Ripple today suffered a blow that will be interesting to see how and if it can overcome. As many know Ripple is in some trouble with the SEC or Securities and Exchange Commission. If the SEC is able to prove that Ripple did violate United States law I feel that alone is enough to effectively end the company. 

Playing devil's advocate though and saying Ripple beats their case a whole new issue has emerged. MoneyGram has made the decision to stop working with Ripple Labs. While the news says the two companies together reached this decision this is most likely a curiously by MoneyGram for Ripple to save face. With Ripple tied down one of the larger money transfer firms, it was working with has now walked away.

This just shows how deep of a hole Ripple is in as a company. This is why so many exchanges have ended trading it because right now it's a crazy gamble to even touch. Even if Ripple is able to weather the storm damage has been done that I doubt they would ever be able to fully recover from. Ripple's fall from grace invites new or alternative blockchains to come forward and take the place of them without the ICO mistake that got them in trouble. 

It would not surprise me for a few major banks to get together to form their own blockchain to allow money to be transferred and settled much much quicker. I could easily see J.P. Morgan Chase getting together with some international banks and seize the momentum from Ripple. I do wonder though what is to come of the Flare Project? That development had a ton of people buy into XRP in December so will Ripples issues negatively impact Flare? I guess only time will tell.