I don't really get it why ripple is so interesting, yes they have their own protocol but surely they have full bags of premined coins + there is no guarantee that financial institutions and banks will use XRP for their network, I mean they can simply create some new token. I guess when people hear regulation + something for companies and banks they want to buy in but the fact is ripple is opposite from what the first intention was for cryptocurrency and even they act as some sort of a middleman for banks...