Ledger Wallet: Examples of How Crypto Wallets Work

By RAKESH SHARMA Updated December 07, 2023
Reviewed by ERIKA RASURE
Reviewed by Erika Rasure
Full Bio
Erika Rasure is globally-recognized as a leading consumer economics subject matter expert, researcher, and educator. She is a financial therapist and transformational coach, with a special interest in helping women learn how to invest.
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What Is a Ledger Wallet?

Ledger is a company that makes physical cryptocurrency wallets that look similar to USB drives or other storage devices. The company offers users several hardware and cold wallet options. Ledger promises users that its wallets are safe and secure for use with crypto assets. Headquartered in France, the company also has operations in San Francisco. It was launched by eight experts with backgrounds in embedded security, cryptocurrencies, and entrepreneurship. The company's goal is to create secure solutions for blockchain applications.1

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Ledger wallets are hardware cryptocurrency wallets made by Ledger.
• The company's hardware wallets are multicurrency wallets that store private keys for cryptocurrencies offline.
• Ledger offers three hardware wallets: the Ledger Nano S Plus, the Ledger Nano X, and the Ledger Stax.

Types of Wallets

To understand the types of wallets Ledger makes, it's important to know what wallets do and how they are classified. Here's a quick refresher.
To use your cryptocurrency, you're required to use private keys to access them. These private keys, which are long alphanumeric strings of numbers, are what thieves and hackers are after because they are the weak link in a blockchain. Originally, cryptocurrency users wrote or printed these keys on paper—hence the term "paper wallet"—and removed their keys from their computers to prevent theft. However, paper is easily damaged, and as you might imagine, many users lost their keys.
Applications with user interfaces that ran on personal computers, laptops, and mobile devices were developed to make blockchain more user-friendly, attract more users, and store the keys for you. However, these programs introduced an additional risk—they were accessible to hackers and thieves because they are software-based.
To address concerns over private key security and longevity, cryptocurrency developers created other types of wallets. Cryptocurrency wallets are now generally classified into three categories:

• Hardware: Devices like USB drives you can transfer your keys to
• Software: Wallet applications on devices that store your keys
• Paper: Keys written or typed on a piece of paper, sometimes with quick response (QR) codes printed on them

Hardware and software wallets can be further classified into:

• Hot: Has an active internet connection
• Cold: Has no active internet connection
• Custodial: Another entity stores the keys for you on a device or in an app they control
• Non-custodial: You hold the keys on a device or app you control

How Ledger Wallets Work

Ledger offers cold, non-custodial hardware wallets. These multicurrency wallets store private keys offline on a secure hardware device. These wallets are device-based, which means they use storage mechanisms (like USB drives) to store private keys, thereby making it difficult for hackers to access them from an online location. The private key is moved to a certified secure chip by the software on the device and Ledger's application.
The company offers three different hardware wallets: the Ledger Nano S Plus, the Ledger Nano X, and the Ledger Stax. These hardware wallets work with the Ledger Live app, which the owner uses to access the keys and purchase and manage your crypto. All transactions that are executed must be authorized by the user.
These storage wallets let you perform various functions, including sending and receiving cryptocurrency and using two-factor authentication (2FA) applications.2
All Ledger products combine a Secure Element and a proprietary operating system designed specifically to protect a user's cryptocurrency assets. They generate a 24-word, 96-character backup recovery phrase to access your cryptocurrencies if the device is lost or stolen. For the extra-cautious, the 24-word phrase can be etched into steel in a Billfodl, which holds seed phrases or keys in a sturdy physical form.3

Types of Ledger Wallets

Ledger's first product was the Ledger Nano S, introduced in 2016.4
 The Ledger Nano S was eventually replaced with three other products: the Ledger Nano S Plus, the Ledger Nano X, and the Ledger Stax.

Ledger Nano S Plus

The Ledger Nano S Plus is referred to by Ledger as a "Nano S on steroids."4
 The Nano S Plus resembles a portable USB device with a USB-C connection. It allows users to manage more than 5,500 digital assets with enough memory to install up to 100 apps. The company says it is compatible with more than 5,000 coins and non-fungible tokens (NFTs). The Ledger Nano S Plus is compatible with Mac, Windows, and Android devices.5
The unit retails for $79 (USD).5

Ledger Nano X

Ledger introduced the Nano X in 2019.6
 This is a USB-type device that, like every other Ledger device, keeps the owner's crypto coins and NFTs offline. It is Bluetooth-enabled and has a USB-C connection. This device works with macOS, Windows, iOS, and Android. It has the capacity for more than 5,500 different tokens, and users can have up to 100 different apps.
The Ledger Nano X retails for $149 (USD).7
You may be required to purchase additional items to use your devices, such as the On The Go kit to connect to a mobile device.

Ledger Stax

The Ledger Stax is a portable storage device designed by Ledger to store cryptocurrency assets. It is small enough to fit into the palm of your hand. Users can name their Stax, and the lock screen can be customized like a smartphone. Some of the features include;

• Curved 3.7 inch E ink touchscreen (wider than the other devices)
• Bluetooth compatible
• Wireless charging
• Works with macOS, Windows, iOS, and Android8

This device supports more than 5,000 coins and NFTs. As with all Ledger devices, it comes with a Secure Element chip.8
The unit retails for $279 (USD).

How Safe Are Ledger Wallets?

Ledger promises users that its devices are safe and secure for use. In fact, the company claims that its devices have never been hacked. It credits its track record with "technical innovations, rigorous testing, and user awareness."9

What Are Private Keys?

Private keys are special codes used in the cryptocurrency market. They work just like passwords. Keys are usually alphanumeric, which means they are comprised of both letters and numbers. They are generated by a cryptocurrency wallet and are used to authorize cryptocurrency transactions.

What's the Difference Between a Hot and Cold Wallet?

Hot wallets are connected to the internet and are accessible through smartphones, mobile devices, laptops, and desktop computers. Cold wallets are hardware devices that are not internet-enabled.

The Bottom Line

You have several wallet options available to store the keys to your cryptocurrency safely. Of the different types, cold hardware wallets are the most secure option because they make your keys inaccessible until you need them.
One of the leading names in cold hardware wallets is Ledger. The company maintains that its devices are completely safe and secure and have never been hacked.
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