• Charles Hoskinson responds to Rick McCracken’s concerns about Cardano’s partnership challenges.
• Hoskinson clarifies disagreements with the Cardano Foundation over governance and accountability.
• Despite tensions, Hoskinson emphasizes the ecosystem’s growth and calls for unity in 2025.

Charles Hoskinson, the CEO of Input Output (IO) and founder of Cardano, has taken to social media to address concerns within the Cardano ecosystem. Broadcasting from his office in Colorado, Hoskinson reflected on a tumultuous year and previewed his upcoming projects, including a Darkness Retreat and new ventures in South America.

However, the focus of his message was a public response to comments made by Rick McCracken, a long-time friend and participant in the Cardano ecosystem.

McCracken’s Concern: Can the Cardano Ecosystem Collaborate with External Partners?

McCracken, who has been an active voice within the Cardano community, expressed concerns about the future of partnerships within the ecosystem. In a recent post, McCracken questioned the ability of the Cardano Foundation (CF) and IO to build lasting professional relationships, citing ongoing disagreements between the two organizations. 

Specifically, he noted that if internal collaboration between key ecosystem players like Hoskinson, Tam, and Fred could not be achieved, it would be challenging to expect successful partnerships with organizations outside the ecosystem.

Hoskinson Clarifies the Cardano Foundation Disagreement: A Matter of Governance

In his video response, Hoskinson clarified the long-standing disagreements between IO and the Cardano Foundation. He highlighted a fundamental philosophical divide regarding the governance structure of the ecosystem.

Hoskinson believes the Cardano Foundation should be a community-oriented organization with leadership elected by the community. Meanwhile, the Cardano Foundation has consistently maintained that it will never have community-elected leadership. This stance is one that Hoskinson and many within IO believe undermines the decentralized vision for Cardano.

For Hoskinson, the issue isn’t simply internal politics. It’s about the accountability of the Cardano Foundation to the community. He pointed out that the $600 million in funds controlled by the Cardano Foundation represents the community’s money.

As such, there should be mechanisms for oversight and accountability. Without community input, Hoskinson argued, the ecosystem risks making decisions that are not aligned with its foundational principles.

Progress Within the Ecosystem and Future Partnerships: A Look at Cardano’s Growth

While acknowledging the ongoing conflict with the Cardano Foundation, Hoskinson stressed that the broader Cardano ecosystem continues to thrive. He pointed to numerous developments within the ecosystem.

They include the growth of Cardano’s DeFi sector, the expansion of its meme coin ecosystem, and the continuous improvement of its developer experience (DevX) through tools like Plutus and Plutus V4. 

Hoskinson also highlighted the increasing number of opportunities for Cardano in the wider blockchain space. He cited successful engagements with major players like Microsoft Azure, Flare, and Hashgraph.

Despite philosophical disagreements, he noted that the technology and community behind Cardano remain strong. There is growing participation and increasing visibility at major events like Token 2049, Consensus 2025, and Bitcoin 2025.

A Call for Growth and Unity in 2025: Focusing on the Bigger Picture

Despite the frustration voiced in his response, Hoskinson called for the Cardano community to focus on the bigger picture. He urged members to rise above petty squabbles and participate in the on-chain governance system that empowers the community to shape the future of Cardano.

He expressed confidence that 2025 could be a pivotal year for the ecosystem if the community and its leaders could put aside differences and focus on building and innovating together.

“2025 can be a great year if we want it to be. We need to focus on the bigger picture—the on-chain governance system,” Hoskinson stated.