Ledger is a French hardware wallet manufacturer that has been on the market since 2014 and leads the segment by number of units sold. The entry-level model, the Nano S Plus, is a compact USB-C device with no touchscreen and no wireless connectivity. Above it sits the Nano X with Bluetooth, and at the top, the flagship Stax and Flex models feature a large e-ink touchscreen for a more comfortable DeFi/NFT experience. The heart of the ecosystem is Ledger Live — used for managing accounts, staking, and connecting to external DApps — with integration broader than what competitors offer.
Security and open source
Private keys sit in a dedicated secure element, physically isolated from the rest of the device. Signing a transaction requires physical confirmation on the screen. It's worth being aware of the trade-off here: the application layer is largely open source, but the firmware of the secure element itself remains closed (due to the chip supplier's confidentiality requirements) — the claim that "keys never leave the device" has to be taken on faith rather than verified in code, unlike with the fully open Trezor. The Nano S Plus has no Bluetooth — only USB-C, which eliminates the risk of radio-based attacks. The Nano X offers Bluetooth for convenience — a deliberate trade-off, unlike the fully air-gapped Ellipal Titan.
Supported coins
Ledger advertises thousands of assets, but the number needs unpacking: Ledger Live natively manages a smaller list of major networks (Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, XRP, and several dozen others), while a much larger pool of assets is secured by the device but managed through compatible third-party wallets (e.g., MetaMask). We couldn't confirm one consistent figure, so we treat this metric as unverified.
Price and variants
The Nano S Plus is the cheapest option and a sensible entry point. The Nano X adds Bluetooth and more storage at a higher price. The Stax and Flex are the premium segment, with an e-ink screen aimed at everyday DeFi/NFT use.
Who it's for
Best for people who want to securely store funds AND actively use DeFi/NFTs/staking without separate tools. For maximum code verifiability, pair it with a Trezor.
Ledger Details
- Rating: 4.6/5
- Type: Hardware wallet
- Price: $59
- Supported coins: Unconfirmed (thousands claimed, figure disputed)
- Open source: No
- Bluetooth: No (Nano S Plus); Yes on Nano X
- Official site: ledger.com