Founder Charles Hoskinson said he is sitting on more than $3 billion in unrealized losses during the current crypto market downturn, providing 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 foreclosures and falling prices in an inspirational message. Bitcoin fell to around $60,000 during the week, losing around 16% of its value, while the broader CoinDesk 20 (CD20) index fell 17%. down 15.6% for the week.
Hoskinson said he shared the figure to counter claims that crypto founders are insulated from losses affecting retail investors. He told viewers that his financial position has taken a bigger hit than most people who follow the market.
“I’ve lost more money than anyone listening to this. Over $3 billion now. It would have been really easy to cash out, just walk away,” Hoskinson said.
“You think I honestly don’t care if I lose it all? There’s a reason I’m not in the Epstein files, there’s a reason I wasn’t rolled up in the FTX,” he added. “It’s not because nobody 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 on the little kids’ table and I don’t get to go to the White House and all these other things.”
In his remarks, Hoskinson emphasized building for the ecosystem’s long-term growth rather than focusing on short-term price movements.
The comparison framed the downturn as part of a longer cycle rather than a tipping point. Hoskinson added that “every foot forward on the difficult road” is progress, adding that he is “here for life, this is who I am and will always be who I am.”
He also said he has no plans to leave his positions. Instead, he described the sale as a transition period as financial systems adapt to new technology.
For example, he pointed to Cardano-based projects like Starstream and Midnight, which he said are designed for data integrity and privacy-focused applications.
