This document explains the purpose and structure of Ledger Live integrations for third-party developers, product managers, and engineers. It describes high-level architecture, available SDKs and APIs, security considerations, UX guidance, testing and deployment steps, and practical best practices. The goal is to provide a compact yet thorough reference that can be copied into a slide deck, developer wiki, or shared with stakeholders.
Integrating with Ledger Live allows your application or service to connect with Ledger's secure hardware ecosystem, enabling features such as secure transaction signing, account discovery, balance sync, and firmware-aware operations. Benefits include enhanced user trust, stronger security guarantees, and access to a broad user base that prefers hardware-backed private key security. Integrations can span wallets, exchanges, custodial solutions, DeFi aggregators, and merchant solutions.
At a high level, integrations follow these steps: account discovery (enumeration of addresses/accounts), transaction creation and serialization, user confirmation via Ledger device UI, and signature retrieval. Ledger Live orchestrates communication between the app and the physical Ledger device or Ledger hardware abstraction (Ledger Bridge, WebUSB, BLE). Consider whether your product should implement a direct-hosted integration (server-assisted) or a client-side integration (browser/native).
Ledger provides language-specific SDKs for common integrations: JavaScript/TypeScript SDKs for web apps, native libraries for desktop/mobile, and cross-platform bindings. These libraries handle transport (USB, BLE), serialization/parsing, and device firmware compatibility. Use the SDK to simplify device detection, app selection, and APDU command sequences. When possible, rely on maintained libraries to reduce maintenance burden.
APIs used by Ledger Live and partner integrations include account discovery endpoints, metadata endpoints (currency parameters), and optional backend services for broadcast/transmission. Respect rate limits and user privacy — avoid storing private keys or sensitive derivation paths on servers.
Security is the cornerstone of any Ledger integration. Never expose private keys. Follow these rules: always perform signing on the device, validate displayed transaction details on the device's screen, use deterministic derivation paths according to BIP standards, and provide clear user prompts for every sensitive action. Additionally, sign and verify payloads where needed, and maintain secure update paths for firmware and app logic.
Consider malware on the host device that could attempt to alter unsigned transactions; mitigate with strong UX that shows human-readable transaction details on the device and implement transaction serialization that matches on-device displays.
Avoid sending private key material over the network and ensure TLS for all communication. Where servers construct transactions, use authenticated and auditable processes so a compromised server cannot craft malicious transactions silently.
Users should never be asked to blindly approve transactions. Show clear summaries of transaction recipients, amounts, fees, and any memo fields both in your app and let the device display critical fields. Support progressive disclosure so advanced users see raw data while mainstream users see a simplified view.
Offer clear guidance on how to connect a device (USB / Bluetooth) and provide troubleshooting steps for common errors (driver, permissions, BLE pairing). Use descriptive error codes and map them to friendly messages.
Prepare a compatibility matrix and automated test harness where possible. Run security reviews and, if applicable, third-party audits before public release.
Integrating with Ledger Live unlocks robust security guarantees and a trusted user experience. Prioritize end-to-end security, clear device-based confirmations, and cross-platform compatibility. Use official SDKs and follow Ledger's recommended patterns for transport and signing. With careful UX and rigorous testing, your integration will deliver both security and a delightful user experience.