Cardano Founder Clashes with Community: Roadmap Complete, Future to Community, No ADA Price Guarantees

Roadmap Complete, Cardano Founder Signals Shift Away from Price Speculation

Cardano founder Charles Hoskinson has declared the project’s roadmap fully realized, stating that investors are primarily seeking price pumps rather than technological advancement. In a recent YouTube livestream, Hoskinson expressed his weariness with governance disputes and his disinterest in becoming a Decentralized Representative (DRep), noting his inability to control the Cardano Foundation. He urged token holders to find their own support systems.

“I’ve Taken It As Far As I Can”

The catalyst for Hoskinson’s remarks appeared to be a viewer’s accusation that he had promised Cardano would surpass Bitcoin. During the AMA session, Hoskinson refuted this, stating, “I never promised that.” He clarified that while he expressed a desire to see Cardano excel and believed it to be a superior store of value compared to Bitcoin, he “never promised price increases.”

Later in the broadcast, Hoskinson elaborated, “This is not a promise, I’ve taken it as far as I can.” He drew an analogy to Japan’s Sengoku period, saying, “Oda Nobunaga is dead, now you have to live with the Tokugawa Shogunate.”

Cardano’s roadmap is structured into five eras: Byron (launched September 2017), Shelley (staking introduced July 2020), Goguen (smart contracts via Alonzo hard fork in September 2021), Basho (scaling addressed by Vasil upgrade in September 2022), and Voltaire (on-chain governance initiated by Chang hard fork in September 2024). A subsequent Plomin hard fork in January 2025 is slated to grant ADA holders voting rights.

Hoskinson also pointed out that Cardano’s market capitalization once quadrupled that of Honda and asserted that the community can elect its own leaders without his approval.

The Futility of Price Promises

Regarding the expectation of price surges, Hoskinson described it as a “bottomless pit.” He explained that individuals who bought at $3 expect it to rise to $5, and those who bought at $5 anticipate it reaching $7. “If I exit at $5, I’ve scammed those who bought at $5; if I exit at $3, I’ve scammed those who bought at $3,” he stated, concluding that there’s no winning scenario.

Stepping Back from Governance

A particularly telling segment of the livestream, around the 2:12 mark, addressed Hoskinson’s potential role as a DRep. While acknowledging that many wish for him to take on the position, he confessed to being “really tired of arguing with people,” describing it as a “quagmire.” He expressed a preference for focusing on projects like Midnight and video games.

He outlined that if he were to become a DRep, he would advocate for the public election of the Cardano Foundation’s board. Furthermore, he suggested that the foundation should face consequences, such as protocol forks or funding cuts, if it fails to comply. “That’s a big fight, and I don’t want to have it. I don’t have the time or the energy anymore,” he said. Hoskinson also noted that Cardano’s decentralization is so profound that even its founder cannot escape the influence of the Cardano Foundation, “even if they betray you.”

A New Era for Token Holders

Hoskinson’s statements highlight a paradox: he claims no power over the ecosystem while admitting he cannot even manage the foundation and has no intention of engaging in further governance battles. For token holders, this handover means that price responsibility is diffused, and even governance leverage is no longer in the founder’s hands. They are left to await the emergence of what he termed “young leaders.”

The completion of the roadmap signifies engineering progress, but it does not guarantee market acceptance. While Hoskinson’s refusal to promise price increases is technically correct, those currently holding assets at a loss must now decide where to place their hopes.