I can’t say what Ripple is aiming for right now, in a good sense, because it’s directly tied to U.S. national interests. While directly aligned with U.S. national interests, it will also bring significant benefits to other nations simultaneously. At the very least, this is something no other payment layer or single company could replicate. I can’t believe that XRP holders are so indifferent to the XRP Ledger, the very continent that enables XRP to move at scale. If your only reason for investing in XRP is hoping its price will rise above what you paid, then gold bars are undoubtedly a more stable and reliable asset for consistent appreciation.