Introduction to Cardano’s Progress
Cardano, a blockchain project founded by Charles Hoskinson, has been making headlines with its grand visions, from transforming Ethiopia’s education system to revolutionizing healthcare in Wyoming. However, despite these ambitious plans, the project’s progress remains limited and uneven, often overshadowed by its rivals.
The Hoskinson Pitch
In September 2025, Hoskinson unveiled a $200 million clinic project in Gillette, Wyoming, touting it as an open-sourced, patient-first initiative. He claimed that the clinic already serves about one-third of the town’s population and that patients unable to pay are not charged. Additionally, he promised that artificial intelligence agents and selective disclosure cryptography would be integrated into the system.
Critique of Ethereum
Hoskinson has been a long-time critic of Ethereum, arguing that it may not survive beyond the next 10 to 15 years due to its reliance on external scaling solutions and weak architectural design. He believes that the “Magnificent Seven” technology firms could become the next gatekeepers of liquidity in crypto and may choose to bypass Ethereum altogether.
Partnership with Ethiopia’s Ministry of Education
In 2021, Hoskinson announced a partnership with Ethiopia’s Ministry of Education, which was presented as a national breakthrough. The project aimed to provide blockchain IDs for 5 million students and 750,000 teachers, with academic records verified directly on Cardano. However, in 2024, Input Output Global reframed the effort as a set of lessons and reflections, and Atala PRISM was folded into Hyperledger Identus, undercutting the original narrative of transformative adoption.
Comparison with Competitors
Cardano’s progress is often compared to that of its competitors, such as Solana and Ethereum. While Cardano has been working to stabilize its smart contract environment, its rivals have been attracting projects across decentralized finance, NFTs, and tokenization. As of September 2025, Cardano’s total value locked in DeFi stood near $390 million, while Solana held about $12.5 billion, and Ethereum remained far ahead at $93 billion.
Governance and Centralization
Cardano’s governance is designed as a three-part system, with Input Output responsible for protocol development, the Cardano Foundation handling ecosystem promotion and standardization, and Emurgo focusing on commercial applications. However, this setup has created complexity and led to perceptions of centralization, rather than the decentralization that Hoskinson often highlights as Cardano’s defining principle.
Side Quests and Distractions
Hoskinson has been investing in various side ventures, including the Hoskinson Health and Wellness Clinic and Colossal Biosciences, a company aiming to bring back extinct species. While these projects may be innovative, they have raised questions about whether they are distractions from building a competitive blockchain ecosystem.
Conclusion
The contrast between Hoskinson’s rhetoric and Cardano’s delivery grows sharper with each new announcement. As the project continues to struggle with low decentralized finance traction, limited developer momentum, and a lackluster record of adoption, it remains to be seen whether these ventures represent bold experimentation or distractions that take attention away from building a blockchain able to compete with its peers. For the latest news and updates on the cryptocurrency market, visit bitpulse.