Ripple has the potential to revolutionize global currency exchange. Will it? Who knows. Maybe banks will co-opt the tech and use their own tokens. Maybe there's a security risk that we haven't accounted for.

But look at it this way: there's immense value in quickly converting XRP into any currency anywhere any time for less than 4 cents per $1,000. To transact on the Ripple network, you need XRP. Global currency is worth about $90 trillion, with $2 trillion exchanged every day. This doesn't include normal business operations of global companies operating in local markets (e.g., Qualcomm's factory in India buying paper from a company in Mumbai) -- potentially trillions of dollars more in money exchanging hands.

You can do this instantly with XRP, which enables companies to store some of their reserves in XRP as convenience and a hedge against arbitrage risks. Add this to normal use of XRPs for standard currency exchanges ($2 trillion worth each day), you have a huge market. Huge. Add the massive quantity of XRP tokens, the non-existent fear of losing value on a transaction (price of XRP is unlikely to change in 8 seconds, the time to conduct a transaction)...the case is compelling.

Doesn't mean Ripple will win, but, you can't dismiss it as a copycat. It's a real solution with real value.