From Hardware Wallet to signer: A New Era for Digital Ownership

The world of digital assets has transformed dramatically since Ledger launched in 2014. What began as a niche experiment for pioneers, wrapped in technical and exclusive language, has matured into the foundation for a new global economy. 

In this new age, digital value is not just about money; it’s about everything that makes up your digital life: from the digital assets you hold to the ability to reliably verify your identity online. As this revolution has grown, it has become clear that true ownership and control require the right tools and the right language to make those tools clear, human, and inspiring.

This starts with the bedrock of our ecosystem: what were once called “hardware wallets” are now signers. We’re calling them signers because it makes their purpose much clearer: signing transactions, proving intent and identity, and allowing you to provide digital consent.

More Than A Rebrand: Reframing Language for Wider Adoption

Far more than a simple rebrand, this evolution in language reflects a fundamental shift toward clarity, precision, and a more intuitive future for digital ownership, built on more than a decade of Ledger’s battle-tested and uncompromising security.

In this article, we break down the rationale behind the change, how signer more accurately captures everything you can do with Ledger, the harmful misconceptions this should address, and how we’re ushering in the next era of digital ownership.

New Language, Same Uncompromising Security

The term “hardware wallet” is a relic from an earlier era in crypto, and its continued use creates significant friction for new users. For a newcomer, this language isn’t just confusing—it creates a genuine fear that they might make a costly mistake. 

This outdated language leads to critical misunderstandings:

Misconception #1: Digital Value Is Stored On The Device

One of the most frequent misunderstandings for newcomers is that a hardware wallet stores their digital assets when they don’t: those assets live on the blockchain. This can lead to the mistaken fear that if you lose your device, you lose your assets.

In reality, your Ledger signer stores your private keys (in the form of a Secret Recovery Phrase). This is your access to your assets. What’s more, Ledger now provides multiple ways to back-up your Secret Recovery Phrase – traditional Recovery Sheets, metal sheets, Ledger Recovery Key, and Ledger Recover^TM – so you can remain in full control of your digital assets even if your signer is lost or damaged.

Misconception #2: Signer Is Just a Vault

The previous language also led users to believe that their device was just a simple vault for holding assets, which obscured its true role. Your Ledger signer is the key to an entire ecosystem of services when combined with Ledger Wallet. 

Misconception #3: Digital Ownership is Complicated

The conversation around hardware wallets also led to the common perception that managing a 24-word recovery phrase was a complex burden. This reinforced the view that only tech-savvy users could handle true digital ownership.

Today’s reality is far different from the earliest days of Bitcoin. Now, with modern backup solutions and a refined onboarding experience, Ledger makes digital ownership a seamless experience, even for users who are brand new to the decentralized world.

These common misconceptions are a direct obstacle to the mass adoption of self-custody. In reality, your crypto assets exist on the blockchain, and your Ledger signer secures the one thing that gives you control of them: your private keys. By generating and protecting this key within a certified Secure Element chip, your signer provides a fortress against online threats. 

Its true function, therefore, is not passive storage, but to serve as an active tool that allows you to safely manage your digital value.

An Evolution Built on a Decade of Security

First announced at Ledger Op3n 2025, this shift in language is not a departure from our history, but the culmination of it. The term “hardware wallet” was designed for a world focused purely on basic crypto transactions and safely storing assets. But today’s ecosystem has evolved far beyond that.

The rise of DeFi, DAOs, alternative assets, and decentralized identity means more complex actions like minting art, voting on governance proposals, setting smart contract approvals, and otherwise managing your digital life. These actions require a way to sign and give consent that is reliably secure and easy to use. 

This is the next logical step in a history of innovation proven over time. In the last decade, Ledger has shipped more than 8 million devices, securing 20% of the global crypto market cap—with zero hacks. This track record is built on a multi-layered defense system including Secure Element chips to isolate private keys offline, a proprietary Ledger OS^TM to insulate apps from threats, and Secure Screens that ensure what you see is what you sign.

Signing: The Foundation of “Proof of You”

Your Ledger signer is the secure bridge between your offline keys and your online life. It is purpose-built to do what internet-connected devices like smartphones and computers cannot: help you secure and manage your digital value. 

