Why has Ripple decreased so much in Market cap? Used to be second to Bitcoin

[twiifm]

Bitcoin is a paradigm shift but its distribution (marketing) scheme is very problematic.  I know you thought my post was TL;DR.  But I think the problem is you don't quite understand the economics of banking & money which I was trying to explain

De-centralized banking --> Not new
Metallism money theory --> Not new
Public Ledger --> New

Ripple is not paradigm shift like bitcoin but it takes the most innovative thing about bitcoin and applying that to the ACTUAL banking practices.

I can't think of a good metaphor.  But suppose when MP3s was invented some idealists had big ideas about revolutionizing the music industry.  But it wasn't until iTunes that MP3s became mainstream.  It didn't disrupt the status quo.  Sure it might have given a spotlight to some underground musicians that couldn't have happened befoe MP3s.  But probably the effect of MP3s was it increased the overall market size so you have more Katy Perrys & Justin Biebers as a result.

Crypto is exciting but most of the players are too focussed on bitcoin.  Ripple to me has the correct attitude to take crypto mainstream.  Only time will tell if they can do it or not.  They have the right attitude to attract incumbent institutions

[jonald_fyookball]

You guys are smart.  I'm always humbled by the intelligence of the bitcoin community.

I haven't read the ripple white paper yet.  Maybe I will this weekend if I feel
compelled.

It sounds like there MIGHT be some value in the ripple network, although so far it sounds vague and theoretical.  

I still don't get how or why I would use this thing!

1. It's not a bitcoin-like cryptocurrency (obviously)

2. I can wire fiat money wherever I want to, from my local bank (or by phone) and they
will convert it to a foreign currency if I want.  Does ripple do this any better?
Is it even possible today?

3. I certainly don't need ripple for buying coins or taking coin payments online (coinbase or bitpay does that just fine)

4. The only other use case I can think of (for me) is taking online payments in some fashion (similar to SEPA), and I've been told that will be possible only in the future when more services are built.

[Peter R]

OK, one more question for the ripplers out there:

Bitcoin is presently very useful to me as a store of value, exciting to me as a speculative investment, and each month bitcoin is becoming more and more useful to me as a medium of exchange.  Since you've claimed that ripples are neither designed to be saved as a store of value nor meant to be purchased as a speculative instrument, and since Ripple is presently not useful to me as a medium of exchange¹, how would you recommend that I use it today?

What are you actually trying to convince me of?  My view all along has been that:

That being said, I can perhaps imagine several small digital hawala networks becoming useful if they are composed of like-minded entities where sufficient trust can be established to surmount the counter-party risk associated with the IOUs.

¹Because (a) I don't know how to evaluate the counter-party risk of Ripple IOUs, (b) no one I want to exchange with uses Ripple, (c) I am more incentivized to promote bitcoin over Ripple to people who use neither.

[tokeweed]

peter, you can use bitcoin or any other currency whether fiat or crypto in ripple. forget xrp for a little bit, and think of the ripple network as a whole. the beauty of the network is if you decide to send btc, you can choose which currency the recipient would like to receive.  it's a sort of network value exchange on the internet.

i suggest reading the ripple primer here:  https://ripple.com/ripple_primer.pdf

there are also a lot of other features built in the network like a trading exchange and lots more ideas in the pipe line like smart contracts.

why not give it a try. i'd be happy to activate your ripple wallet. just send me a pm.

[tokeweed]

also watch this video:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sRgfC61Gc3E

i can't find a reason why ripple has no place in the crypto-currency space as some people have expressed. the space has so much room for more improvement and ripple is providing a solution to some of the issues facing bitcoin.

[tokeweed]

Ripple: Dead in the water before it started.

is it?  i don't think so.  not with these investors behind it:

Just some of the VC's that are invested in Ripple.



Andreessen Horowitz



Andreessen Horowitz is a Silicon Valley-based venture capital firm with $2.7 billion under management. The firm invests in entrepreneurs building companies at every stage – from seed to growth.



The Bitcoin Opportunity Fund



The Bitcoin Opportunity Fund is managed by Barry Silbert, the founder of SecondMarket and the Bitcoin Investment Trust. The fund invests in bitcoin and other math-based currency companies, including Gyft, Coinbase and Tradehill, among others.



Google Ventures



Google Ventures is a radically different kind of venture-capital fund. The Google Ventures design, marketing, recruiting, and engineering teams work full-time with portfolio companies. Google Ventures also offers Startup Lab, a dedicated facility and educational program where companies can meet, learn, work, and share.

