CC EAL5+ Certified • Hardware wallet • Non-custodial

Cold storage.
Total control.

Ledger Wallet keeps your private keys inside a Certified Secure Element chip, never exposed to an internet-connected computer. 5500+ supported coins, fully self-custodial since 2014.

Read the setup guide Explore features
CC EAL5+ Secure Element 5500+ assets PIN protected
Ledger Wallet hardware wallet device showing cold storage crypto security

7M+

Devices sold worldwide

5500+

Supported coins

CC EAL5+

Secure Element cert level

2014

Founded in Paris

Ledger Wallet Nano device showing Secure Element hardware chip

Secure Element

Keys that never leave hardware

The core of every Ledger Wallet device is a Certified Secure Element chip — the same grade of chip used in passports and bank cards. Your private keys are generated inside it, stored inside it, and used inside it. They are never exported in any form to the connected computer.

When you approve a transaction, the signing happens entirely on the chip. The computer sees only the signed transaction, not the key that created it. This means a compromised computer cannot steal your funds.

Full security model
Ledger Wallet Stax device with touchscreen showing Ledger Live integration

Ledger Live

Manage 5500+ assets from one app

Ledger Live is the companion software — available on Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android. It connects to your Ledger Wallet device to send, receive, stake, and swap assets. Every transaction is proposed by Ledger Live and physically confirmed on the device itself.

No action executes without your physical approval on the device screen. A hacked or malware-infected computer running Ledger Live cannot move funds without the device saying yes.

All features
Ledger Live mobile app on phone showing portfolio overview

Multi-device

Works with MetaMask, Phantom, and more

Ledger Wallet devices connect natively to MetaMask, Phantom, Coinbase Wallet, and dozens of other popular software wallets. You get the rich DeFi and dApp ecosystem of those wallets while your private keys stay in the Ledger Wallet hardware device.

The software wallet proposes; Ledger Wallet signs. This combination gives you hardware-level key security with the convenience of your preferred software interface.

Compatibility

Everything cold storage can actually do

Hardware wallets are not just for long-term holders. Ledger Wallet handles daily DeFi, staking, and NFTs too.

Hardware key storage

Private keys inside CC EAL5+ Secure Element. Physical confirmation required for every transaction. No software key exposure possible.

Native staking

Stake ETH, SOL, ADA, ATOM, DOT, and more directly in Ledger Live with device confirmation. Rewards to your hardware-secured address.

Buy, swap, sell

Integrated providers let you buy with card and swap assets directly in Ledger Live. Every swap is confirmed physically on device.

NFT storage

Store Ethereum and Solana NFTs at hardware security level. View collections in Ledger Live and confirm any transfer on device.

5500+ coins

Install coin apps on the device for Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, Cardano, Polygon, and hundreds more. Swap apps as needed.

Clear signing

Newer Ledger Wallet models show full, human-readable transaction details on the device screen before you confirm. No blind signing.

Up and running in six steps

From unboxing to secured first transaction.

  1. 1

    Order from ledger.com only

    Only buy directly from Ledger or an authorised reseller. Second-hand or unofficial-marketplace devices may have been tampered with. Check the anti-tamper seal on arrival.

  2. 2

    Set your PIN on the device

    Use the physical buttons to choose a 4–8 digit PIN on the device itself. Never enter a suggested PIN — if any comes pre-set, the device has been compromised and must be returned.

    WarningA genuine Ledger Wallet device always ships with an empty PIN. Any pre-set PIN means the device is not safe to use.

  3. 3

    Write the 24-word recovery phrase

    The device generates a 24-word recovery phrase. Write every word on the included Recovery Sheet, numbered and in order. Verify each word on screen. This phrase restores every account if the device is ever lost or damaged.

    NeverEnter the phrase into any computer, phone, or website. Ledger Wallet will never ask for it digitally.

  4. 4

    Store the phrase safely

    Keep the Recovery Sheet in a secure, offline location — a fireproof safe is ideal. Make a second copy and store it separately. Never photograph it, type it, or store it digitally.

    RecommendedMetal backup plates (sold separately) are fireproof and waterproof alternatives to paper.

  5. 5

    Install Ledger Live and coin apps

    Download Ledger Live from ledger.com (not from search results). Connect your device, add your accounts, and install the coin apps you need through the App Catalog inside Ledger Live.

