Doesn't it seem a bit too panderous to the current financial powers?
Ripple will tickle the banks 'till Tuesday, but I'm not sure what the little guy gets out of it in the long run. Just a more complicated way of getting fucked by the usual suspects. BTC seems like it will always be a safer place to store your value, and while Ripple can probably garner enough power to extort banks into using their network, and holding their XRP, I think there will always be a slice of life for a good 'ol boy who holds a little honest BTC. What more do you need?