Google Ventures will invest over $1B in the next five years. Founded in 2009, the firm has invested in over 200 companies, including Uber, Nest, Kabam, HomeAway, Parse, ngmoco, and RetailMeNot. Google Ventures is headquartered in Mountain View, Calif., with offices in Seattle, New York, and Cambridge, Mass.



IDG Technology Venture Investment Fund



IDG Technology Venture Investment Fund is managed by IDG Capital Partners, which, as a leading China-related investment team, was among the first to introduce foreign venture capital investment into China in early 1990’s. Since then the funds under its management have invested in around 300 diverse and successful portfolios, such as Baidu, Sohu, Tencent, Soufun, Ctrip, Tudou, Qihu360, Home Inns, Hanting and Kanghui. Over 70 portfolios have successfully completed IPO or M&A.



Lightspeed Venture Partners



Lightspeed Venture Partners is a leading venture capital firm with over $2 billion of committed capital under management and investment professionals and advisors in Silicon Valley, India, Israel and China with Lightspeed China Partners. Over the past two decades, Lightspeed partners have backed more than 200 consumer, enterprise and cleantech companies, many of which have become leaders in their respective markets, including Blue Nile, Brocade, Ciena, DoubleClick, eHealth, Flixster, Fusion-io, Informatica, Kosmix, LivingSocial, Lucky Pai, Nicira, Playdom, Pliant Technology, Provigent, Riverbed Technology, Solazyme, TutorVista, Virsa Systems, Waveset, and XtremIO.



source:  https://www.ripplelabs.com/investors/

[HarryK]

Ripple looks interesting

[galbros]

they changed their default marketcap calculation to "market cap by available supply" recently.

This is the boring and simple answer.

Ripple is what it is, maybe it will work though I don't really see how.

[tokeweed]

they changed their default marketcap calculation to "market cap by available supply" recently.

This is the boring and simple answer.

Ripple is what it is, maybe it will work though I don't really see how.

what they said about bitcoin in 2011 (warning:  they are completely hilarious!):

bjornb:  "They are trading at a ridiculous 70 cents USD which is hilarious for a currency that no one uses."

party:  "i wonder if these people all share the same mental illness, or if it's more of a general hodgepodge of stupid."

Gullanian:  "Yeah the problem with this currency is it's pretty much untested and extremely volatile, and a better one might come along, or a security flaw might be discovered which will render the currency worthless in seconds."

Scottyy:  "Who is funding bitcoin? You can not make money out of thin air. What does Paypal do with the bitcoins people exchange for cash?"

source:  http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/30/business-finance-investing/bitcoins-digital-currency-1011408/

[Azeh]

also watch this video:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sRgfC61Gc3E

i can't find a reason why ripple has no place in the crypto-currency space as some people have expressed. the space has so much room for more improvement and ripple is providing a solution to some of the issues facing bitcoin.

What do you have to gain personally by promoting ripple?  If XRP is essentially a valueless token what incentive is there for others to buy it.  Essentially what I'm asking is how is Ripple going to make me money.

With Bitcoin and other crypto's it's simple.  I have incentive to promote to others because by doing so my investment can potentially increase in value as others adopt it.

What about Ripple?  Why even promote it?  What benefit does it bring to you personally?

[tokeweed]

^ that's the thing.  does it even have to have a monetary gain to help promote the ripple protocol on a community level?  or does it even mean that when i promote ripple, i am saying you should speculate in xrp?  no. i am simply saying for everyone to try it out and see for yourself if it is something that might be of use to you, whether you are a trader, a banker, developer, coder, merchant etc.. then if not, move on. simple.

but before pushing it aside, please read up on it first because most of the people that did push it aside are the ones who didn't spare a few minutes learning about it.

again, here's the ripple primer:  https://ripple.com/ripple_primer.pdf

[Azeh]

^ that's the thing.  does it even have to have a monetary gain to help promote the ripple protocol on a community level?  or does it even mean that when i promote ripple, i am saying you should speculate in xrp?  no. i am simply saying for everyone to try it out and see for yourself if it is something that might be of use to you, whether you are a trader, a banker, developer, coder, merchant etc.. then if not, move on. simple.

but before pushing it aside, please read up on it first because most of the people that did push it aside are the ones who didn't spare a few minutes learning about it.

again, here's the ripple primer:  https://ripple.com/ripple_primer.pdf

Yes, it does have to have a monetary gain to help promote the ripple protocol on a community level.

We're all here for our own monetary benefit.  Anyone who claims anything otherwise is disingenuous.

