If the Ripple platform actually owns so many XRP, wouldn't the price be prone to speculation/control?
yeah, definitelly.
But xrp have been closing big deals so why would they dump? the banks interested in xrp isn't speculation. i'm still a believer.
The big banks and boys interested are essentially creating a new monopoly, no? One of the reason we want to abandon fiat is because someone controls it.
Precisely! Any currency that is "controlled" by a selected entity will be manipulated to benefit that entity at the end of the day.