Quote from: Zer0Sum on May 11, 2015, 11:24:10 PM

Quote from: Anotheranonlol on January 18, 2015, 09:16:16 PM

Quote from: hypostatization on January 18, 2015, 07:53:59 PM

I agree that coinmarketcap.com is weak. I am most interested in the Total Network Value metric on ripplecharts.com, for long term network growth perspective. It reflects not only the value of XRP, but also the total value of assets traded on the network. I am not focused on short term speculation, however, so it may be a less useful metric for others.

I disagree that the breadth of XRP utility limits its potential exchange value. XRP can be used to make payments directly, the same as with any cryptocurrency. Everything else is in addition. If Bitcoin added multi-currency support---requiring the usage of BTC for that functionality---I would consider that a plus in support of BTC's future potential exchange value. In no way does XRP providing that utility guarantee the price will rise, but it does introduce additional future potential justification for a rise in exchange value.

I'm not invested in ripple atm but do agree, I think it only takes a glance at ripple to see they have the formula for success, all the right people on board and all the right palms ready to grease. even if what we have today is a bastardization of fuggers original vision, it's understandable why RL took the approach they have. They're operating at levels litecoin-fork shitcoin creators couldn't dream of and got VC cash to burn through, partnerships on tables, keynotes to deliver. They will be operating like a well oiled machine, marching forward strategically while people here are still stuck on digging out dogcoins with dusty gpu's hoping to get rich

I see ripple/btc a bit like money & antimoney http://phys.org/news/2014-04-econophysics-antimoney-financial-crisis.html Both can be complimentary and Ripple has some obvious direct benefits and some non-obvious benefits to traditional finance system for an average guy that end up trickling down, giving rl themselves a good value proposition. The kind of infrastructure they have built, the kinds of people they can appease with their polish is more favorable as a natural evolution or re-vision of legacy finance system than bitcoin is, although btc-> bank bridge like epiphyte for bitcoin helps a little.

I see no reason that the market, especially big players won't drive price this 'anti-spam' token up further than they have already, it's the closest they have to shares in the ripple protocol actually using xrp directly as a 'currency' is a further stretch, Even bitcoin suffers the same pitfalls, switching between a hoarded commodity and currency. Suppose at the end of the day anything can happen- all it takes is a combined belief of many.

Do you have any evidence that Ripple Labs is making money... and not just burning through cash?

With > 100 employees they are burning through at least $20,000,000/year. Maybe more.

Does XRP legally entitled anyone to a "share" of anything?

Can XRP be done away with in a major merger with a bank and replaced by a stock offering for employees?

Ripple started as a kind of "people's money" with "trust circles"...
But it was all complete bullshit as a way of co-opting the Bitcoin ecosystem to bootstrap a banking network.

The Ripple executives are completely ruthless and untrustworthy...
They don't give a shit about small users or small investors except to use them for liquidity and PR.

That's why I will trade almost anything... but would never touch XRP.

Bitcoin does not have a monopoly on the cryptocurrency ecosystem (this idea is not uncommon in the Bitcoin community).

And if you "would never touch XRP", then don't. Nobody's forcing you (though watch out that your BTC transaction isn't executed on Ripple's rails... Lol.)

Bitcoin is 2008 technology that is not compatible with the real world. Bitcoin could have moulded itself to meet the needs of the real world. But no - Bitcoiners are a beligerent bunch who think things *should* work the other way round - that the "real world" should mould itself to Bitcoin ideology and Bitcoin philosophy (which has a very strong mix of extreme libertarianism alongside anarchists and hippie commune types - quite a motley lot).

And besides, I'm no more a "man of the people" than you are or anyone else is.

And yes, Ripple probably are burning through a ginormous amount of cash. They probably are selling XRP back to ordinary holders to fund their large and growing team of professionals (largely high quality, non-technical people - though their technical people are top-tier too).

They're out there globe trotting, doing what they do best and by all accounts, the reception they are getting from big businesses, governments and big banks is warm, positive and enthusiastic.

Which is a lot more than can be said for Bitcoin - a self-destructive community in denial.