Ledger Stax Review

Harshita Katiyar
Coinmonks
8 min readJul 3, 2024

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According to a recent report, the global crypto market is more than 2.5 trillion dollars, making it a suitable currency for this digital world.

However, cryptocurrencies have a significant security challenge because they still rely on private keys for access. Each crypto wallet has two keys: public keys(the address of the wallet) and private keys(like a password or PIN).

These private keys could be lost or stolen, resulting in loss of funds. Therefore, people use crypto hardware wallets to store their private keys offline to protect their funds.

There are many crypto wallets available in the market that offer different features to customers. This article will review a “Ledger Stax” hardware wallet and its specifications, innovation, and features.

Ledger Stax Review

Ledger, a hardware wallet company established in 2014, is dedicated to providing secure solutions for blockchain products. Its product lineup includes the Ledger Nano S Plus, Ledger Nano X, and Ledger Stax. The Ledger Stax is becoming popular because of its unique features. This hardware wallet is touted as its most advanced and customizable product, yet it boasts unique features that set it apart.

Technical Specifications

The Ledger Stax is packed with the latest technological advancements and safety features, making it the best way to protect cryptos. The Specifications include

  • Design: The Ledger Stax, with its black aluminum body and embedded magnets for stackability, is not just about security but also about convenience. It is a credit card-sized device with 85mm x 54mm x 6mm dimensions, with a width of a stack of five credit cards, making it compact enough to fit in your pocket. Weighing around 45.2 grams, it is portable yet robust, ensuring your digital wealth’s safety without compromising mobility.
  • Power: The little device is powered by the ST33K1M5 secure element chip, specially designed for secure mobile applications. It has a Cortex — M35P 32bit RISC and includes an additional security feature to protect against advanced forms of attack. Ledger Stax is also certified by the CCEAL6+, which is a framework for evaluating and certifying the security features of any hardware or software product.
  • Display: The Ledger Stax features the world’s first curved E-ink(Electronic ink) touchscreen(the same display used in Amazon Kindle), which is suitable for the eyes without strain. Unlike conventional display panels emitting light, an E ink display panel reflects ambient light like paper. The black-and-white display is 3.7 inches, with a 400 x 672 px resolution and 16-level grayscale of display colors. To add a personal touch, the company allows you to customize the display with your favorite photo or an NFT on the lock screen that is always on when the Ledger Stax is off, making your device unique.
  • Battery Life: To power the little card, the Ledger Stax is backed by a rechargeable lithium-ion battery, which provides a backup for several hours. You can charge the device battery wirelessly or wired. You can buy a Belkin BoostCharge 10 W Wireless charger and charge it wirelessly using a Qi wireless charging station.
  • Safety: The Ledger Stax provides security and safety features that make the device life longer. The device is dust-resistant and water-splashing-resistant. The devices are also able to operate in temperatures of 0°C to +35°C (32°F to 95°F) and can be stored in harsh temperatures ranging between -20°C to +45°C (-4°F to 113°F). However, the device is not water resistant, which. It may be damaged if it mistakenly falls into the water by any chance. If the device is exposed to high humidity levels for an extended period, it may develop dark marks around the frame’s border due to humidity increment.
  • Connectivity: The Ledger Stax supports Bluetooth 5.2 for connecting it to a smartphone and a USB type C port for charging.
  • Embedded magnets: The Ledger Stax is embedded with magnets. As the name suggests, you can stack your multiple Ledger Stax together with the help of these magnets. These magnets enable maximum stackability of your devices quickly, without any damage to the electronics in the device.
  • Operating System: To make the device robust and secure, Ledger developed the Ledger Stax OS. This OS supports all the features, and new features can be added later through firmware updates. Users can install the latest firmware by connecting the hardware wallet with the Ledger Live app through Bluetooth.
  • In the box: The Ledger Stax box contains a primary product, 1 USB-C to USB-C cable for charging, 1 Recovery Sheet, and a guide to help you understand the device.

