TLDR
- Charles Hoskinson reacted after the Ethereum Foundation published its new Mandate document.
- Hoskinson said Ethereum appears to be adopting ideas already used in Cardano governance.
- He offered to connect Ethereum with the University of Buenos Aires for a convention.
- Cardano uses a constitutional committee with veto power over some protocol upgrades.
Twelve years after leaving Ethereum, Cardano creator Charles Hoskinson has reentered the debate around its future. After the Ethereum Foundation published its new Mandate, Hoskinson said the move mirrors Cardano’s governance path and offered help through the University of Buenos Aires, reviving a long-running divide between two major blockchain camps.
Charles Hoskinson renews old rivalry with a new offer
Charles Hoskinson has again entered Ethereum’s governance debate. His comments followed the release of the Ethereum Foundation Mandate.
The document may serve as an early constitutional framework for the network. Hoskinson said Ethereum now seems to be following a path Cardano took earlier.
"Mandate" or Constitution, if you will. We could introduce them to UBA if they want to have a convention…. https://t.co/i15cKVkWgA
— Charles Hoskinson (@IOHK_Charles) March 16, 2026
He wrote, “Mandate or Constitution, if you will.” He then added, “We could introduce them to UBA if they want to have a convention.”
The statement brought back memories of the long split between Hoskinson and Ethereum’s other founders. That break dates back about 12 years.
Ethereum mandate draws Cardano comparison
The Ethereum Foundation Mandate is seen as an effort to define principles and internal responsibilities. It also aims to create clearer accountability around how the foundation operates.
Hoskinson used that moment to compare Ethereum’s direction with Cardano’s governance structure. He argued that Ethereum is trying to catch up with systems already built elsewhere.
The comparison centered on constitutional design. In Cardano, governance has moved through a formal framework tied to written rules and defined oversight bodies.
Ethereum’s model, based on the information discussed online, appears less formal. Its control system relies more on moral authority and developer trust.
That is the key difference raised in the debate. Cardano has a constitutional committee that can block upgrades it sees as violating the rules.
Community reactions revive the old divide
Hoskinson’s remarks triggered a wave of responses on social media. Some users urged him to stay out of Ethereum’s affairs.
One post said, “Don’t get involved in this, you were kicked out years ago.” Another user warned that every project linked to him fails.
Other comments came from Cardano supporters. One user told him not to get involved because Ethereum and its supporters had often criticized him and Cardano.
A separate post took the conversation in another direction. One user asked Hoskinson whether he had worked at McDonald’s before founding Cardano, while also mentioning Binance founder Changpeng Zhao.
The wider issue remains governance design. Ethereum’s new Mandate appears to focus on norms, trust, and internal direction. Cardano’s system uses a stronger legal and procedural layer.
