Charles Hoskinson, the founder of Cardano, has once again found himself in disagreement with the XRP community. In a recent series of posts on the X social media platform, he playfully poked fun at some of the conspiracy theories revolving around Ethereum.
Hoskinson shared, “My favorite aspect of the holiday season is stirring the XRP ETHGate Hornet’s nest with easily meme-able soundbites connected to nuanced points that often go unnoticed. It’s akin to the first snow of winter.”
Furthermore, the Cardano founder questioned the accuracy of claims linking him to events that occurred well after his eventful departure from the Ethereum project. He also alluded to the negative portrayal of his exit from Ethereum.
Finding it challenging to reconcile or make amends.
In December 2022, Hoskinson announced his decision to no longer engage with questions concerning XRP or Ripple. He cited persistent harassment from the XRP community, primarily stemming from rumors about a potential settlement between Ripple and the SEC.
The ongoing discussion regarding Hoskinson’s past ties to Ethereum, despite his departure in 2014, has also been a point of contention. Hoskinson has consistently rejected these claims. In June, he extended an olive branch to the XRP community with a message of “XRP Community, peace?” In July, he acknowledged XRP’s victory against the SEC, showing a willingness to put past conflicts to rest. However, his tweets in August revealed his growing frustration with being associated with events that occurred after his departure from Ethereum. In September, he addressed the conspiracy theories circulating about him.
Enduring or persistent conspiracy theory
At the center of this dispute is a persistent conspiracy theory that implies the SEC showed unjust favoritism toward Ethereum at the cost of Ripple, suggesting possible undue influence. This conspiracy theory is rooted in the belief that Ethereum might have employed personal connections and behind-the-scenes arrangements to redirect the SEC’s focus, a notion firmly disavowed by Hoskinson.
During an interview, Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse declined to support these conspiracy theories. Nevertheless, he did admit to certain concerns regarding the appearances of decisions made by influential individuals such as Jay Clayton and Bill Hinman, highlighting potential conflicts of interest.