Charles Hoskinson, the visionary founder of Cardano, has expressed a tantalizing vision to create mutually beneficial synergies with the Bitcoin and XRP Ledger ecosystems.
In a recent discussion with Sam North, a market analyst at eToro, Hoskinson shared insightful thoughts about addressing the ‘big problems’ present in the XRP Ledger and Bitcoin ecosystems. He acknowledged that while Ripple boasts a large ecosystem with substantial resources, the XRP Ledger still grapples with notable limitations, particularly regarding smart contract functionality.
According to Hoskinson, these limitations have stymied developers’ activities within the XRPL. However, he proposed an innovative solution: the integration of a computational layer onto the XRP Ledger. This layer is intended to facilitate the entry of real-world assets (RWAs) and banking relationships into the XRPL ecosystem. Hoskinson envisions that with this enhancement, the XRP Ledger would gain a robust smart contract layer, significantly boosting its adaptability and functionality.
XRP and Bitcoin: A Path to Quadrupling Cardano’s Total Value Locked
Looking ahead, Hoskinson speculated that Cardano’s growth over the next five years would significantly rely on XRP and Bitcoin. He suggested that this growth is realistic if the Cardano team focuses on collaborative advancements for these two prominent assets, such as integrating them into Cardano’s new privacy blockchain, Midnight.
He highlighted that the mutual support provided to Bitcoin and XRPL could create substantial benefits for Cardano itself. Hoskinson firmly believes this synergy could lead to a remarkable increase in the Total Value Locked (TVL) on Cardano, potentially quadrupling the combined TVL of Ethereum and Solana. He boldly stated, “When you add that together, that TVL is going to be 4x larger than Ethereum and Solana combined.”
JUST IN: #Cardano $ADA Founder Charles Hoskinson says “in the next 5 years our big area of growth is likely to come from $XRP and $BTC. We can do things for them, that’s a win-win. When you add that together, that TVL is going to be 4x larger than Ethereum and Solana combined.” pic.twitter.com/UAzrFNxODy
— Angry Crypto Show (@angrycryptoshow) May 10, 2025
For context, Ethereum and Solana currently have a combined TVL of around $72 billion, while Cardano’s TVL sits at approximately $393 million according to DeFiLlama. To achieve Hoskinson’s vision of a TVL four times larger than Ethereum and Solana combined, Cardano needs to experience a staggering increase of 73,182% to reach $288 billion.
Despite the monumental surge required, Hoskinson remains confident that fostering synergies with the XRP and Bitcoin ecosystems is a viable pathway to achieve that goal.
Hoskinson’s Evolving Support for XRP
Hoskinson’s relationship with the XRP community has evolved significantly over the years. Having moved past a multi-year dispute, he has hinted at potential collaborations between the Cardano and Ripple teams. Though he has engaged in discussions with Ripple executives like David Schwartz and Brad Garlinghouse, no formal partnership announcements have emerged yet.
Nevertheless, Hoskinson has shown steadfast support for XRP. He recently confirmed the inclusion of XRP support in Cardano’s native Lace wallet, enhancing the utility of both ecosystems. Additionally, he’s revealed that XRP holders will be part of the forthcoming airdrop for Midnight tokens—NIGHT and DUST. This inclusion signifies a further commitment to bridging the capabilities of both platforms, creating avenues for collaborative growth.
Beyond this, Hoskinson has expressed a keen interest in having Ripple expand its RLUSD stablecoin support to the Cardano platform, illustrating his willingness to strengthen ties between the two communities.
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