Cardano's Charles Hoskinson Warns of Centralization Risks in the Crypto Industry

Charles Hoskinson, the founder of Cardano, has issued a stark warning about the dangers of centralization in the cryptocurrency industry.

Speaking during a live broadcast titled “Legacy is Eating Crypto” on Monday, Hoskinson cautioned that the growing influence of a small number of powerful actors could undermine the core principles of cryptocurrency, such as decentralization, privacy, and equality.

Notably, the pundit highlighted the rapid growth of stablecoins, such as Tether (USDT) and USD Coin (USDC), which now account for approximately 70% of all on-chain transaction volume. According to Hoskinson, these stablecoins, backed by traditional assets, are subject to the regulations of their jurisdictions and central issuers, creating potential vulnerabilities and centralization risks.

“USDT and USDC…are asset backed which means that there’s a central issuer. There is a company who is regulated in a jurisdiction subject to that jurisdiction’s rules and regulations, and whatever that jurisdiction wants to put upon that company, permissive or otherwise, they are subject to it cannot get out of it,” said Hoskinson.

In contrast, Hoskinson advocated for algorithmic stablecoins, which are not backed by traditional assets and operate decentralised. Notably, algorithmic stablecoins, such as DAI, maintain their value through algorithms and smart contracts without relying on a central issuer or traditional assets. However, the crypto market has been cautious since the TerraUSD (UST) de-pegging incident in May 2022, which raised concerns about their safety and caused a ripple effect on the broader crypto market.

Despite the risks, algorithmic stablecoins offer advantages such as decentralization, autonomy, and potentially higher yields. Developers have thus been improving their design and functionality, positioning them as a potentially significant force in the cryptocurrency market.

Hoskinson also criticized the increasing power of a small number of Legacy actors, including centralized exchanges, regulated institutions, and ETF holders like BlackRock, who control a significant portion of the value flow in the cryptocurrency market. He argued that these entities have the power to decide the future of cryptocurrency projects, as they can influence listings, liquidity, and regulatory compliance.

“As more of these Legacy actors come in, they’ll acquire more and more of the supply. They already have a fifth of what Satoshi has,” Hoskinson added. “10 Legacy regulated institutions control the vast majority of your value flow and also get to decide the future of all of these projects.”

That said, Hoskinson emphasized the importance of preserving the core values of cryptocurrency, including freedom of association, commerce, and expression, and the need to resist the encroachment of legacy actors in the industry. He further urged the community to remain vigilant and to consider the long-term consequences of centralization and the potential erosion of the core values of the cryptocurrency movement.

Notably, Hoskinson has consistently advocated for decentralization, even as Cardano continues to receive improvements aimed at promoting security, scalability, and sustainability while empowering users and developers with greater control and autonomy.