Cardano Founder Hoskinson Claims XRP Holders Have No Legal Rights to Ripple's Assets

Gate News message, April 18 — Cardano founder Charles Hoskinson has sparked debate in the crypto community by arguing that XRP holders have no legal claim to Ripple’s corporate assets and expanding business ventures. In a conversation with crypto commentator Wendy O, Hoskinson drew a sharp line between the XRP token and Ripple the company, emphasizing that “XRP holders have no legal ownership of those assets.”

Hoskinson noted that Ripple controlled approximately 70-80% of XRP’s supply in early distribution, allowing the company to benefit from ecosystem expansion while token holders do not automatically gain rights to Ripple’s revenue, equity, or acquisitions. He described the model as driven by attention and liquidity—major announcements can fuel demand and price momentum to help fund Ripple’s ventures—but stressed that those new businesses remain fully under Ripple’s control, not token holders’. “The XRP token doesn’t really have much to say or do with that,” he stated, underscoring the separation between XRP’s utility and corporate ownership.

The remarks reignited tensions between Hoskinson and the XRP community. This is not his first critique of Ripple’s structure; he has previously questioned its governance model and token distribution, and recently attracted attention for comments tied to the U.S. CLARITY Act, suggesting Ripple may be influencing regulatory frameworks. Ripple CTO David Schwartz pushed back, defending the company’s position and arguing that Ripple’s efforts aim to grow the broader crypto ecosystem rather than serve narrow corporate interests. The debate underscores a broader question: when a cryptocurrency is closely tied to a company, who truly benefits from the ecosystem it helps build?