Ledger Live Integrations

A concise presentation for product owners and engineers explaining the integration paths, developer tools, and governance model of Ledger Live and the Ledger Developer Portal.

This document pulls reference material from Ledger's official developer docs and GitHub. For step-by-step code examples, consult the Live Apps and Accounts documentation linked on the right.

1. Overview & Purpose

Ledger Live is the official companion app for Ledger hardware wallets that enables users to manage crypto assets, access services (buy/sell/exchange), and run embedded dApps (Live Apps). Integrations let third-party projects reach Ledger’s user base while retaining high security through hardware-backed signing and Ledger's service layers.

Why integrate with Ledger Live?

Integrating with Ledger Live gives projects: a trusted distribution channel, hardware-backed security for sensitive operations, and direct access to millions of active users. Integrations fall into three main paths: Accounts/Blockchain support, Discover (Live Apps), and Service integrations (Buy/Sell/Exchange).

2. Integration Paths (high level)

Accounts / Blockchain Support

If you want Ledger Live to display accounts and balances for a blockchain, you'll prepare a blockchain adapter and sign an agreement with Ledger before submission. This path is suitable for native assets and requires coordination with Ledger's chain support teams.

Discover — Live Apps

Live Apps are web-based dApps embedded in Ledger Live. They use the Ledger Services Kit (wallet-api / services kit client) to request crypto operations and to interact with devices securely. This path is ideal for dApps that want an integrated UX inside Ledger Live without shipping device firmware changes.

Service Integrations (Buy / Sell / Exchange)

Payment and liquidity providers integrate via REST endpoints (capabilities, crypto-currencies, order flow). Providers must implement well-defined endpoints and adhere to Ledger’s architecture for data caching and capability discovery.

3. Developer Tools & SDKs

Ledger provides a Developer Portal, a set of client libraries (Ledger Services Kit), Wallet API monorepo, and device app kits for building secure app code. The Wallet-API monorepo helps run Ledger Live locally for development and testing. Device app developers use the Device App Kit and follow the submission process described on the portal.

Local development tips

Use the Wallet-API dev server to link local packages and test interactions with Ledger Live without publishing to npm. Enable Developer Mode in Ledger Live to access the Developer tab for easier local testing and logging.

4. Security & User Experience

Hardware-backed signing

All critical signing operations should be performed by the Ledger device; Live Apps request signatures through Ledger Live and the Services Kit. Avoid client-side key material and ensure flows always prompt the device confirmation UI for sensitive operations.

User flows and privacy

Design flows minimizing personal data transmission; always use Ledger’s recommended endpoints for capabilities and preserve user consent screens. Provide clear instructions for device connection (USB, WebHID, WebBluetooth) and fallback guidance.

5. Submission & Review Process

Prepare the deliverables (documentation, manifest, security review notes, installation and setup guides). Use the Developer Portal’s device-app submission checklist and follow the readiness criteria: asset list, installing instructions, supported features, and integration testing evidence.

Operational considerations

Be responsive during Ledger’s review cycle, and address requested changes (UI flows, signature confirmation text, asset metadata). Ledger may require agreements for blockchain inclusion or for some commercial services.

6. Example architecture (short)

Typical architecture: Live App <→ Ledger Live (Services Kit) <→ Ledger Backend caches & provider endpoints <→ Third-party provider systems. Ledger Live acts as an orchestrator and trusted UI, with cryptographic operations delegated to the hardware.

Quick checklist before submission
  • Complete technical docs and user setup instructions.
  • Confirm device compatibility and test on supported devices.
  • Implement required REST endpoints for service integrations.
  • Include manifest and privacy/security notes for review.

7. Final notes & recommended next steps

Start with the Developer Portal landing pages, pick the appropriate integration path, run local dev with Wallet-API, and contact Ledger via the integration forms when you’re ready to begin the formal submission. Prioritize hardware-backed signature UX and clear onboarding to reduce review iterations.

Prepared for technical audiences: product owners, blockchain engineers, and dev teams planning Ledger Live integrations.

Presenter note — short embed snippet

/* Use this snippet when demonstrating "connect to device" */
async function connectAndSign() {
  // Use Ledger Services Kit client (wallet-api) to request an operation
  // Example pseudo-call: ledgerServices.request('sign', {path, tx});
  // Real usage: follow official wallet-api docs for exact API surface.
}