The Only Gateway to True Digital Ownership
Ledger Live is your all-in-one desktop and mobile application to secure, buy, swap, stake, and manage over 5,000 digital assets with the unmatched security of your Ledger hardware wallet.
Security That Re-Defines Digital Finance
Certified Secure Element
Your private keys are protected within a certified secure chip (CC EAL5+), the same level of security used for passports and credit cards. Ledger Live acts merely as a secure window, viewing your assets, while all critical transaction signing is isolated on the hardware itself. This architecture prevents malware and sophisticated phishing attacks from compromising your funds, a crucial distinction from hot wallets.
Proprietary Operating System (BOLOS)
Built specifically for security, Ledger's Blockchain Open Ledger Operating System (BOLOS) isolates applications and prevents them from communicating malicious code. This unique environment ensures that the firmware cannot be modified without your explicit approval, making it impossible for third parties to manipulate your transaction details before you verify them on the device screen.
What You See Is What You Sign (WYSIWYS)
Clear Signing ensures that the details of your transaction (recipient address, amount, fees) are displayed on the trusted screen of your Ledger device and verified by you before approval. Ledger Live prepares the transaction, but the hardware wallet authenticates it. This crucial step eliminates the risk of silent tampering where a hacker might switch out the recipient address without your knowledge.
Understanding the Ledger Security Model: The Separation of Concerns
Ledger Live is often confused with being a wallet itself. In reality, Ledger Live is an *interface*—a beautiful, powerful dashboard—that works *only* in conjunction with a Ledger hardware wallet. Your private keys, which are the cryptographic proof of ownership, never leave the Secure Element inside your hardware device. Ledger Live handles the user experience, real-time data fetching, and transaction broadcasting; your device handles the security. This separation is the cornerstone of cold storage security, offering protection against remote attacks, malware, and physical theft (since the keys are PIN-protected). We believe this dual-component system provides the most robust defense in the digital asset landscape.
This robust security architecture extends to every aspect of the Ledger Live experience, including installing and managing applications on your device, performing firmware updates, and generating the necessary cryptographic proofs to access services like staking and swapping. Every single critical action requires physical confirmation on the device, ensuring you maintain absolute sovereignty over your assets at all times.
Your Entire Digital Portfolio, Unified
Real-Time Portfolio Tracking
Say goodbye to juggling multiple block explorers and portfolio trackers. Ledger Live provides a unified, real-time view of all your cryptocurrency holdings, NFTs, and tokens across more than 50 main blockchains. The app seamlessly aggregates market data, transaction history, and asset distribution, giving you granular control over your financial position. Key features include:
- ✓ Comprehensive support for over 5,000 tokens, including popular assets like BTC, ETH, SOL, ADA, XRP, and countless ERC-20 tokens.
- ✓ Automatic synchronization with market data to display portfolio value in your chosen fiat currency (USD, EUR, etc.).
- ✓ Detailed transaction history with filtering options for easy tax reporting and auditing.
- ✓ NFT Gallery integration, allowing you to view your Ethereum and Polygon NFTs securely within the application, without exposing your private keys.
This level of centralization and security is unparalleled. Unlike web-based trackers that require you to import your public addresses (creating a data privacy risk), Ledger Live connects directly to your device via an encrypted channel, ensuring your portfolio data remains private and local, unless you choose to share it.
Buy, Swap, and Earn—All Inside Live
Ledger Live is not just a viewer; it's a dynamic service hub. We integrate with trusted third-party providers to bring essential crypto services directly to your secure environment, eliminating the need to expose your assets to external, less-secure hot wallets or exchanges.
Buy & Sell
Purchase cryptocurrencies using your credit card, bank transfer, or Apple Pay, and send them directly to your Ledger device's secure address. When you sell, the fiat currency is sent straight to your bank account, streamlining the entire lifecycle.
In-App Swap
Exchange one crypto asset for another instantly and securely, powered by integrated exchange partners. Because the transaction is signed by your Ledger device, your private keys never leave the Secure Element during the exchange process.
Direct Staking Rewards
Securely stake assets like Ethereum, Solana, Polkadot, and more directly from your wallet to earn rewards. Your funds remain secured by your device, and you maintain custody throughout the entire staking period, a massive benefit over exchange staking.
Access the Web3 Ecosystem Safely
The Discover section in Ledger Live provides verified, secured access to essential decentralized applications (dApps), connecting you to the future of finance without compromising your private keys.
Decentralized Finance (DeFi)
Manage assets on Layer 1 and Layer 2 networks. Interact with lending protocols, decentralized exchanges, and yield farming platforms securely. Ledger Live ensures that even complex DeFi interactions are clearly understood and verified on your device.
NFTs & Metaverse
View, send, and receive your digital collectibles. Ledger Live supports a growing number of NFT standards and marketplaces, providing peace of mind against malicious smart contracts by isolating the signing process.
Protocol Governance
Participate in the governance of your favorite protocols by voting with your staked assets, all managed through the secured environment of Live. Your vote matters, and your assets stay safe.
WalletConnect Integration
Connect securely to any dApp on desktop or mobile using WalletConnect. The connection is brokered by Ledger Live, and every transaction is still protected by the hardware wallet, maintaining cold storage security for your hot interactions.
**Extended Content: The Importance of Third-Party Vetting in Web3**
When you engage with the decentralized web, you face risks associated with unverified dApps. Ledger Live mitigates this by strictly vetting all integrated third-party services within the Discover tab. We evaluate their security track record, smart contract auditing history, and operational transparency before allowing them to be featured. This process is complex and resource-intensive, but it is essential to maintain the highest security standard. By using the Discover ecosystem, you benefit from a layer of due diligence that drastically reduces your exposure to scam projects and faulty code, which is a common vulnerability in the wider crypto space. Furthermore, all dApp connections initiate a "trust session" that is visible and terminable within Ledger Live, giving you full auditability of your Web3 interactions. This holistic approach turns Ledger Live into a comprehensive risk management platform for digital asset users.
Why Cold Storage is the Only Responsible Choice
The fundamental principle of cryptocurrency is self-custody. Ledger Live, paired with your hardware wallet, is the embodiment of this principle. Understanding the difference between "hot" and "cold" storage is crucial for anyone holding more than a trivial amount of assets.
Hot Wallets: The Inherent Risk
Hot wallets (exchange accounts, mobile apps, browser extensions) are always connected to the internet. While convenient, this continuous connection exposes your private keys to a host of risks: cloud breaches, malware, keyloggers, and sophisticated remote attacks. When your keys are online, you are not truly secure; you are merely relying on software to shield you, which history shows is often insufficient against determined attackers.
Cold Storage: The Immutable Security
Cold storage means your private keys are generated and stored offline, on the Secure Element of your Ledger device. They are physically isolated from your computer and the internet. A transaction is only signed when the device is physically connected and manually unlocked by you. This removes the attack vector for remote hackers, making your assets virtually immune to online theft. Ledger Live manages the user interface, but the key material remains permanently offline.
Seed Phrase & Recovery
Ledger Live will never ask you for your 24-word recovery phrase. This phrase is the master backup of your private keys and should *only* be written down offline and stored in a secure location. **Anyone who knows your recovery phrase owns your crypto.** Never digitize it, store it in the cloud, or enter it into any software interface—even one that looks like Ledger Live. If you ever need to restore your funds, the phrase is entered *only* into the secure input interface of a new Ledger hardware device.