Cryptocurrency and blockchain were built to usurp centralized authorities like governments and banks. And then came Ripple, the digital asset that throws the cypherpunk ideology straight out the window. Ripple has managed to make cryptocurrencies and corporate institutions unlikely bedfellows. It has often drawn criticism for ‘not being a real cryptocurrency’ and not being truly decentralized. This criticism comes from the fact that Ripple’s blockchain doesn’t have any miners, and access to it is heavily permissioned. It’s a far cry from open and censorship-resistant platforms, like Bitcoin. However, the Ripple team has repeatedly assured holders that XRP and the network…

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