Cardano's Charles Hoskinson reveals $3 billion unrealized loss in crypto rout

Markets Share Share this article Copy link X icon X (Twitter) LinkedIn Facebook Email Cardano's Charles Hoskinson reveals $3 billion unrealized loss in crypto rout He stressed long-term commitment, prioritizing the development of decentralized systems over short-term price fluctuations. By Francisco Rodrigues , AI Boost | Edited by Stephen Alpher Feb 7, 2026, 4:50 p.m. Make us preferred on Google Charles Hoskinson (CoinDesk) What to know : Cardano founder Charles Hoskinson revealed over $3 billion in unrealized losses during the crypto downturn, emphasizing that founders are not immune to market effects. He stressed long-term commitment prioritizing building decentralized systems over short-term price changes. Hoskinson intends to maintain his positions and views the selloff as a transition for financial systems, citing Cardano projects like Starstream and Midnight focused on data integrity and privacy. ADA $ 0.2687 founder Charles Hoskinson said he is sitting on more than $3 billion in unrealized losses during the current crypto market downturn, offering a rare look at his personal exposure during a period of sharp declines. Speaking from Tokyo in a live broadcast , Hoskinson addressed a market rattled by forced liquidations and falling prices in an inspirational message. Bitcoin BTC $ 68,627.87 dropped to around $60,000 during the week, losing about 16% of its value, while the broader CoinDesk 20 (CD20) index fell 17%. ADA $ 0.2687 dropped by 15.6% in the week. STORY CONTINUES BELOW Don't miss another story. Subscribe to the Crypto Daybook Americas Newsletter today . See all newsletters Sign me up By signing up, you will receive emails about CoinDesk products and you agree to our terms & conditions and privacy policy . Hoskinson said he shared the figure to counter claims that crypto founders are insulated from losses that affect retail investors. He told viewers that his financial position has taken a larger hit than most people following the market. “I’ve lost more money than anyone listening to this. Over $3 billion now. It would’ve been real easy to cash out, just walk away,” Hoskinson said. “Do you think I honestly care if I lose it all? There’s a reason I’m not in the Epstein files, there’s a reason I didn’t get rolled up in FTX,” he added.” “It’s not because no one likes me, it’s because my default answer is no. I don’t care if I lose money, I don’t care if it means I get put in the little kids' table and I don’t get to go to the White House and all of these other things.” In his remarks, Hoskinson emphasized building for the long-term growth of the ecosystem rather than focusing on short-term price movements. The comparison framed the downturn as part of a longer cycle rather than a breaking point. Hoskinson added that “every foot forward on that difficult road” is progress, adding he’s “here for life, this is who I am and is always going to be who I am.” He also said he has no plans to exit his positions. Instead, he described the selloff as a transition period as financial systems adjust to new technology. For example, he pointed to Cardano-based projects such as Starstream and Midnight, which he said are designed for data-integrity and privacy-focused applications. Cardano crypto prices Charles Hoskinson AI Disclaimer: Parts of this article were generated with the assistance from AI tools and reviewed by our editorial team to ensure accuracy and adherence to our standards . For more information, see CoinDesk's full AI Policy . In this article BTC BTC $ 68,627.87 ◢ 4.35 % ADA ADA $ 0.2687 ◢ 4.62 %