I don't think XRP is a competitor to Steem by a long shot. Does it really provide with a creative content platform?
Also isn't Steemit allowed to put any cryptos on their tickers they will. It's not like it matters as Steem != Steemit.com.
They are allowed to do whatever they want, this is just my opinion! Some pople may not have any idea and assume if steemit posts xrp price that means they approve it, and maybe that person spends some money on it after they came here to buy steem in the first place. Just saying people can be manipulated by the smallest things!
If they buy xrp if what they wanted was steem I think they would realize rather quickly that they made a mistake and exchange it for steem. If they are that easily swayed then, "manipulated" as you say, they will be by any other triviality.
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