I don't think neo is similar project to ripple. It's an asset focused network being a competitor to ethereum with smart contracts etc, rather than ripple. Just go through their website
https://neo.orgI can only agree with this, ripple cannot ascend due to its supply of coin. Whereas NEO is capable of seeing MARs and quite possibly if managed properly it could overtake Eth, this of course would take quite sometime to do but I don't think its impossible.