This to me is why a semi private development like ripple will be the one to beat presently.  Opensource code with a privately funded development.  Sure decentralization is valuable and should be recognized as the lifeblood of any noncorruptable system of finance.  But the existing financial system we have is and will hopefully remain viable long enough to smoothly, step by step transition into a pure p2p system as bitcoin can be with the p2p exchanges and improvements so needed working on.  This makes ripple a clear contender on a level that is insurmountable to the current state of the bitcoin environment.