Charles Hoskinson made a post that says a lot. The man behind Cardano claims that his work is autonomous. No need for him anymore, it seems. However, he is not leaving the stage quietly. He talks about a risky journey, a possible death. And above all, he insists: Cardano is decentralized. It’s up to you to decide whether he is taking his bow or launching a new sleight of hand.

Hoskinson said it bluntly: the platform is now led by its users. Thanks to the Voltaire project, Cardano has a structured governance framework: a constitution has been validated, delegated representatives (DREs) have been recorded (nearly 1000 to date), and a founding convention has taken place. There is even talk of upcoming on-chain ratification.

It’s a key moment: the current transitional governance must lead to democratic elections. More than a symbol, this could anchor Cardano in a unique model of collective decision-making at the blockchain level.

Hoskinson takes the idea to its limits: if IOHK becomes unnecessary, so be it. It proves that the experiment works.

Hydra, Midnight, Minotaur: the technical trilogy that could change Cardano

Mythological storytelling is in vogue at Cardano. But behind names that would make Tolkien pale, there is code, real code. Hydra is a scalability solution designed to ease the load on the main network. It is now activated.

Midnight remains more mysterious: a project focused on privacy and data protection, which aims to be a bridge between blockchains. And Minotaur? A multi-validator (AVS) system designed to enhance the security and resilience of consensus.

Another strong point: the diversification of node clients. No more reliance on a single implementation. TXPipe, Blink Labs, Harmonic, Pragma… they are now numerous in coding the same symphony. Developers from Ethereum even participated in an interoperability workshop in Paris.

A founder who speaks of his death: strategy, weariness, or real departure?

Hoskinson strikes hard: he speaks of a potentially fatal journey. Bluff or a true farewell? Hard to say. What is certain is his growing disenchantment with a market obsessed with crypto prices. He laments that real innovation is sidelined, drowned in short-term analysis.

This speech echoes that of Satoshi: leaving once the structure is in place. Hoskinson, without claiming this status, gently fades away. IOHK could continue without him. It remains to be seen whether the community will let him go… or call him back.

Charles Hoskinson is stepping away, but his legacy remains. Cardano, now led by its community, enters an unprecedented phase. Between real independence and the myth of the invisible founder, the ecosystem will need to prove it can move forward without its leading figure, in a decentralization process that is now fully engaged. But perhaps the greatest test is just beginning.