Charles Hoskinson Slams Crypto Hype: Cardano Focused on Building the Future, Not Selling Dreams

Cardano founder Charles Hoskinson has once again addressed the negativity surrounding the crypto space, urging enthusiasts to shift their focus away from short-term profits toward genuine innovation. Speaking candidly on a recent podcast hosted by Gokhshtein Media, Hoskinson explained why he remains committed to building a sustainable blockchain ecosystem, even amid criticism.

Crypto Users Obsessed with Price, Not Progress

In the interview, Hoskinson criticised a growing trend within the crypto community, an obsession with token price movements rather than technological breakthroughs. Despite Cardano’s impressive achievements over the past decade, Hoskinson noted that many still label the project a failure.

He pointed out that Cardano evolved from a $72 million startup into a $25 billion network, with more than 3 million active users today. Moreover, the Cardano team has delivered on most of its roadmap, focusing on creating scalable, decentralised technology. Yet, because ADA’s price hasn’t delivered rapid, explosive gains, sceptics continue to downplay these accomplishments.

Hoskinson compared this reaction to his experiences with other ventures outside of crypto, where projects received positive feedback despite achieving far less than Cardano. In his view, many crypto users measure success solely by how quickly an investment multiplies, a mentality that undermines the industry’s true potential.

Criticism Stems from Get-Rich-Quick Expectations

Hoskinson emphasised that users today demand 10x or even 100x returns overnight. When a project prioritises sustainable development over speculative price increases, it is often labelled as a scam or a failure.

He referenced a recent incident where influential figures encouraged investors to abandon ADA for a “next big thing” project, only for that project to lose over 90% of its value within hours. The event highlighted the dangers of promoting hype-driven investments rather than supporting fundamentally strong projects.

Cardano’s Mission: Sustainability Over Speculation

Undeterred by short-term criticism, Hoskinson made it clear that Cardano remains focused on building for the future. He reaffirmed that the network’s mission is to grow “in a decentralized manner,” ensuring the long-term success of the ecosystem rather than chasing temporary market fads.

Hoskinson also pointed out that regulatory developments under the new Donald Trump administration have already begun to improve the financial sector’s clarity. He believes that these evolving regulations will ultimately benefit legitimate blockchain projects, such as Cardano.

Instead of focusing solely on price action, Hoskinson urged crypto enthusiasts to collaborate to establish a robust regulatory framework. He posed a critical question to the community:

“Don’t you care about solid regulatory clarity, a solid operating environment, and the ability to build your projects up?”

Innovation at the Core of Cardano’s Future

Looking ahead, Hoskinson shared that Cardano will continue to invest in pioneering initiatives, such as Midnight, Cardano’s privacy-focused sidechain, and expand decentralised finance (DeFi) capabilities, even on other blockchains like Bitcoin.

His vision for Cardano remains centred on innovation, decentralisation, and real-world adoption, not on marketing false promises of quick wealth.

Hoskinson’s message to the community was clear: actual progress in crypto requires patience, collaboration, and a focus on building sustainable systems. While price speculation will always exist, the future of blockchain technology and Cardano’s role within it depend on innovation, not hype.