Cardano founder Charles Hoskinson has publicly backed XRP over Tether and Circle, describing it as a better “Web2.5 product.” He said on social media that XRP Ledger’s open and permissionless access makes it superior to centralized stablecoin issuers. The statement marks a rare shift in tone after years of friction between Hoskinson and parts of the XRP community.
XRP vs Stablecoins: The Open Protocol Argument
Hoskinson stated, “I believe in open standards, open protocols, and open ecosystems.” He argued that XRP Ledger lets developers build without seeking approval from Ripple, while Tether and Circle can freeze funds, block addresses, and control access. As of April 2026, fiat-backed stablecoin supply topped $319 billion, and adjusted stablecoin transaction volume reached $10.9 trillion in 2025. Meanwhile, the CLARITY Act’s stablecoin rewards provision has become a flashpoint in Washington, pitting crypto firms against U.S. banking groups.
Historical Tensions with the XRP Community
Hoskinson’s praise is notable given his rocky relationship with XRP supporters. Some XRP advocates linked him to the “ETHgate” theory, which claims Ethereum received favorable regulatory treatment before the SEC sued Ripple. Hoskinson has repeatedly rejected such claims, noting he left Ethereum in 2014 and played no role in later actions against XRP or Ripple. In January, he criticized Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse for backing a crypto market structure bill, warning that flawed rules could persist for years.
Cardano Governance Disputes Add Context
Hoskinson’s XRP comments come as Cardano faces its own governance challenges. He has launched a review of more than 11,000 DAOs to study governance models, roadmaps, and executive roles. The review follows a treasury dispute where 81% of active stake opposed a 32.9 million ADA proposal to fund Input Output Global’s research lab for another year. Hoskinson used XRP not merely to compare tokens, but to champion permissionless systems over corporate-controlled models.