Ledger Stax Review: The Best One Yet

With the rise in hacks and security breaches, protecting cryptocurrency assets is more important than ever. One of the most reliable ways to secure your holdings is by using a cold hardware wallet, which is exactly what the Ledger Stax provides. In this review, we explore everything you need to know about the Stax.

Features Overview & Unboxing

The Ledger Stax is a cold hardware wallet and the first offering from Ledger with a touchscreen. It features a 3.7-inch curved E-Ink display secured by a CC EAL6+ certified Secure Element chip (ST33K1M5) and can support over 5,000 different cryptocurrencies.

When you crack open the Ledger Stax box, you’ll find:

• The Ledger Stax hardware wallet

• A USB-C to USB-C cable

• Magnetic protective cover

• Recovery sheet

• Quick start guide

Other Features

Sound Feedback

The Ledger Stax offers minimal sound feedback, delivering soft digital tones in response to user actions. Tap sounds accompany keyboard inputs and button presses, while notification tones alert users during transaction reviews, confirmations, and battery charging. These sounds can be toggled on or off in the settings, although volume levels are fixed and cannot be adjusted. 

Wireless Charging

Wireless charging is also included, making the Ledger Stax the only hardware wallet to offer this feature. For those who prefer a fully wireless setup, the Stax can be charged wirelessly and managed entirely through the Ledger Live app on your phone via Bluetooth. Although wireless charging is a nice addition, its absence wouldn't impact my experience with the Stax.

Lockscreen Personalization

The Ledger Live app includes a feature that lets users display an image or NFT as the lockscreen, adding a nice personal touch. However, because the Stax uses an E Ink display, the image will appear only in black and white. Despite that, it is still a fun way to make the wallet truly your own. 

Design & Build Quality: Slim & Curvy

Designed by Tony Fadell, the same mind behind the iPod, the Ledger Stax carries a distinctly Apple-like aesthetic. Its sleek but curvy body feels like it was made out of a single piece of metal. The 3.7-inch curved E Ink display enhances the visual impression, making the screen appear larger than it actually is, and helps you ignore the bezels surrounding it. The matte finish completes the look, giving the device a premium feel. The Stax stands out as one of the most stylish and thoughtfully designed hardware wallets available today.

Ledger Stax next to a credit card holder.

The Stax is compact (about the size of a credit card) but has enough screen real estate to make navigation intuitive and reading transaction details easy. It’s also extremely light, at 45g (the weight of a golf ball). For comparison, the popular Ledger Nano X is only slightly lighter at 34g, and that doesn't come with a screen!

Its black aluminum body features built-in magnets, enabling it to stack neatly with other Ledger Stax devices, hence the name “Stax.” While visually appealing and convenient for organization, this stacking feature is more of a nice-to-have than a necessity, especially considering that storing multiple hardware wallets together may not be ideal from a security standpoint.
 

Security: EAL 6+ & Custom-built BOLOS

The Ledger Stax runs on a custom-built BOLOS (Blockchain Open Ledger Operating System). This custom OS runs apps separately on the secure element chip, essentially sandboxing them for better isolation. That said, if one app is compromised, it doesn’t affect the security of the others. However, it is important to note that its firmware is not open source, meaning you won't be able to unlock the bootloader or install any custom firmware. Ledger maintains that this is essential to uphold security standards comparable to those used in the banking industry.

As expected, the package includes a CC EAL6+ certified Secure Element chip. This specialized security chip has achieved the Common Criteria Evaluation Assurance Level (CC EAL) 6+ certification, an internationally recognized standard for assessing the security of IT products. Such chips are commonly found in payment cards and passports, designed to safeguard sensitive data and resist brute-force attacks.

The Stax includes the standard security feature of a 4 to 8-digit PIN, which you’ll set during initial setup. It also generates a 24-word recovery phrase. Be sure to write it down, create multiple backups, and store them securely.

Assets Supported: 500+ Natively Supported

Ledger supports a wide range of cryptocurrencies, with the Ledger Live app supporting 500+. This is further expanded when using a third-party wallet, allowing users to access most crypto assets.

The Ledger Live app also natively supports Ethereum and Polygon NFTs. However, a third-party wallet must be used if users have NFTs on other chains. 
 

Ledger Live

The Ledger Live app allows users to manage their digital assets by buying, selling, sending, and receiving tokens. The interface is clean and easy to use, so users should be able to use it immediately. With the Ledger Stax, it is possible to connect to Ledger Live via USB Type-C or Bluetooth, meaning it can support mobile and desktop use. 

Plug in your new Ledger Stax, follow the step-by-step prompts on the app and the device, and you will be able to use your new wallet in a couple of minutes. 

Adding Accounts

In order to start transacting with your Ledger Stax, you will need to install the relevant crypto app (chain) such as Bitcoin, or Ethereum. In this example, we’re going with Ethereum. To do so, go to the “My Ledger” section, find “Ethereum”, and follow the prompts on the Stax. 

Once done, you will be able to add accounts / addresses to transact.

Purchasing Crypto

Buying and selling crypto with fiat is possible through Ledger Live. However, it is done through third-party providers, and is subject to their fees. Certain providers, such as Transak charge a Ledger fee on top of their own, making crypto purchases rather expensive. For example, purchasing $500 worth of ETH would result in $27.18 in fees or a 5.4% charge. Meanwhile, the same amount of ETH could be bought with a much lower fee of $6.50 via Sardine. 

Therefore, if you want to purchase crypto via the Ledger Live app, check the processing fees. 

Performing Transactions

Performing transactions on the Ledger Stax is rather straightforward. Click on ‘Send’ or ‘Receive’ and the Account you want to use. If you’re sending crypto, key in an address, followed by the amount. You will then be prompted to check and confirm the transaction on your Stax. 

To receive crypto, click on the account you want to credit funds to, press continue, and verify that the address displayed on the device matches the one shown on Ledger Live.

Earn

Ledger recently added an Earn feature to its Ledger Live app, allowing users to earn yield on their cryptocurrencies through the app itself. While Ledger itself doesn’t charge any fees, third-party providers charge a commission fee. 23 assets, such as Ethereum, BNB, Solana, Tron, and more, are currently available for staking.

Ledger recently partnered with Klin to enable stablecoin yield earning directly from self-custody. This will allow users to access DeFi yields natively within Ledger Live, without connecting to external wallets. However, the feature is not yet live at the time of writing.

Conclusion

Pros:

• Sleek design

• Large E Ink curved display allows users to read transactions easily

• Long-lasting battery life

• EAL 6+ Secure Element

• Large range of cryptocurrencies and NFTs supported

• Ledger Live is a well-rounded companion app

• Supports USB Type-C and Bluetooth

Cons:

• Very expensive price tag at $399

The Ledger Stax stands in a class of its own. Its sleek design and intuitive interface make it one of the most user-friendly hardware wallets available. However, its high price may deter casual users. That said, if you're a seasoned crypto holder with substantial assets, the Stax is a top-tier choice.

For those seeking a more affordable option, the Ledger Flex offers a solid alternative. It features a smaller 2.84-inch E Ink touchscreen and does not support wireless charging. Still, it retains key features like an EAL 6+ Secure Element, USB-C, Bluetooth connectivity, and supports the same wide range of cryptocurrencies.

If you would like to pick one up for yourself, check it out here!