Vitalik Buterin Discusses Opinions on Cardano, Relationship With Charles Hoskinson

Speaking on Lex Fridman’s podcast this week Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin spoke candidly about his relationship with Cardano founder and co-founder of Ethereum Charles Hoskinson.

Buterin created Ethereum at the age of 19 and worked with eight developers on the early stages of the project —Charles Hoskinson being one of them. However, while Ethereum was taking off neither Hoskinson nor Buterin could agree on the trajectory for the project.

Buterin wanted to keep Ethereum a non-profit organization with an open-source, decentralized governance. However, Hoskinson wanted to accept venture capital and create a for-profit entity. So, in June 2014 Charles Hoskinson left Ethereum.

After several months away from cryptocurrency and blockchain Hoskinson set up a new project with former colleague Jeremy Wood. Through this, they worked together to build blockchain systems for clients. Their key project was of course Cardano, which hosts its native ADA cryptocurrency.

Buterin on Hoskinson

Speaking candidly with Fridman, Buterin said he had heard from people close to Hoskinson that “Charles has clearly progressed and matured in a lot of ways.”

Buterin also went on to note that “2021 Charles is very different from 2014 Charles, and I’m sure 2021 Vitalk is very different to 2014 Vitalik.”

The Ethereum co-founder also made it clear that the two have demonstrated their different approaches. Where Buterin sees Ethereum as using more heuristic arguments, Cardano looks to academic proofs. Buterin concluded that Hoskinson and the IOHK team are doing some “interesting things.”

It’s interesting to hear Buterin speaking about his former colleague as Proof-of-Stake coins like Cardano are so popular now. Especially as EThereum 2.0 is coming down the track. Its release will likely serve to increase Ethereum and Cardano’s popularity as more investors look to Proof-of-Stake over Proof-of-Work.