Charles Hoskinson, founder of Cardano, asserted that he is not hindering Cardano’s growth. In an August 3 tweet, Hoskinson revealed that Midnight a project he actively supports is witnessing strong institutional interest. With its NIGHT token airdrop and mainnet launch approaching, he claimed that ongoing suggestions portraying him as a liability to Cardano lack substance.
Hoskinson directly addressed critics who argue that his presence slows Cardano’s progress. He pointed to Midnight’s success as evidence that his involvement brings value, not harm. Additionally, he assured his detractors that he has no plans to leave, stating they must “deal with it.”
Community Concerns on Perception
The discussion stemmed from a Cardano enthusiast’s post outlining 18 actions needed to drive mainstream adoption. One recommendation urged separating Hoskinson’s identity from Cardano, arguing that negative sentiment toward him damages the project’s image. Critics claim it’s difficult to distinguish between Hoskinson and the ecosystem itself.
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Hoskinson countered by saying that if he were truly harmful, Midnight would also fail. He added that criticism largely comes from social media “echo chambers,” while many outside these circles see his contributions as positive. According to him, the persistent hostility toward his leadership has become “really old” and ineffective.
This clash reflects long-standing tensions between Hoskinson and certain community members. In November, a meme coin controversy led to a poll where most voters labeled him “a cancer” to Cardano. Following this, Hoskinson briefly stepped away to recover from repeated personal attacks.
Recent Achievements for Cardano
Despite criticism, Hoskinson outlined several milestones he has recently driven. Midnight has partnered with over 100 ventures across eight ecosystems and is attracting liquidity from CNAs. Cardano is advancing in Bitcoin DeFi, aiming to onboard billions in total value locked (TVL) and millions of transactions. He also pushed upgrades like IOG Peras and Leios and introduced the Hydra layer-2 scaling solution.
Related article: Charles Hoskinson Confirms Cardano’s Integration with Near Protocol Intents
In July, Hoskinson promoted Cardano on the Shawn Ryan Show, introducing the network to 19 million new viewers. His team also built bridges for numerous decentralized applications (DApps), strengthening the ecosystem’s infrastructure.
Through Midnight’s success and recent network advancements, Hoskinson demonstrated that his leadership fosters Cardano’s growth rather than impedes it. He emphasized that despite criticism, his continued efforts aim to secure Cardano’s long-term sustainability and adopt
