Microsoft is already running a Ripple validator.
https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/blog/azure-blockchain-as-a-service-update/#comment-2474418189
https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/blog/azure-blockchain-as-a-service-update/#comment-2474418189
Microsoft is running everything, they think to have a chance for being interesting in the future. Similar approach as Google running a host of "experimental" services and letting the less popular services to die. So the MS running something is a nice to have thing but not really important.
Haha, yes one should start a topic like 'Google is accepting Bitcoin' and that is correct since any search for 'Bitcoin' is accepted and delivers lots of hits..
