Ledger Stax review
- Supported assets
- 5,500
- Price (USD)
- $399
- Wallet type
- Hardware wallet
Our verdict
The Ledger Stax provides all of the security of past Ledger hardware wallets but with a whole new level of usability.The sleek design of the Ledger Stax is highly alluring and its features and capabilities make it one of the best hardware wallets on the market today for safely managing your crypto assets on a day-to-day basis.
That being said, what the Ledger Stax has to offer comes at a price.
The device will retail for US$399, which is more than the Nano X at US$149 and a lot more than the Nano S Plus at US$79.
So, if you're shopping for a hardware wallet on a budget and don't plan to use your hardware wallet all that often, you might want to think twice before shelling out the US$399 for this device.
Storing the private keys to your crypto is one of the riskiest aspects of investing in the asset class. Do your homework on all crypto wallets before deciding which is best for your assets and financial goals.
Hardware wallets are widely considered the safest way to store your crypto, especially if you plan on holding for the long term.
Pros
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Large electronic ink (e-ink) touchscreen
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Enables clear signing for transactions with smart contracts
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Wireless Qi charging
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Bluetooth-enabled
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Strong casing (mix of aluminium and plastic)
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Sleek design (designed by the creator of the iPod)
Cons
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Most expensive Ledger hardware wallet
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Can't stake many cryptos via Ledger Live
Estimated reading time: 2 min
Due to the potential for losses, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) considers this investment to be high risk.
What are the key risks?
1. You could lose all the money you invest
- The performance of most cryptoassets can be highly volatile, with their value dropping as quickly as it can rise. You should be prepared to lose all the money you invest in cryptoassets.
- The cryptoasset market is largely unregulated. There is a risk of losing money or any cryptoassets you purchase due to risks such as cyber-attacks, financial crime and firm failure.
2. You should not expect to be protected if something goes wrong
- The Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) doesn't protect this type of investment because it's not a 'specified investment' under the UK regulatory regime – in other words, this type of investment isn't recognised as the sort of investment that the FSCS can protect. Learn more by using the FSCS investment protection checker.
- The Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) will not be able to consider complaints related to this firm or Protection from the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) does not cover poor investment performance. If you have a complaint against an FCA regulated firm, FOS may be able to consider it. Learn more about FOS protection here.
3. You may not be able to sell your investment when you want to
- There is no guarantee that investments in cryptoassets can be easily sold at any given time. The ability to sell a cryptoasset depends on various factors, including the supply and demand in the market at that time.
- Operational failings such as technology outages, cyber-attacks and comingling of funds could cause unwanted delay and you may be unable to sell your cryptoassets at the time you want.
4. Cryptoasset investments can be complex
- Investments in cryptoassets can be complex, making it difficult to understand the risks associated with the investment.
- You should do your own research before investing. If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
5. Don't put all your eggs in one basket
- Putting all your money into a single type of investment is risky. Spreading your money across different investments makes you less dependent on any one to do well.
- A good rule of thumb is not to invest more than 10% of your money in high-risk investments.
If you are interested in learning more about how to protect yourself, visit the FCA's website here.
For further information about cryptoassets, visit the FCA's website here.
Stax pre-orders now closed
Ledger temporarily closed Stax pre-orders in March after selling out of its available stock. You can request to be notified when orders have been re-opened.The Ledger Stax is the latest hardware wallet from Ledger. The Ledger Stax offers the same level of security as Ledger's other wallets – including the Nano X and the Nano S Plus – but with a new level of usability.
The Ledger Stax has a touchscreen that allows you to sign transactions in a more convenient way than any previous Ledger wallet. Because the device is Bluetooth-enabled, you can use it in conjunction with your Android or iOS mobile device cord-free.
You'll be able to charge your Ledger Stax with wireless Qi charging, the same type of wireless charging supported by Samsung and Apple mobile devices. The charge can hold for months, especially if you don't use the device frequently.
And when you aren't using the device, you can customise the lock screen with one of your NFTs.
Keep in mind though that all of these new features and capabilities come at a price – a fairly steep US$399.
What's in the box?
- 1 Ledger Stax
- 1 USB-C to USB-C cable
- 1 Recovery sheet
- 1 Ledger Stax guide
Ledger Stax product features
The Ledger Stax has a number of attributes and capabilities that make it stand out from previous Ledger hardware wallets.
Sleek design
Designed by Tony Fadell – creator of the iPod – the Ledger Stax is the most attractive and visually appealing device Ledger has created thus far.
The Ledger Stax has an e-ink display that covers the front of the device and curves around its spine. The display size is 3.7 inches (672x400px). The display's colours include 16 scales of grey.
The device itself is about as thick as a stack of 5 credit cards.
Touchscreen
The Ledger Stax is the first Ledger device to have a touchscreen, which is used to both navigate on the device and sign transactions.
The only other hardware wallet with a touchscreen is the Trezor Model T, with a touchscreen that's less than half the size of the Ledger Stax.
Personalised locked home screen
You can use one of your NFTs as an image for your locked home screen.
