Whilst playing Gambit matches, the Drifter has various voice lines:
"Get me those motes and I'll make you rich, brother! I promise."
"Motes go in the bank, got it? And I'll make sure you get paid."
What does the Drifter use motes for? How does he convert them into what I presume is Glimmer?
Best Answer
My Name is Byf seems to have covered this topic in his video
Destiny 2 Forsaken Lore - Primevals, Motes of Dark & Gambit! Drifter & Gambit Lore (Part 2)
In which he follows through Shin Malfurs first meeting with the Drifter, and Shin's thoughts on what the Drifter might be up to, with his ship and the Haul.
The Ancient Apocalypse Hunter items detail the Drifter being able to use a mote of dark to summon Taken Primevals to do battle for him.
There is also lore that the Drifter says he can collect motes much easier using Guardians in Gambit.
Although at the end of his video Byf, does say that the reason the Drifter is collecting motes of dark is unknown.
So I really think the answer to my question lays in the fact that the Drifter is paying Guardians in glimmer and gear to make his job of collecting motes of dark much easier.