Security

Security is the central part of any crypto hardware wallet that protects digital assets best. Leger Stax is certified by the CC EAL6+ (Common Criteria with Evaluation Assurance Level) to make it more secure. To get this certification, any product must pass a robust framework of many crucial measures of security evaluation. It also supports PIN protection and a 24-Word Secret Phrase, also known as Seed Phrase or Mneminic Phrase, which is 24 words in a unique order that can be transformed into address and private keys for recovering asset access. Ledger has added a distinctive feature in the Ledger Stax called “Protection Mode,” which locks the device whenever it interrupts an event such as an attack.

System Requirements

The Ledger Stax is easily compatible with 64-bit desktop computers, including Windows 10, Windows 11, macOS, Ubuntu, and many more. It is not only for desktops but can also be compatible with smartphones above Android 10 and iOS 14. However, the device is incompatible with Chromebooks or mining to maintain security.

Recovery

  • How will you regain your private keys if your hardware wallet is lost or broken? Your digital assets are safe until you have your secret recovery phrase. Simply get another Ledger Stax and recover your accounts using the recovery phrase.
  • If someone steals your Ledger Stax, they won’t be able to access your funds without knowing the PIN. Entering the PIN three times incorrectly in a row will automatically reset the Ledger Stax.

Ledger Live App

Ledger Live App is the official app supported by Ledger hardware wallets. With over 1 million downloads and a 4.5 rating, this app can help you securely manage crypto and NFTs.

Here are some of the features of the Ledger Live App.

  • Buy Crypto: The app allows users to buy and sell crypto with a credit/debit card or bank transfer.
  • SWAP Crypto: The app allows users to exchange one crypto for another to protect their assets from volatility and diversify their portfolios. Users can swap crypto without using fiat currencies.
  • Stake Crypto: Staking is a way to earn rewards by using crypto. Users can track rewards in the Earn section and discover multiple staking opportunities across chains.
  • Manage NFTs: The app allows Users to easily collect and visualize all Ethereum and Polygon NFTs in their hardware wallet.
  • Manage Portfolio: Users can check their portfolio by pairing the Ledger Live app with the Ledger crypto wallet. The app allows users to directly check the crypto market watchlist, including the price, volume, market, etc. Users can also securely execute transactions and track their portfolios.
  • Coins Supported: The Ledger Live app supports more than 500+ different cryptos and tokens, such as Bitcoin(BTC), Ethereum(ETH), Binance Coin(BNB), BEP-20 tokens, etc. Paired with a third-party wallet, it supports over 5,000+ cryptos, tokens, and NFTs.
  • Pay Using Crypto: The app features a CL Card powered by Leadger, which allows users to pay with their crypto. This card is also compatible with the Ledger hardware wallet.
  • Compatibility: This app is available for download across all operating systems, such as Windows, MacOS, Android, etc. Users can connect their Ledger Stax wallet with this app using Bluetooth.

Reason to buy Ledger Stax

  • Security: It protects your assets as it has one of the finest security features built into it.
  • Smooth Experience: The hardware wallet is packed with a large E ink display and a good level of processor to make the whole experience smooth and transactions seamless.
  • Personalize: Ledger offers a unique lock screen, which you can personalize by naming or setting your favorite picture or NFT as the lock screen.
  • Bluetooth: The Bluetooth feature allows the device to connect with the Ledger Live app to make the experience fast and smooth.
  • Wireless Charging: This is a rare feature in any crypto wallet; you can charge your device wirelessly by Qi charging.
  • Sleek build: The pocket-friendly dimension makes the device easy to carry anytime, anywhere.
  • Ledger Live App: All-in-one allows users to control their hardware and manage their digital assets anytime.

Conclusion

The Ledger Stax is a robust device offering unparalleled security, innovation, and convenience. With its cutting-edge design, sleek aluminium body, embedded magnets for stackability, and the world’s first curved E-ink touchscreen display, the Ledger Stax sets a new standard for crypto wallets. Its robust security features, including CC EAL6+ certification, PIN protection, and 24-word recovery phrase, ensure users’ digital assets are kept safe from potential threats. The Ledger Stax’s compatibility with the user-friendly Ledger Live App further enhances the overall experience, allowing users to seamlessly manage their cryptocurrencies, NFTs, and transactions across multiple platforms.

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Harshita Katiyar
Coinmonks

Telegram — @harshita_zen , Email — harshita@coincodecap.com , Editor — Coinmonks Publication (medium.com/coinmonks), AI monks Publication (medium.com/aimonks)