There was a recent article on R3. Almost sounds like they had thrown in the towel - by giving the code away to Hyperledger and emphasizing their network effect. Network effect is Déjà vu for me, as Bitcoin maximalists have been using that arguments against alternates for years.
Also I'm not sure if I can buy the idea of 70 companies "working together" on something. Every company has its' own interests and visions and no way could that many companies ever agree on something. Also that many companies working together is guaranteed social loafing.
If I run one of these companies, why would I spend any money or assign staff when another company will do it?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_loafingSeems a lot of people are buying into the quantity over quality argument.
I read an article recently. If precedence is any measure, this is a sure failure, as has been the cases previously. The only people to gain from this are the consultants, i.e., R3 staffs.
This is a "me too" nice feeling. None of them are really serious. Each bank will embark on their own initiatives and wrestle that into the consortium to gain an upper hand, leaving those suckers who are not, the real losers.