Ledger Live Wallet — Technical Edition

Architecture Overview

Ledger Live is designed to securely manage multiple accounts and cryptocurrencies through a hardware-first approach. Its architecture separates the hardware device (root of trust) from the software client, ensuring that private keys never leave the device.

The main components include:

Hardware device: Stores private keys, performs signing, and verifies user actions.
Ledger Live client: Desktop or mobile application providing portfolio management, transaction creation, and firmware updates.
Ledger servers: API endpoints for transaction broadcasting, market data, and firmware verification.

// Pseudo-code example: signing a transaction
const tx = createTransaction({to:"0xabc...", amount:1.5});
const signature = device.sign(tx);
broadcastTransaction(signature);

Advanced Features

Multi-Asset Support

Ledger Live supports hundreds of cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, and many ERC-20 tokens, all under a unified interface.

Portfolio Overview

View balances, transactions, and historical performance across multiple accounts and currencies.

Firmware Updates

Update your Ledger device safely with signed firmware delivered through Ledger Live.

Third-Party Integrations

Connect to DeFi platforms, exchanges, and staking providers without exposing your private keys.

Security Model

Private keys never leave the hardware device.
All sensitive operations are confirmed physically on the device.
Encrypted communication between device and client.
Seed phrase backup for disaster recovery.
Optional passphrase protection for hidden wallets.

Developers and advanced users can integrate with Ledger Live APIs without compromising hardware-level security.

Typical Workflow

Connect Ledger device via USB or Bluetooth.
Open Ledger Live client and authenticate device.
Create or restore accounts using seed phrase.
Prepare and review transactions within Ledger Live.
Sign transactions directly on the Ledger hardware.
Broadcast signed transactions to the blockchain.