[jonald_fyookball]

^ that's the thing.  does it even have to have a monetary gain to help promote the ripple protocol on a community level?  or does it even mean that when i promote ripple, i am saying you should speculate in xrp?  no. i am simply saying for everyone to try it out and see for yourself if it is something that might be of use to you, whether you are a trader, a banker, developer, coder, merchant etc.. then if not, move on. simple.

but before pushing it aside, please read up on it first because most of the people that did push it aside are the ones who didn't spare a few minutes learning about it.

again, here's the ripple primer:  https://ripple.com/ripple_primer.pdf

Interesting but can it be actually used ?  Can I , in fact, send argentine pesos to my friend in Argentina even though I have dollars ?  If so, how?  What are the steps?

[tokeweed]

granting that there was a gateway in argentina accepting argentine pesos?  i couldn't see why not.

you see, that is why we are spreading the word about ripple everywhere so we make more and more people aware of it and use it and build stuff above and around it whether you are a trader, a banker, developer, coder, merchant etc..

right now, what ripple needs is gateways, lots of them to make it easier for people around the globe to transfer money into the ripple network.  so far we have a few.  you can read more about ripple gateways here:  https://xrptalk.org/topic/1770-guide-to-ripple-gateways-how-to-move-money-in-and-out-of-the-ripple-network/  and here:  https://ripple.com/ripple-gateways.pdf

so far the most liquid currencies in the network are btc, usd and cny.

for a complete newbie guide, like how to send money in ripple, there are video tutorials here:  https://xrptalk.org/topic/2204-video-tutorials-for-beginners/

enjoy.

[Azeh]

granting that there was a gateway in argentina accepting argentine pesos?  i couldn't see why not.

you see, that is why we are spreading the word about ripple everywhere so we make more and more people aware of it and use it and build stuff above and around it whether you are a trader, a banker, developer, coder, merchant etc..

right now, what ripple needs is gateways, lots of them to make it easier for people around the globe to transfer money into the ripple network.  so far we have a few.  you can read more about ripple gateways here:  https://xrptalk.org/topic/1770-guide-to-ripple-gateways-how-to-move-money-in-and-out-of-the-ripple-network/  and here:  https://ripple.com/ripple-gateways.pdf

so far the most liquid currencies in the network are btc, usd and cny.

for a complete newbie guide, like how to send money in ripple, there are video tutorials here:  https://xrptalk.org/topic/2204-video-tutorials-for-beginners/

enjoy.

Question:

Could ripple somehow be used as a workaround for the Chinese to acquire crypto's?

[~Coinseeker~]

Yes, it does have to have a monetary gain to help promote the ripple protocol on a community level.

We're all here for our own monetary benefit.  Anyone who claims anything otherwise is disingenuous.

You may find it disingenuous, but not all of us are gambling junkies.  Some of us actually want to see the tech bring real world change to people around the globe.  The fact that we can type in a forum shows we already have more than most.  You have a right to be self-centered in your view of the tech but you know what they say when you assume.  

Interesting but can it be actually used ?  Can I , in fact, send argentine pesos to my friend in Argentina even though I have dollars ?  If so, how?  What are the steps?

There is nothing preventing the Ripple protocol from doing what you suggest.  The tech works.  What lacks in these early stages, is liquidity and as Tokeweed mentioned, gateways.  Remittence is one of the key things Ripple is designed to do, so as the infrastructure, market makers, etc., come online, you're going to love Ripple.  

Steps are just like sending from a Bitcoin wallet, except you can choose to send pesos with USD.  Real simple.  You could actually view the lack of liquidity for your currency pairs as an opportunity to make a market.  Sounds like money to be made if there's true demand for USD ->Pesos.

Question:

Could ripple somehow be used as a workaround for the Chinese to acquire crypto's?

All you need is a Chinese gateway or a way for them to get money to any gateway.  Then they can move into whatever currency there is liquidity for.

[tokeweed]

azeh check out these chinese gateways:

http://www.ripplecn.com/

http://www.ripplechina.net/

[templar77]

Ripple is 100% premined, but that's not the problem, the problem is that they openly say they'll keep 40% of the coins.
So basically they're accepting it's a Ponzi Scheme.

[tokeweed]

no. the creators of ripple made 100 billion xrp and gave 80 billion to ripple labs.

call it a ponzi scheme if you want, i think you have already set your mind hard to see it as such so i won't bother arguing like i did in the past.

but the protocol is better than most in the crypto-currency space. nothing can change that.

[rohan1]

No one know the market actual Volume added everyday, so there maybe have a lot new dump everyday .