Wallets/ledger-live
Ledger Live (Ledger Wallet)
0 standards supported
Overview
Ledger Live (also branded Ledger Wallet) is the leading hardware-signed self-custody wallet companion app, operated by Ledger SAS (Paris, France) [1, 2]. 7-8 million customers across 160+ countries rely on Ledger devices + Ledger Live; Ledger secures more than 20% of the world's crypto assets. Hardware wallets represent ~22% of all crypto wallets in 2025; hardware wallet sales grew ~31% in 2025 vs 2024; 71% of users cite security as their reason for preferring hardware wallets.
Major 2025 product: Ledger Wallet 4.0 launched with redesigned navigation + overhauled Earn section + support for new Ledger Nano Gen5 hardware device. Ledger Wallet Perpetual Trading launched with hardware-level security — substantial product expansion.
Hardware-wallet market outlook: CAGR 23.4% (2025-2032); $780M (2025) → $3.44B (2032).
History
2014 — Ledger founded in Paris [2] by 8 co-founders including Éric Larchevêque + Pascal Gauthier + Joël Pobeda + others.
2016 — Ledger Nano S launches [2]: Iconic compact hardware wallet.
2018 — Ledger Live companion app launches [2]: Multi-chain management.
2019 — Ledger Nano X (Bluetooth) [2].
2022 — Ledger Stax announced (curved e-ink screen; delayed); eventually shipped 2024.
2023 — Ledger Recover (controversial firmware update with optional seed-recovery service) [2]: Privacy backlash from community.
2025 — Ledger Wallet 4.0 + Ledger Nano Gen5 launch [3]: Major device + software refresh.
2025 — Ledger Wallet Perpetual Trading with hardware-level security [4]: New product.
Mid-2025 — 7-8M customers + 20%+ world's crypto assets secured + 22% hardware-wallet market share [1].
Ownership & operator
Operating entity: Ledger SAS (Paris, France).
CEO: Pascal Gauthier (succeeded Éric Larchevêque).
Major investors: Cathay Innovation, Draper Esprit, FirstMark Capital, 10T Holdings, Korelya Capital + others. Valuation peaked $1.5B in 2023 Series C extension.
Regulator distinction: Hardware wallets generally don't require custody licenses since users hold private keys; Ledger Live companion app is non-custodial.
Technical integration
| Layer | Description |
|---|---|
| Hardware | Ledger Nano S Plus + Nano X + Stax (curved e-ink) + Nano Gen5 (2025) — secure-element chip for signing |
| Channels | Ledger Live mobile app (iOS + Android) + Ledger Live desktop |
| Identifiers | Blockchain addresses |
| Supported chains | 5,500+ tokens across many chains — Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, BNB, Polygon, many others |
| Self-custody | Private keys never leave hardware device; transactions signed on-device |
| Ledger Wallet 4.0 (2025) | Redesigned navigation + Earn section + Nano Gen5 support |
| Perpetual Trading (2025) | Hardware-level security for perpetuals |
Users & growth
2025 [1]:
- Customers: 7-8 million across 160+ countries
- Share of world's crypto assets secured: 20%+
- Hardware wallet market share: 22% of all crypto wallets
- 2025 vs 2024 hardware-wallet sales growth: +31%
- Hardware-wallet market size (2025): $780.83 million; projected $3.44B by 2032 (CAGR 23.4%)
User-preference context: 71% of hardware-wallet users cite security as primary reason.
Use cases
Hardware-signed self-custody (private keys never leave device); Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana + 5,500+ tokens; DeFi (on-device signing via WalletConnect); NFT storage; staking; Ledger Earn (passive income on staked assets); perpetuals trading (2025+).
Implementations & partners
Operator: Ledger SAS (Paris).
Hardware partner: STMicroelectronics + ST33 secure-element chips.
Software partners: Wallet apps for thousands of cryptocurrencies; integrations with MetaMask, Phantom + other software wallets for hardware-signed transactions.
Major competitor: Trezor (Czech-based hardware-wallet pioneer; SatoshiLabs).
Other competitors: GridPlus + Keystone + Coldcard + BitBox + SafePal (other hardware wallets).
Fun facts
- 2014 founded in Paris by 8 co-founders.
- 7-8 million customers across 160+ countries; secures 20%+ of world's crypto assets.
- 22% hardware-wallet market share + +31% hardware-wallet sales growth 2025 vs 2024.
- Iconic Ledger Nano S (2016) — defining compact hardware-wallet form factor.
- Ledger Stax (2024, curved e-ink) — premium product.
- 2023 Ledger Recover firmware — controversial optional seed-recovery via third parties; community privacy backlash.
- Pascal Gauthier CEO (succeeded Éric Larchevêque).
- $1.5B valuation peak (2023 Series C extension).
- Hardware-wallet market $780M (2025) → $3.44B (2032) CAGR 23.4%.
- Ledger Wallet 4.0 + Nano Gen5 + Perpetual Trading (2025) — major product refresh year.
Comparison
| Feature | Ledger Live | Trezor | GridPlus | BitBox | Coldcard |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operator | Ledger SAS (Paris) | SatoshiLabs (Czech) | GridPlus | Shift Crypto (Swiss) | Coinkite |
| Form factor | Compact USB/Bluetooth (Nano S Plus, X, Stax, Gen5) | Compact USB (Trezor One, T, Safe 3, Safe 5) | Lattice1 (larger; touchscreen) | BitBox02 (compact USB-C) | Coldcard (Bitcoin-only) |
| Customers | 7-8M / 160+ countries | Major (~3M) | Smaller | Smaller | Bitcoin-specialist |
| 2025 device | Nano Gen5 | Safe 5 | Lattice1 | BitBox02 (continued) | Coldcard Q |
| Distinctive | Stax e-ink + Ledger Live ecosystem + Perpetual Trading 2025 | Open-source firmware heritage | Larger screen + touchscreen | Open-source + Swiss-based | Bitcoin-only + Coldcard-specific UX |
| Software competitors | MetaMask + Phantom + Trust Wallet (software) | Same | Same | Same | Bitcoin-only |
Status
Active, leading hardware-signed self-custody wallet [1, 3]:
- Ledger SAS (Paris) since 2014.
- 7-8 million customers across 160+ countries.
- Secures 20%+ of world's crypto assets + 22% hardware-wallet market share.
- 2025 Ledger Wallet 4.0 + Nano Gen5 + Perpetual Trading launches.
- Hardware-wallet market $780M (2025) → $3.44B (2032) CAGR 23.4%.
Sources
- 1 Ledger Statistics — CoinLaw
- 2 Ledger — official
- 3 Ledger Wallet 4.0 launch — Digital Reviews
- 4 Ledger Wallet Perpetual Trading — Digital Reviews
Source
Biography extracted from ledger-live.md. See matrix.md for standards-support matrix if present.