Powering the Future of **Crypto Assets** with Ledger Live
Welcome to the official developer resource for **Ledger Live**. Leverage our open standards and **APIs** to seamlessly integrate your **cryptocurrency** or application, providing millions of **Ledger Nano** users with unparalleled **security** and **self-custody**. Our platform enables certified interaction with the **Secure Element** of every **Ledger hardware wallet**, ensuring your users' **private keys** remain protected.
Dive into the SDK DocumentationIntegrating New **Crypto Assets** into Ledger Live
The **Ledger Live** ecosystem is continually expanding. For your **cryptocurrency** or token to be fully supported, it must pass a rigorous **security** audit and be compatible with the **Ledger Nano** **Secure Element** architecture. This process ensures that the fundamental principle of **self-custody**—that **private keys** never leave the device—is upheld for all integrated **crypto assets**. The core steps involve creating a custom app, rigorous testing, and submitting your integration for certification.
Custom App Development
To enable **transaction** signing, you must develop a specific application for the **Ledger Nano** device using the **Ledger** **SDK**. This app must implement the chain's cryptographic derivation path and hashing algorithms, allowing the **Secure Element** to sign the **transaction** payload without exposing the underlying **private keys**. This is the first critical step for any new **crypto assets** integration.
Ledger Live **API** Interfacing
Once the device app is functional, the next step involves modifying the **Ledger Live** software, often through a module, to correctly interpret the blockchain data, display balances, and construct raw **transactions**. Developers utilize the **Ledger** **API**s to ensure seamless communication between the desktop application and the **Ledger Nano** **hardware wallet**. Correct **transaction** decoding is vital for user **security**.
Verification and Audit
Before public release, every new **crypto assets** integration undergoes an audit by **Ledger**’s **security** team. This ensures that the app correctly isolates the **private keys** within the **Secure Element** and that the on-screen prompts for **transaction** confirmation are accurate. Only certified integrations are made available in the **Ledger Live** Manager, guaranteeing the quality and **security** that users expect from a **Ledger hardware wallet**.
Leveraging the Ledger Developer **APIs** and **SDK**
The **Ledger SDK** provides the necessary tools for low-level interaction with the **Ledger Nano** devices, while the **Ledger Live** **API** handles high-level data aggregation and wallet management features. Together, these resources allow you to build robust, secure, and integrated financial applications that respect the user's **self-custody** over their **private keys** and **crypto assets**.
Example: Initiating a Secure Transaction
The core interaction pattern involves the application constructing a raw, unsigned **transaction** payload and sending it to the **Ledger Nano** device. The device's **Secure Element** then signs it using the user's **private keys** and returns the signed, ready-to-broadcast **transaction**. Note how the **private keys** are never visible in the software environment.
// Sample Node.js / JavaScript using Ledger API for transaction signing
import Transport from '@ledgerhq/hw-transport-node-hid';
import Eth from '@ledgerhq/hw-app-eth';
async function signTransaction(path, txHex) {
// 1. Establish connection to Ledger Nano hardware wallet
const transport = await Transport.create();
const eth = new Eth(transport);
// 2. Request the Secure Element to sign the transaction
// The transaction details are displayed on the Nano screen for user verification.
const signature = await eth.signTransaction(
path, // HD Path for the account (e.g., "44'/60'/0'/0/0")
txHex // The raw, unsigned transaction data
);
// 3. Close transport and return the signed transaction data
transport.close();
return signature;
}
// Result: A securely signed transaction, **private keys** remain in the **Secure Element**.
Upholding **Self-Custody** with the **Secure Element**
Developers integrating with **Ledger Live** must adhere to the fundamental **security** model. The entire architecture is built around the **Ledger Nano**'s **Secure Element** chip, which holds the **private keys**. Your application's role is strictly limited to data presentation and **transaction** preparation, never key generation or storage. This commitment to physical and cryptographic **security** is why millions trust the **Ledger hardware wallet** for their valuable **crypto assets**.
The **Ledger Live** environment ensures the device performs a **Genuine Check** on connection, verifying the authenticity of the hardware before any **transaction** is signed. Your development must account for the required on-device verification, where the user confirms the details of the **transaction** on the **Ledger Nano** screen. This final **security** gate prevents malware from tampering with the outgoing address or amount, protecting the user's **crypto assets** and maintaining the integrity of the **self-custody** model.
Developer FAQs: Ledger Live & Security
Developer Conclusion: Secure Integration is Key
The **Ledger Live** **Developer Portal** provides all the resources necessary to build secure, **self-custody** focused applications. By respecting the **Secure Element** of the **Ledger Nano** **hardware wallet** and utilizing the official **SDK**s and **APIs**, you ensure your users' **private keys** and **crypto assets** are protected by the industry's highest **security** standards. This commitment to security, **transaction** transparency, and the **Genuine Check** is what makes **Ledger Live** the trusted platform for managing digital wealth.