# Ledger hardware wallet Hacker Approved page: https://hackerapproved.com/p/ledger-hardware-wallet/ 5 people recommended Ledger hardware wallet in Hacker News comments, 5 had mixed feelings and 46 criticized it, November 2025 to October 2026. It was recommended in 2 of 12 months, in 4 threads. It does not meet the Hacker Approved badge rule. These are opinions from Hacker News comments, not financial advice. **Verdict:** Criticized more than recommended: critics say it is easy to open, tamper-prone, and has a history of data leaks; those who recommend it cite keeping private keys on a secure element that never leaves the device. Summary written by Claude from the comments below. ## What people warn about - Easy to open and tamper with (3 comments in the sample): "It's stupidly easy to open the device. I opened mine last night with a knife and a hairdryer." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50083356)) "The entire board is covered in test pads which make it super easy to solder dodgy stuff onto." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50086584)) "Tamper proofing hardware is among the hardest things there are, especially if you are up against nation-state actors" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50088561)) - Compromised devices reached store shelves (3 comments in the sample): "was selling these compromised devices on store shelves in every city in Germany" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50069828)) "People bought compromised devices from reputable sources and still lost all their buttcoins." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50300166)) "it explicitly warns that it cannot detect added implants when the device's original Secure Element remains intact." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50077945)) - Weak against determined attackers (3 comments in the sample): "The fact that there is not even the slightest attempt at securing the device against this kind of attacks is entirely on the manufacturer." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50070380)) "it highlights the abject failure of the company to even make an attempt at security" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50088657)) "older iphone with lockdown mode enabled has better security than any of these ledger wallets" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50090622)) - Past customer data leaks (2 comments in the sample): "they've previously stockpiled customer data which leaked and lead sustained targeted attacks on their customers" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50177321)) "They've exposed their customers contacts in 2020, getting targeted phishing since then." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46536776)) ## Why people recommend it - Seen as competent, security-focused vendor (3 comments in the sample): "They actually have a quite thorough hardware security model, outlining which components are and aren't considered critical" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50090470)) "I actually consider Ledger one of the more competent vendors in this space" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50090612)) "I consider Ledger to be relatively sophisticated" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50090217)) - Private key never leaves device (2 comments in the sample): "Ledger devices are exactly what you’re describing: the key stays on the device, you don’t enter it anywhere." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50081691)) "Ledger devices generate a private key internally, and it never leaves the device's secure element chip." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50086376)) ## The badge A product earns the Hacker Approved badge when at least 10 people recommend it, recommenders outnumber critics at least 2 to 1 (mixed feelings count toward neither side), it was recommended in at least 4 of the 12 months and in at least 5 different threads, and no single thread supplies more than half of the people who recommend it. Health and money products are never badged. ## Cite as Hacker Approved, "Ledger hardware wallet", https://hackerapproved.com/p/ledger-hardware-wallet/ (5 recommend, 5 mixed, 46 criticize; Hacker News comments, November 2025 to October 2026). Counts updated 2 Nov 2026, with data through October 31, 2026.