Built for Security by Design

General-purpose devices like your laptop and mobile phone are built for convenience and are thus always connected to the internet. While this is beneficial for performing general tasks, it actually makes these devices incredibly vulnerable to malicious online actors. 

In complete contrast, Ledger signers are built for security by design, keeping your keys safe and secured in an offline environment. Thanks to this, your Ledger Signer can carry out three critical functions: 

1. Signing Transactions: It uses your private keys to create a cryptographic signature—a mathematical proof of your consent to send assets or interact with a dApp, without ever exposing the key itself.
2. Proving Intent: By requiring you to physically confirm transaction details on a signer’s trusted screen, you are verifiably proving your intent to authorize that specific action.
3. Identity Verification: In a world where AI grows more powerful every day, proving your humanity matters more than ever. Your signer is your cryptographic “Proof of You.” It is the tool that ensures you, and only you, can provide digital consent.

This concept of “Proof of You” is our ultimate vision: a world where only you can control and prove your identity—without relying on big tech or intermediaries. Ledger signers are the first step toward that secure, independent future for all.

More Than a Key: The Power of a Secure Touchscreen and Clear Signing

It’s important to distinguish a Ledger signer from a basic security key. A simple key can only offer a binary “yes” or “no” approval, authenticating a login without showing you exactly what you are approving. A signer does much more, and its secure screen is at the center of every action.

A major problem with devices that are constantly connected to the internet is how easy it is for a hacker to manipulate the information you see on your screen. From the wallet address you may be sending crypto to, to the details of a smart contract you’re about to sign, you can never fully trust what you see on the screen of your phone or computer. 

One of the core values of a signer lies in the principle of “What You See Is What You Sign“. These secure touchscreen devices let you verify and sign any transaction with total confidence. Because these screens are driven directly by the Secure Element, bad actors cannot tamper with the transaction details they display.

Paired with Clear Signing, which makes complex smart contract data human-readable, and Transaction Check for predictive security, the signer gives you absolute confidence that you understand precisely what you are authorizing.

It protects your identity, assets, and access, all in one.

Ledger Wallet: Your Gateway to Digital Ownership

A secure signer is the foundation of digital ownership, but it needs an equally powerful and intuitive gateway to the on-chain world. That gateway is Ledger Wallet, and it was built to deliver the best aspects of a software experience without the compromises that have defined the space for too long.

With Ledger Wallet, you no longer have to sacrifice ownership for convenience. It’s your all-in-one application to buy, sell, stake, and swap with confidence, featuring a game-changing direct fiat on-ramp. This allows you to go from top up your wallet from your bank account and go Cash-to-Stablecoin directly, completely bypassing the need for a centralized exchange.

Ledger Wallet is also your portal to the entire world of DeFi services, and with all-new direct connectivity, you can now connect to Ledger directly from within your favorite dApps. By cutting out risky middlemen and complex steps, it delivers a secure and powerful experience. 

Think of them as the perfect pair: Ledger Wallet provides the fluid, powerful experience you expect from a top-tier application, while your Ledger signer provides the uncompromising security for every action. Every transaction initiated in the Wallet is verified on your signer’s trusted Secure Screen, giving you the final, confident say. It’s the ultimate combination of convenience and control.

For anyone serious about protecting and managing their digital assets, this pairing is the essential upgrade.

Ledger signer: Control of Your Digital Life, Free from Compromise

Crypto has come a long way since its early days, and so has Ledger. The shift to the term “Ledger signer” is a reflection of the device’s true role in an ecosystem where you no longer have to sacrifice security for usability.

Updating our product names goes beyond just replacing old terminology. It’s the perfect framing for an ecosystem that keeps your value secure in an increasingly digital world, serving as the interface that allows you to interact with the web securely and independently, and prove you are you.

This powerful pairing connects back to the core ethos of digital ownership. Every action you take in Ledger Wallet—from funding your account to swapping assets or exploring dApps—is secured by your Ledger signer. It provides the cryptographic “Proof of You” for every transaction, and its trusted Secure Screen ensures that what you see is what you sign. This is how you enjoy both convenience and security without ever having to compromise.

The next era of digital ownership starts here. Secure your digital life with Ledger.