’s value.

This critique came despite the recent ‘Chang’ hard fork, aimed at bolstering Cardano’s governance.

In response to the backlash, Hoskinson took to X (Twitter) to pen a reflective and extensive post. He discussed the challenges and emotional journey of leading Cardano, emphasizing the project’s achievements and the harsh realities public figures face in crypto.

“One of the deepest lessons I’ve taken to heart over the past decade is that becoming a public figure means you turn into a human rorschach test,” he wrote.

Moreover, Hoskinson’s response highlighted Cardano’s unique accomplishments. He described it as one of the greatest technical achievements in human history. He compared its distributed system, which operates seamlessly across over 100 countries, to a “decentralized nation.”

“This dwarfs Bitcoin. It’s unique, and books will be written about what has happened. Cardano is now a governance virus that is living, self-replicating, and self-sustaining. It has intelligence and a will to survive and grow. Nothing can shut it down. Nothing can stop its growth,” Hoskinson remarked.

Read more: 6 Best Cardano (ADA) Wallets You Should Consider in September 2024

Despite the criticism, the Cardano community rallied behind Hoskinson. They affirmed his pioneering contributions to the crypto industry, including his early involvement in offering a Bitcoin course and his co-founding role at Ethereum.