From both parties
Charles Hoskinson, the outspoken founder of Cardano, is taking his fight for crypto to Capitol Hill, just as he promised. The billionaire blockchain visionary plans to meet with Democratic senators, including Pennsylvania’s John Fetterman, possibly to push a bipartisan agenda for the crypto industry.
Charles’ strategy is to bridge the divide between political parties and urge lawmakers to stop fighting long enough to see what crypto can actually do. Fetterman recently went viral for his comments on Trump’s 2024 victory, criticizing Kamala Harris for calling Trump a fascist.
“There are a lot of Democrats, especially in my state, who I know and love, people who [voted] for Trump, and they’re not fascists,” Fetterman said. “I think people are going to decide who protects and represents their version of the American way of life. And that’s what happened.”
Charles sees an opportunity in Fetterman.
Charles wasted no time in responding. “When people ask how do we make crypto a bipartisan issue, these are the Democrats we need to be talking to next year,” he said. To Charles, Fetterman represents the kind of leadership crypto needs — Democrats willing to push party lines and think differently.
Cryptocurrencies have been caught in the political crossfire, with the Biden administration and Senator Elizabeth Warren taking a hard line against the industry.
Charles has been outspoken about the issue. He has criticized what he calls the “Biden-Warren anti-crypto deal,” claiming that it stifles innovation and shuts legitimate businesses out of the system.
But his plan doesn’t stop at a few meetings. He’s already proposed a “bill of rights” for crypto users, focusing on consumer protection, fair taxation, and clear asset classification.
Charles even floated the idea of Brian Arms, CEO of Coinbase, becoming the “crypto tron in the White House” under a potential Trump administration. Arms, he said, could unite the fragmented industry and provide a voice in Washington. He has since chosen someone else.
Polarizing personality with big ideas
Charles is not your typical tech founder. Critics have called Cardano a “zombie blockchain,” accusing it of lacking activity compared to Ethereum and Solana. Charles doesn’t hold back. “People see what they want to see,” he says with the same energy.
His outspoken personality is his strength and Achilles heel. He loves to bait critics, calling them the “paint chip brigade” and targeting journalists and rivals alike. It’s a style that alienates some but resonates with others who admire his no-nonsense approach.
Although he ran a Twitter poll earlier this year asking, “Do I have cancer for Cardano?” and over 50,000 people voted, with 51.6% saying yes, instead of frowning, he turned the results into another talking point.
While Charles’s critics are busy, he’s busy, too. With a net worth of $1.2 billion, he’s funding projects that sound straight out of a science fiction novel—glow-in-the-dark plants, research into extraterrestrial life, and more.
He has repeatedly called on Argentine President Javier Milei to discuss the use of blockchain technology in government systems. He has also urged U.S. lawmakers to align cryptocurrency regulations with global standards, citing countries like Switzerland and Singapore as examples. And he has more than one friend in the Trump administration.
“Cryptocurrency is not a Republican issue. It is an American and global issue. We can only get to the next level by bringing everyone together,” Charles said.
