Cardano Founder Accuses Ethereum Whale of Targeted Attack

Coin WorldSaturday, May 17, 2025 6:32 pm ET
1min read

Cardano founder Charles Hoskinson has publicly accused an Ethereum whale of orchestrating a targeted attack on the Cardano ecosystem. The controversy centers around the Orbiter Finance voucher program, which Hoskinson alleges was manipulated to harm Cardano. The Ethereum address in question, holding 45,000 tokens, was observed interacting with the voucher program, prompting a Cardano advocate to suggest that this activity was part of a coordinated effort to damage the Cardano network.

Hoskinson's allegations were made in response to a series of posts on X, where he expressed his concerns about the recent on-chain activity and the internal criticism it has sparked. He specifically called out the Cardano Foundation for its silence, suggesting that they were aware of the voucher activity from the outset and had been briefed regularly on the efforts to address it. Hoskinson's frustration was evident as he questioned why the Foundation had not issued a public statement, given their intimate knowledge of the situation.

The Cardano Foundation has yet to respond to Hoskinson's accusations, leaving the community to speculate about the Foundation's role in the controversy. The lack of a public response has only added to the tension within the Cardano community, with internal figures like Andreas Pletscher, a former executive linked to the Cardano Foundation, criticizing Hoskinson for shifting responsibility. Pletscher accused Hoskinson of trying to deflect blame onto the Foundation, suggesting that he should address the issue himself or collaborate with other key figures within the community.

Hoskinson, however, defended his position by stating that the Cardano Foundation had been informed about the voucher activity and that he would include all relevant logs, meeting notes, and KYC reports in an upcoming audit report. This exchange highlights the ongoing tension within the Cardano community, as well as the broader debate surrounding the Orbiter Finance voucher system and its potential impact on the Cardano ecosystem.

The controversy surrounding the Orbiter Finance voucher program has raised questions about the transparency and management of the voucher system. Critics argue that the voucher redemptions may have been misrepresented or poorly managed, while supporters maintain that the campaign has been turned into an external attack aimed at discrediting the blockchain's reputation. Further on-chain analysis of the Ethereum address that triggered the discussion has not yet confirmed any malicious intent, but the intensity of the online exchange signals ongoing tension both within and outside the Cardano community.