For years, friction between the Cardano and XRP communities has been one of crypto’s most persistent rivalries. This is why recent comments from Charles Hoskinson have taken much of the industry by surprise.
Discussing the shifting digital asset landscape, the Cardano founder offered rare praise for XRP, calling it a stronger Web2.5 product than stablecoin giants Tether (USDT) and Circle (USDC).
Hoskinson argued that XRP occupies a unique middle ground between traditional finance and decentralized infrastructure, giving it a competitive advantage in real-world financial integration.
“I like it a lot more,” Hoskinson said of XRP’s positioning, a remark that has turned tables given his long-running clashes with the XRP community.
Will XRP Reign Supreme in DeFi?
Hoskinson also made a bold prediction that decentralized finance (DeFi) on XRP could become one of crypto’s fastest-growing sectors by 2027, potentially rivaling or even outpacing growth on Ethereum.
 
Well, there is more to this statement than meets the eye, considering Ethereum’s long-standing dominance in DeFi across lending, staking, and decentralized trading ecosystems.
As a result, Cardano founder’s comments suggest growing confidence in XRP’s untapped infrastructure potential as institutions increasingly seek faster, cheaper, and more scalable blockchain settlement solutions.
XRP proponents have long argued that the network’s speed, low transaction costs, and improving interoperability make it well-suited for enterprise-focused DeFi adoption.
The shift in tone is especially striking given Hoskinson’s past criticism of Ripple and XRP. Just last month, he reignited controversy by questioning what crypto ownership truly entitles investors to, arguing that XRP holders do not automatically benefit from Ripple’s acquisitions, partnerships, or expansion efforts.
Those remarks triggered backlash from sections of the XRP Army, many of whom viewed them as dismissive of XRP’s market presence and utility. This explains why Hoskinson’s latest change of tune has come as a surprise, since he appears to acknowledge that XRP may be carving out a distinct niche separate from both Ethereum’s DeFi ecosystem and the stablecoin-driven payment rails dominated by USDT and USDC.
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