That's true, Ripple isn't really a cryptocurrency.
It's only riding the popularity of crypto's to start its own business through entire adoption of different bankers.
I have heard many of negative reviews on Ripple last days, but what I can say that you are still able to earn money from investing in it, so in my humble opinion you should not be concerned so much about ripple being a currency or not.
Yes you are earning money from investing on it but it's different if you are a real crypto supporter, you won't support a centralized coin.