despite the 40 bytes limitation of OP_RETURN could be implemented in the BTC blockchain easily, and therefore there is no need for bullshits like Counterparty and other smart contract implementation - could change how we do business, but it is unclear that the crypto currency aspect of BTC can succeed, never mind altcoins.
OP_RETURN size limit (which is no longer limited to 40 byte btw) has nothing to do with the execution of smart contracts on Bitcoin.
Also smart contracts issued on the counterparty platform
are executed on bitcoin blockchain. The bitcoin devs will never add true smart contracts to bitcoin (script 2.0 is perhaps the closest) so counterparty did it for them, and for the mutual benefit of any bitcoin holders. Before if you wanted to run turing complete code you would have to leave bitcoin for an alternative platform like ethereum. The potential value-added implications of smart contracts alone on the bitcoin blockchain for bitcoin-holders stretch far beyond counterparties measly few million dollar market cap.
Further additons to plain bitcoin by counterparty:
* ability to easily create immutable/ineradicable records to the blockchain (useful for token controlled access,drm,property rights,membership schemes, equity distribution, proof-of-existence/) -- You don't need to use any XCP token for this, only bitcoin. You can issue a stock and distribute bitcoin dividends to holders using only bitcoins.
* trustless peer-to-peer order matching engine- A decentralised exchange on-top of the bitcoin blockchain That's more than necessary after the hundreds of millions of dollars worth of bitcoin stolen from centralised single-point of failures.
* peer-to-peer trustless (and provably fair) decentralised betting. That's a real game changer- a world's first as far as i know but has gone under the radar.
You're looking at counterparty as if it's trying to compete with bitcoin when it's complimentary. It's built on bitcoin blockchain for a reason & adding features to bitcoin which don't currently exist. You don't need to touch the XCP token nor even be aware of existence to benefit from that. Don't know how you could pick that out of everything to refer to as bullshits