Ledger Stax
A plan byLedger
Ledger is the world's most popular hardware wallet maker: cold-storage devices with a certified secure element (EAL5+/EAL6+) where private keys never leave the chip. The range spans the Nano S Plus (≈€79), the Bluetooth Nano X (≈€149), up to the touchscreen Flex (≈€249) and Stax (≈€399), all managed through the Ledger Live app supporting thousands of assets across 100+ blockchains. A contentious point for the cypherpunk community: firmware and secure element are closed-source, and in 2023 the optional Ledger Recover service raised concerns about seed extraction.
Stax
- Price
- €399
What's included
- 3.7" curved E Ink touchscreen
- Bluetooth + NFC
- Tony Fadell design
Data & conditions
| Fund custody | Self-custody (funds in your control) |
|---|---|
| Type | Hardware (cold storage) |
| Source code | Partly open-source |
| Recovery | Seed phrase 24 parole (BIP-39); opz. Ledger Recover (Shamir) |
| Bitcoin-only | No |
| Supported chains | Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, Polkadot, Cardano, Cosmos |
| Price | €79 |
| Secure element | Yes |
| Air-gapped | No |
| Connectivity | USB-C, Bluetooth, NFC |
| Companion app | Ledger Live |
| Built-in swap | Yes |
| Built-in staking | Yes |
| Built-in fiat on-ramp | Yes |
| Security audits | ANSSI (CSPN), Donjon (internal red team) |
| Segment | B2C |
| MiCA / License status | Nessuna (hardware wallet self-custody) |
Strengths
- Certified secure element (EAL5+/EAL6+); support for thousands of assets; range from €79 to €399; mature Ledger Live app.
- Self-custody: funds stay in your wallet — the platform cannot touch them.
- No KYC: usable without identity verification.
- Self-hostable: you can run your own instance or node.
- Public security audits.
Weaknesses
- Closed-source firmware and secure element; Ledger Recover controversy (2023); USB/Bluetooth connection, not air-gapped.
- No notable sovereignty drawback documented.
Verdict
Score 4.5/5, outstanding profile. In its favour: certified secure element (EAL5+/EAL6+); support for thousands of assets; range from €79 to €399; mature Ledger Live app. The trade-off to weigh: closed-source firmware and secure element; Ledger Recover controversy (2023); USB/Bluetooth connection, not air-gapped.
On the Sovereignty lens the score is 4.4/5 (very strong): the strength is fund control (5.0/5), while trustless / auditability (3.8/5) is the weak link.
Promp's editorial rating based on real fees and net annual cost. Promp reviews third-party products independently.
"Sovereignty" rating: score computed on privacy/anonymity (30%), fund control (20%), censorship resistance (20%), trustless/auditability (20%) and costs (10%). Same data, different weights.
FAQ
How much does a Ledger cost?
The entry-level Nano S Plus costs about €79. The Bluetooth Nano X about €149, the touchscreen Flex about €249, and the flagship Stax about €399.
Is Ledger open source?
Only partly: the apps and part of the software stack are public, but the firmware and the secure element are closed-source. That's why we classify it as partially open-source.
Can private keys ever leave a Ledger device?
Under normal use no: they stay inside the secure element. The optional Ledger Recover service, introduced in 2023 and off by default, can export an encrypted, split version of the seed to third-party providers, which is what drew criticism.
Sources
- Official service page Prezzo · Connettivita · Secure element · Blockchain · +2 Data verified on Jun 20, 2026
- shop.ledger.com Prezzo modelli Data verified on Jun 20, 2026