Cardano’s ADA outperforms major cryptocurrencies as Charles Hoskinson takes a step back.
January 3, 2026
Cardano’s ADA token saw a significant increase of around 9% following the founder Charles Hoskinson’s address on the New Year. Hoskinson revealed that his X account would be going into “silent mode” for 2026 and be managed by curators and AI. He expressed his disapproval of politically themed meme tokens, particularly criticizing the existence of ‘Trump Coin’ and stating that it never should have come into being.
Additionally, Hoskinson stated that he is actively working on developing a renewed five-year strategy for Midnight, with a strong emphasis on privacy, scalability, and long-term adoption. This shift in focus from X to Cardano and Midnight had a positive impact on ADA’s performance, outperforming major tokens such as Bitcoin and Ethereum.
Despite the reassuring messages from Hoskinson, some retail users on platforms like Stocktwits expressed concerns about the implications of this shift. While ADA’s price surged by 9% to $0.3621 within 24 hours, some users remained skeptical about the long-term effects of Hoskinson stepping away from X.
Hoskinson explained that his decision to pull back from X was a result of the growing hostility and personalization he experienced within the public crypto space. He highlighted the trend of projects being judged based on who builds them rather than their intrinsic value. This led him to the conclusion that leaving X was the best course of action to refocus on the strategic development of Cardano and Midnight.
His critique extended to politically themed meme tokens, with ‘Trump Coin’ being a focal point. Hoskinson’s unfiltered remarks about the existence of such tokens resonated with many, although he noted that industry leaders had been hesitant to voice similar opinions publicly due to potential backlash.
Looking ahead to 2026, Hoskinson emphasized that he would be dedicating himself to a period of deep focus, particularly surrounding Midnight, Cardano’s privacy-focused ecosystem. He articulated his commitment to enhancing the platform’s specifications, privacy features, and long-term architecture. His vision for a comprehensive five-year strategy underscores his ambition to scale the platform for massive user adoption by 2030.
Hoskinson’s decision to prioritize his health and well-being moving forward reflects on the toll that 2025 took on him, marked by extensive travel and sleep deprivation. His plan to reduce travel, spend more time at his ranch, and concentrate on health, research, and product development signals a shift towards a more sustainable work-life balance.
