
A malformed transaction targeting Charles Hoskinson’s personal stake pool caused a chain split, exposing network vulnerabilities and sparking debate over whether it was reckless experimentation or calculated sabotage.
On November 21, 2025, the Cardano network was disrupted for several hours after a malformed transaction targeting founder Charles Hoskinson’s personal stake pool caused a chain split. The transaction exploited a 2022 cryptographic library bug, leading newer nodes to misinterpret it while older ones rejected it. Validators, stake pool operators, and DeFi applications faced alignment issues, with some operators losing block rewards and applications experiencing inconsistent states. While user funds remained safe, the incident triggered conflicting narratives: the stake pool operator claimed it was a reckless experiment with no malicious intent, while Hoskinson asserted it was a deliberate attack by someone active in anti-Cardano groups. Law enforcement is involved, and the event has intensified scrutiny over network resilience.