Ledger Wallet is the rebranded name for the application previously known as Ledger Live. In 2025, Ledger renamed the application to better reflect its expanded functionality as a comprehensive crypto management platform rather than just a portfolio viewer. The core application, its features, and its security model remain the same — the name change signifies the evolution from a simple account viewer into a full-featured wallet application that supports buying, selling, swapping, staking, NFT management, and DeFi access, all secured by Ledger hardware wallets.

Yes, Ledger Wallet is completely free to download and use on all supported platforms (Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android). There are no subscription fees for the core application features including portfolio management, sending, receiving, and account synchronization. Some integrated third-party services such as buying crypto, swapping tokens, and staking involve fees charged by the respective providers, but the Ledger Wallet application itself is free. Ledger Recover is an optional paid subscription service for encrypted seed phrase backup.

Ledger Wallet supports the full lineup of Ledger hardware wallets: the Nano Gen5 (the latest generation compact device), Ledger Stax (premium touchscreen device with e-ink display), Ledger Flex (mid-range touchscreen device), Nano X (Bluetooth-enabled portable device), and Nano S Plus (entry-level USB device). All devices feature certified Secure Element chips (CC EAL5+ or EAL6+) and are fully compatible with all Ledger Wallet features. The Nano X, Stax, and Flex support Bluetooth connectivity for mobile use, while all devices connect via USB to desktop computers.

Ledger Wallet supports over 5,500 digital assets across dozens of blockchain networks. This includes major cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), Solana (SOL), Polkadot (DOT), Cosmos (ATOM), Cardano (ADA), Avalanche (AVAX), and XRP, as well as thousands of ERC-20, SPL, and other standard tokens. The number of supported assets grows continuously as Ledger adds new blockchain integrations and token standards. You can check the full list of supported assets on the official Ledger website.

Staking in Ledger Wallet allows you to earn passive income by participating in proof-of-stake blockchain networks. You delegate your tokens to a validator (or use a pooled staking service) directly through the application. Your staked assets remain secured by your hardware wallet — you never transfer custody to a third party. Supported staking assets include ETH (via Lido, Kiln), SOL, DOT, ATOM, XTZ, and others. The staking dashboard displays your accumulated rewards, current APY, and historical earnings. All staking and unstaking operations require physical confirmation on your Ledger device.

Clear Signing is Ledger’s technology that displays human-readable transaction details on your hardware wallet screen before you approve a transaction. Instead of showing raw hexadecimal data (which is essentially meaningless to most users), Clear Signing decodes the transaction to show you exactly what you are approving: the recipient address, the amount, the network fee, and for smart contract interactions, the specific action being performed. This eliminates “blind signing” risks where users unknowingly approve malicious transactions because they cannot understand the data they are signing. Clear Signing is a critical security feature that has prevented countless phishing and scam attacks.

Transaction Check is Ledger’s machine-learning-powered security feature that analyzes every transaction before it reaches your hardware wallet for signing. The system evaluates transactions against databases of known scam addresses, malicious smart contracts, and suspicious behavioral patterns. It provides a color-coded risk assessment: green for verified safe transactions, yellow for transactions requiring additional review, and red for high-risk transactions matching known scam patterns. Transaction Check runs automatically in the background and does not require any configuration — it adds an intelligent protection layer that complements Clear Signing and hardware wallet security.

If you lose your Ledger device, your cryptocurrency is not lost. Your assets exist on the blockchain, not on the physical device — the device only stores the private keys that authorize transactions. As long as you have your 24-word recovery phrase (which you recorded during initial setup), you can restore full access to all your accounts on a new Ledger device. Simply set up the new device, select “Restore from recovery phrase”, enter your 24 words, and all your accounts and balances will be recovered. If someone finds your lost device, they cannot access your funds without your PIN code — after three incorrect PIN attempts, the device automatically resets.

Your 24-word recovery phrase is the master key to all your cryptocurrency accounts and must be stored with extreme care. Write it down on the recovery sheet included with your Ledger device (or on durable material like metal backup plates that resist fire and water damage). Store it in a secure physical location such as a safe or safety deposit box. Never store your recovery phrase digitally — not in photos, notes apps, cloud storage, email, or any device connected to the internet. Never share it with anyone, including Ledger support staff (Ledger will never ask for your recovery phrase). For additional peace of mind, consider Ledger Recover as an optional encrypted backup service, or create multiple physical copies stored in separate secure locations.

Yes, Ledger Wallet is available on both desktop (Windows, macOS, Linux) and mobile (iOS, Android) platforms, and you can use it on multiple devices simultaneously. Your account data synchronizes across platforms, so changes made on one device are reflected on others. On desktop, your Ledger hardware wallet connects via USB. On mobile, Bluetooth-capable devices (Nano X, Stax, Flex) connect wirelessly, while USB-C connections are available for some mobile devices. The feature set is largely identical across platforms, though some advanced features may be available on desktop first before rolling out to mobile.

Ledger Wallet (the desktop and mobile application) is open source, with its code publicly available on GitHub at github.com/LedgerHQ. This allows security researchers, developers, and the community to audit the application code, verify its behavior, and contribute improvements. The firmware running on Ledger hardware devices uses a proprietary operating system (BOLOS) built on the Secure Element chip, which is not fully open source due to the security certification requirements of the chip manufacturer. However, the device apps (the blockchain-specific applications installed on the hardware wallet) are open source, providing transparency into the cryptographic operations that handle your private keys and transaction signing.