  6. 6

    Send a small test transaction

    Receive a small amount, then send it to another address you control. Verify the destination address on the device screen — the device screen is the only source of truth. Confirm. Your cold storage setup is complete.

    AlwaysVerify every address on the device screen before confirming. Computer screens can be manipulated by malware.

Who chooses hardware wallets?

Four situations where cold storage makes the most sense.

Long-term holders

Crypto you plan to hold for months or years belongs in cold storage. Software wallets carry risks whenever the connected device is online. Hardware wallets keep keys offline always.

Maximum key security

Stakers & yield seekers

Stake ETH, SOL, ADA, DOT, and more from Ledger Live with keys secured in hardware. Earn network staking rewards without exposing keys to online wallet software.

Secure staking

High-value portfolios

For portfolios over a threshold you consider significant, the hardware investment is a small fraction of the downside risk. Cold storage is the standard approach for meaningful crypto amounts.

CC EAL5+ protection

DeFi users with large positions

Use MetaMask or Phantom with a Ledger Wallet device as the signing layer. Full DeFi access, hardware-level key security. Every transaction physically confirmed on device.

DeFi + hardware

5500+ supported assets

Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, and hundreds more — all with hardware-level key security.

Bitcoin Ethereum Solana Cardano Polkadot Litecoin XRP USDC Tether BNB Avalanche Cosmos Polygon Tron

Ledger Wallet vs the alternatives

Key security trade-offs at a glance.

Feature Exchange account Software wallet Ledger Wallet hardware
Key location Exchange servers Your device (software) Secure Element chip, offline
KYC required? Always No No
Survives compromised PC? No No Yes — keys never leave chip
Physical confirmation? No No Yes — button on device
Security certification No No CC EAL5+ Secure Element
Assets supported 50–500 Chain-specific 5500+ via Ledger Live apps
Works with MetaMask? No Yes Yes — hardware signing layer
Recovery if lost Support ticket 24-word phrase 24-word recovery phrase

By the numbers

7M+

Devices sold

5500+

Supported assets

20%

Of all crypto secured

2014

Founded

What users say

“I sleep better knowing my Bitcoin is in cold storage. The setup was more involved than a software wallet, but the Ledger Live guide made it clear. The Stax’s E-ink screen for verifying addresses is a genuine improvement.”

— Long-term Bitcoin holder

Trustpilot reviewer

“I use my Nano X with MetaMask for daily DeFi. The hardware signing means even if my browser is compromised, I still approve every transaction on the device. It’s become the only way I interact with significant amounts on-chain.”

— Active DeFi user

Reddit, r/ethfinance

Common questions

What people ask before buying their first hardware wallet.

Do I need technical knowledge to use Ledger Wallet?

The basic setup — PIN, recovery phrase, receiving and sending — is walkable without deep crypto knowledge. Ledger Live has clear on-screen guidance. More advanced features like DeFi connection and clear signing need a bit more learning, but the setup guide covers the essential steps.

What happens if the device breaks or is lost?

Your 24-word recovery phrase restores every account on any new Ledger Wallet device — or any other BIP-39 compatible wallet. The device is just hardware running your keys. Buy a new one, enter the phrase, and all your accounts are back.

What if I forget my PIN?

After three incorrect PIN attempts, the device resets itself. You can then restore it from your 24-word recovery phrase. This is why securing the phrase matters more than remembering the PIN.

Can Ledger Wallet access or see my funds?

No. Ledger Wallet SAS has no master key and no server that stores private keys. The Secure Element chip generates and keeps keys entirely within the hardware device. Ledger Wallet has no technical ability to access, freeze, or move your funds.

What is “clear signing”?

Clear signing means the device screen shows a human-readable description of what you are about to approve — the destination address, token amounts, and what a smart contract call does — before you confirm. Older devices show only a raw hash. Ledger Wallet Stax and Flex have clear signing for supported contracts.

Is the recovery phrase 12 words or 24 words?

Ledger Wallet devices generate a 24-word BIP-39 recovery phrase. This is more entropy than the 12-word phrases used by most software wallets, providing a larger safety margin. The phrase is compatible with wallets that accept 24-word imports.

Your keys deserve hardware.

CC EAL5+ Secure Element. 5500+ assets. Physical confirmation on every transaction.

Read the setup guide