Stern Drew’s recent X post weaves an ambitious narrative: that Christine Lagarde’s push to modernize international finance created an opening for Ripple and the XRP Ledger (XRPL) to become a hidden backbone of global settlements.
Christine Lagarde, a French lawyer and politician who led the International Monetary Fund (IMF) from 2011 to 2019, has served as President of the European Central Bank (ECB) since November 2019.
Throughout her tenure, she publicly emphasized the need for the IMF and the broader financial system to adapt to digital money, tokenization, and new payment technologies.
The public statements naturally positioned the IMF and ECB as central figures in discussions about blockchain technology and digital currencies, drawing significant attention to their roles and perspectives in shaping the narrative around these emerging financial technologies.
🚨 CHRISTINE LAGARDE DIDN’T JUST LEAVE THE IMF… SHE LEFT RIPPLE IN THE IMF.
Ripple has been inside the IMF boardrooms for years.
From secret advisory groups to tokenization pilots, Ripple is the IMF’s new settlement system.
Here’s the truth they’ll never let it out 🧵👇 pic.twitter.com/dGVYqfJn4p
— Stern Drew (@SternDrewCrypto) September 14, 2025
Ripple’s Documented Presence at the IMF
The IMF established a High-Level Advisory Group on FinTech to explore the future of cross-border payments and digital assets. Ripple executives, including co-founder Chris Larsen, appear on official IMF lists of industry participants invited to these high-level discussions.
The IMF has also released multiple papers examining Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) and the potential role of blockchain in global settlements. These facts confirm that Ripple has been part of the IMF’s policy conversations.
The People Bridging Both Worlds
Stern Drew highlights Jess (Jessie) Cheng as an example of institutional overlap. Public records show that Cheng previously worked at the IMF in legal and fintech roles before becoming Deputy General Counsel at Ripple.
Her career path demonstrates the movement of expertise between prominent financial institutions and private blockchain firms, showcasing the crossover of skills and experience in these interconnected sectors. However, IMF membership lists for its advisory groups do not confirm every appointment claimed in Drew’s post.
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XRPL’s Technical Capabilities
The XRP Ledger has introduced key upgrades—such as XLS-70 for verifiable credentials and XLS-80 for permissioned domains—that enable identity verification and access control directly on the blockchain.
These features are designed to meet institutional requirements for compliance and security, making XRPL a viable candidate for pilot projects that demand high levels of trust and regulatory adherence.
Separating Fact from Speculation
While Ripple’s involvement in IMF advisory groups and XRPL’s institutional-grade technology are well documented, there is no public evidence that the IMF, ECB, or Bank for International Settlements has secretly chosen XRPL as a global settlement system.
Claims of coordinated suppression of XRP’s price or of a hidden plan to make it the world’s reserve asset remain speculative and are not supported by official documentation.
The Takeaway
Stern Drew’s post correctly points out that Christine Lagarde championed a digital future and that Ripple has been part of the IMF’s fintech dialogue. Those facts are undeniable. But the leap to a covert, prearranged role for Ripple as the IMF’s exclusive settlement infrastructure is not backed by the evidence currently available.
The real story is one of documented engagement and promising technology, not a secret global takeover.
Disclaimer: This content is meant to inform and should not be considered financial advice. The views expressed in this article may include the author’s personal opinions and do not represent Times Tabloid’s opinion. Readers are urged to do in-depth research before making any investment decisions. Any action taken by the reader is strictly at their own risk. Times Tabloid is not responsible for any financial losses.
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