Wireless charging
The Ledger Stax supports Qi wireless charging, the same type of wireless charging that Samsung and Apple mobile devices support.
Internal battery
Like the Nano X, the Ledger Stax has an internal battery.
Unlike the Nano X's battery – which can remain charged for about 8 hours of use – the Ledger Stax's battery can remain charged for weeks to months, depending on how frequently you use it.
Bluetooth connectivity
Also like the Nano X, the Ledger Stax can be used cord-free with the mobile version of Ledger Live on your iOS or Android device.
The device's Bluetooth connectivity combined with its touchscreen make it the most convenient yet secure hardware wallet for managing your crypto on the go.
Embedded magnets
The Ledger Stax has magnets built into it, allowing you to attach it to magnetic surfaces and better conceal it when not in use.
Enables clear signing
All Ledger devices enable clear signing, but it's worth noting that the Ledger Stax enables this process and why this is important.
Clear signing helps reduce your vulnerability to hacks and phishing attacks when having your assets engage with smart contracts .
The opposite of clear signing is blind signing. Often when you only use a software wallet for a smart contract transaction, you are blind signing – or approving the transaction based on trust instead of verifying all the details.
When you sign a transaction using your Ledger and a supported dapp – for instance through the Ledger Live app – you are able to verify the transaction through the clear signing process. This gives you additional details to verify, which allows you to better assess transactions and avoid scams.
Ledger Stax price
The Ledger Stax costs US$399.
This makes it the most expensive Ledger hardware wallet on the market today, as the Nano X retails for US$149 and the Nano S Plus for US$79.
The Trezor Model T is the most comparable in price, retailing for US$129.
Where to buy the Ledger Stax in the UK
You can pre-order the Stax on Ledger's official site.
The device will also be available at other official retailers in the future.
Ledger Stax coin support
You can manage 500+ coins and tokens when you use your Ledger Stax with its native software, Ledger Live.
You can expand the range of supported assets by using your Ledger Stax in conjunction with a third-party wallet. This allows you to manage over 5,000 coins and tokens as well as NFTs on multiple blockchains.
Managing NFTs on the Ledger Stax
You can manage NFTs on the Ethereum and Polygon blockchains with your Ledger Stax when you use it with Ledger Live.
You can also manage NFTs on a number of other blockchains when you use your Ledger Stax in conjunction with a third-party wallet.
Ledger Stax security
The Ledger Stax is secured by a Secure Element chip – the same chip used to secure data for passports and credit cards and the same used in the Nano X and the Nano S Plus.
All Ledger devices have passed a Common Criteria (CC) for Information Technology Security Evaluation – an international standard for banking cards and state requirements – with a CC Evaluation Assurance Level (EAL) 5+ certificate.
The CC EAL 5+ certification ensures that a device has the highest level of security against penetration tests (hacks).
Ledger wallet specs compared
| Ledger Stax | Ledger Nano S Plus | Ledger Nano X | |
|---|---|---|---|
 Finder score
★★★★★ |
 Finder score
★★★★★Read full review |
 Finder score
★★★★★Read full review |
|
| Dimensions | 85 x 54 x 6mm | 62.39 x 17.40 x 8.24mm | 72 x 18.6 x 11.75mm |
| Weight | 45.2g | 21g | 34g |
| Screen size | 3.7in curved screen; 672 x 400px | 128 x 32px | 128 x 64px |
| Screen type | e-ink | OLED | OLED |
| Touchscreen | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ |
| Coin support | 5,500+ | 5,500+ | 5,500+ |
| Apps that can run simultaneously | Up to 100 | Up to 100 | Up to 100 |
| Storage capacity | 1.5 MB | 1.5MB | 2MB |
| Bluetooth | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ |
| Battery life | Several months when left unused with no charge | No battery | 8 hours |
| Connection type | USB-C to UCB-C; Bluetooth | USB-A to USB-C | USB-A to USB-C; Bluetooth |
| Native NFT support | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Security rating | CC EAL5+ | CC EAL5+ | CC EAL5+ |
| Mobile phone compatibility | Android, iOS | Android | Android, iOS |
| Supported desktop OS | Windows 10+, macOS 12+, Linux Ubuntu LTS 20.04+ | Windows 8.1+, macOS 10.14+, and Linux Ubuntu LTS 16.10 | Windows 8.1+, macOS 10.10+, and Linux |
| Price (USD) | $399 | $79 | $149 |
Ledger Stax alternatives
Hardware wallet ratings methodology
We rate cryptocurrency hardware wallets by scoring each wallet out of 10 for 3 components: security, functionality and cost. Each component is weighted based on importance, as follows:
- Security: 50%
- Functionality: 40%
- Cost: 10%
These scores are aggregated and visualised as a total score out of 5 stars.
- Ledger Stax, Ledger
- What is Qi wireless charging?, Lifewire
- Ledger launches Stax, designed by Tony Fadell, Business Wire
- Crypto's greatest weakness? Blind signing, explained, Ledger
- Ledger Nano S Plus – Frequently asked questions, Ledger
- Frequently asked questions, Ledger
- Keeping our edge: Certification, Ledger
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