Cardano founder Charles Hoskinson has broken his silence over the heated comments he made about XRP and Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse, claiming the remarks were clipped and shared without context. He insisted it was never a personal attack.
"I was talking about Garlinghouse's actions around crypto regulation, not targeting him personally," Hoskinson said, noting that people are no longer listening to the full story. The controversy erupted after he called the CLARITY Act a "horrific" proposal and suggested Ripple could get exemptions, putting smaller projects at a disadvantage.
CLARITY Act: What Hoskinson Calls 'Gensler 2.0'
Hoskinson detailed his core objection: the bill would "make everything by default a security until proven otherwise" — exactly the treatment former SEC Chair Gary Gensler imposed on the crypto ecosystem. He warned the CLARITY Act could become "Gensler 2.0," granting exemptions to established firms like Ripple while strangling innovation for new entrants.
"He's trying to pass a bill that makes everything by default a security until proven otherwise, which was the treatment Gary Gensler inflicted on his own ecosystem. It's a non-starter because he knows that he's going to get an exemption, and it reduces competition," Hoskinson said, quoting his earlier remarks. He emphasized his critique was not aimed at the XRP community but at protecting the broader industry.
Calling it "tough love," Hoskinson's position remains unchanged: he opposes the CLARITY Act, though his tone has softened slightly. He argued that regulators could use this framework to target more projects across the space, slowing down innovation and limiting competition.
Background: From 'Bad Behavior' to Full-Blown Dispute
Earlier, Hoskinson described Garlinghouse's behavior as "bad" and accused him of selfishly backing the CLARITY Act. The remarks triggered strong backlash from the XRP community. Now Hoskinson is trying to de-escalate, stressing that the focus should be on the bill itself, not personal grudges.
As of now, Ripple has not issued an official response. The CLARITY Act remains in legislative discussions, sparking polarized reactions in the U.S. crypto circles: supporters say it brings regulatory clarity, while opponents fear it would suffocate decentralized projects.