In today’s crypto update, Cardano founder Charles Hoskinson has revealed plans to become a Delegated Representative (DRep) following controversy surrounding Input Output Global’s (IOG) proposals. The development has sparked fresh debate within the Cardano community over governance participation and voting influence.
Hoskinson Considers DRep Role Amid Governance Reform Push
Hoskinson recently disclosed in an X post that he is considering registering as a DRep to take a more direct role in Cardano governance. The decision reportecame after some of the nine treasury proposals submitted by Input Output Global failed to gain sufficient community support. For context, a separate research proposal from the IOG is also facing rejection from DRep, with over 70% of the votes against it.
Hoskinson had revealed that the key research proposal faced resistance from some Japanese DReps, ultimately contributing to its rejection. Meanwhile, to prepare for his role as a DRep, Hoskinson revealed that he has begun a broad governance review covering more than 11,000 DAOs and over a decade of governance research, both within and outside the crypto industry.
According to him, this research is to find ways to improve executive functions, roadmap planning, and strategy coordination within Cardano. He also hinted at introducing new governance features through Cardano’s constitution and future technology upgrades to help reduce internal conflicts across the ecosystem. Hoskinson further noted that he is considering organizing a mini-convention ahead of the 2027 governance process to help advance the discussions.
Community Reactions Remain Mixed
DReps are responsible for voting on proposals on behalf of the ADA holders they have been delegated to represent within the ecosystem. Following the announcement, several members of the Cardano community on X welcomed Hoskinson’s decision to become a DRep. However, some supporters argued that he is the most qualified person for the role and that he has more at stake than anyone else in the ecosystem.
It’s worth noting that Hoskinson stated in a recent podcast that no one in the Cardano ecosystem has recorded more losses than him. According to the founder, he has lost more than $2.5 billion and has also sold several assets while shutting down projects and ventures that were personally valuable to him.
Despite the remarks, many community members reacted differently. A large number of critics blamed Hoskinson for Cardano’s stalled progress over the years, particularly regarding ADA’s market performance and price growth. Others, however, remain optimistic that Cardano’s governance evolution and future upgrades could eventually strengthen the ecosystem.
ADA Price Performance Remains Under Focus
Meanwhile, ADA is currently trading in a neutral zone amid Bitcoin stalling around $77,000. According to CoinMarketCap, Cardano is currently trading around $0.245 and remains more than 90% below its all-time high of $3.
The weak price performance has continued to fuel criticism from some community members, with several users arguing that Cardano has struggled to deliver the level of growth many investors initially expected despite years of ecosystem development.
Amid the ongoing governance debate and market uncertainty, Midnight validator Cardanians recently reported that Cardano has surpassed the 121 million transactions milestone. The update sparked optimism among some supporters who believe the network’s long-term fundamentals remain strong despite the recent backlash and price struggles.
Josiah Oluwadare
