Ledger

What it is

Ledger makes multi-asset hardware wallets that pair a secure element chip with Ledger's proprietary OS (ledger.com).

At a glance

Current security status

Caution: Acceptable for multi-asset users; buy only from ledger.com; leave Ledger Recover off. Minimum version: Latest firmware. Checked 2026-10-16 on our security watch.

• Oct 2026: criminals fitted cellular implants into genuine Ledger devices sold through unauthorized Southeast Asian channels to capture seeds during setup. Ledger says the secure element, OS and servers were not compromised.
• Oct 15, 2026: Ledger asked sellers across Asia, including Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Hong Kong, to halt sales during the investigation.
• Oct 13, 2026: MediaMarkt pulled Ledger devices in Germany as a precaution.
• Anyone who set up a device bought through an affected channel should move funds to a new device and a new seed.
• Oct 15, 2026: Ledger said devices spot-bought from stores in Germany and samples from warehouses were all clean. New partner rules: no Ledger products on shelves or as display stock, and returned devices can never be resold.
• Oct 16, 2026: SlowMist warned of fake firmware-update phishing pages mimicking Genuine Check and Update Now to steal recovery phrases. Update only in the official Ledger Wallet app; never enter your seed on a website.
• Source: Ledger response
• Source: BleepingComputer: Asia sales halt
• Source: BleepingComputer: implant confirmed
• Source: CoinDesk (Oct 13, 2026)
• Source: Cointelegraph: MediaMarkt
• Source: SlowMist on X (Oct 16, 2026)
• Source: The Crypto Times: fake update pages

Key features

• Secure element chip in every model (ledger.com).
• Proprietary OS on the device (ledger.com).
• Multi-asset: suits people who also hold other coins; Bitcoin-only users have other options.

October 2026: tampered genuine devices sold through unauthorized channels in Southeast Asia captured seeds, and fake "firmware update" pages are now phishing for recovery phrases. Buy only from ledger.com, update only in the official Ledger Wallet app, and never type your seed into a website. Details below.

Read our full write-up: Is Ledger safe in 2026?

Buying and setup

• Buy only from the maker's official site (www.ledger.com) or an authorized seller it lists. Never use a device that arrives with a seed already written down.
• Set it up with our hardware wallet module, then pair it with Sparrow as a watch-only wallet.