Cardano highlights governance after Van Rossem hard fork amid market weakness

Cardano remained in focus after the July 18, 2026 Van Rossem hard fork, with Charles Hoskinson arguing that governance could become a competitive factor if blockchain networks need to respond to quantum-computing risks. In an interview published on July 24, Hoskinson said Bitcoin is “frozen in time” because major changes require broad agreement across developers, miners, node operators and users, and warned that BTC could lose its leadership if that process cannot organize a timely security upgrade. He framed the issue as a governance challenge rather than evidence of an imminent quantum attack. Bitcoin developers are already studying post-quantum migration options. Coverage cited Bitcoin Optech’s tracking of BIP 361, which outlines a phased move away from ECDSA and Schnorr signatures once a post-quantum system is chosen, alongside proposals involving new address formats, hybrid signatures and recovery mechanisms. Any upgrade would also require coordination across wallets, exchanges, custodians and long-dormant holders to move funds without splitting the network or creating conflicting ownership rules. Cardano points to its formal governance model after completing its move to full community governance through the Plomin hard fork in January 2025. ADA holders can vote directly or delegate to DReps, while stake pool operators and the constitutional committee participate in selected decisions, including hard forks and treasury withdrawals. Hoskinson said that structure could help Cardano approve a migration away from quantum-vulnerable infrastructure, though Cardano has not completed such a transition and delegates have also challenged proposals linked to Hoskinson and Input Output during 2026, including one tied to research on Leios scaling and quantum-resistant cryptography. The comments came alongside Hoskinson’s claim that Cardano is preparing its largest upgrade and could become “60 times faster” through Ouroboros Leios. Development updates show Leios is still being tested and integrated with Cardano node software, meaning the estimate remains forward-looking and subject to technical review and governance approval.