Highlights
- Charles Hoskinson warns Trump’s DeFi plans could politicize the crypto industry and draw regulatory scrutiny.
- Trump promises to make the U.S. a “Bitcoin superpower”, recently launching World Liberty Financial.
- Hoskinson doubts the capability of both Trump and Kamala Harris to effectively support the crypto industry.
Charles Hoskinson, founder of the Cardano blockchain, has expressed concerns about a new decentralized finance (DeFi) project endorsed by former U.S. President Donald Trump. In a recent interview, Hoskinson discussed the potential challenges that the World Liberty Financial (WLFI) project might face. He noted that due to its ties with Trump, the crypto sector could attract heightened scrutiny from U.S. regulatory bodies.
Charles Hoskinson Cautions on Trump’s World Liberty Financial
In a recent interview, Charles Hoskinson voiced apprehensions regarding the new DeFi platform called World Liberty Financial, which is owned by Donald Trump and his sons. The venture aims to offer financial services without traditional intermediaries like banks or exchanges, promising to move away from “slow and outdated big banks.”
Launched earlier this week, the crypto project World Liberty Financial announced it will keep 63% of WLFI token supply for the public.
However, Hoskinson has expressed fears that the connection with Trump may result in severe regulatory implications. He noted that partisanship will be a problem, as many political entities in the US will attack the project because of the affiliations.
Hoskinson pointed out that people’s attitudes to anything linked with Trump are likely to be polarized. This, he noted, may negatively affect the whole crypto community. He also referred to possible probes by the Department of Justice or the Securities and Exchange Commission.
The Cardano blockchain founder emphasized,
“He’s taken a bipartisan thing and he’s making it partisan.”
Skeptical Views on Political Promises
Despite Donald Trump’s recent declarations to turn the U.S. into a “Bitcoin superpower,” Charles Hoskinson remains skeptical about the practical implementation. He doubts the capability of both Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris to effectively support the crypto industry. Additionally, he pointed out that the current political discourse lacks a deep understanding of blockchain.
Hoskinson argues that creating a supportive environment for crypto goes beyond mere political promises. He emphasized, it requires comprehensive understanding and sophisticated policy-making, qualities he finds lacking in the current political engagements. Charles Hoskinson added,
“I don’t see that level of quality and sophistication in the discourse” with Trump or Kamala Harris in the crypto space.”
Hoskinson also mentioned that the U.S. could see a crypto market growth of $5 to $10 trillion over the next decade with clearer regulations. This view has been shared across the industry. Recently, Ripple CLO Stuart Alderoty shared that regulatory clarity could make the XRP company a US leader in crypto solutions.
Following the World Liberty Financial (WLFI) project launch on Monday, the DeFi project has already come under scrutiny and criticism. Most recently, US SEC Commissioner Mark Uyeda gave a cautious nod to DeFi project saying,
“If I were talking to President Trump or any other crypto entrepreneur, I would tell them to hire good lawyers.”
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