Cryptocurrency hardware wallet maker Ledger said it is developing a new device that looks and functions more like a smartphone than a traditional wallet.
The Ledger Atom, scheduled for release in mid-2027, marks a departure from the industry’s emphasis on safeguarding digital assets on minimalist devices meant to be locked away in a drawer or a desk.
The Atom runs Android, meaning users will be able to install everyday applications like WhatsApp, Instagram and TikTok. Users can switch between ordinary smartphone functionality and a protected mode for managing digital assets. The device also incorporates integration with the AI assistant OpenClaw.
The product will be manufactured at Ledger at its location in Vietnam, as is customary with its more complex devices.
The Atom announcement comes amid fallout from a supply-chain security breach involving Malaysian distributor CryptoBilis, in which attackers reportedly tampered with devices before they reached customers. Onchain researchers estimated losses of up to $93.2 million across more than 300 wallets, with Tether freezing $10 million of its dollar-pegged stablecoin USDT tied to the theft.
The compromised wallets allegedly contained hidden chips capable of intercepting users’ 24-word recovery phrases — the stream of random words that only the owner of the wallet should know as the ultimate safeguard to their digital assets — by reading signals from their screens.
The incident largely affected users in Southeast Asia, with Ledger citing research on Wednesday to show no loss of funds reported in Europe.
Ledger says Atom will incorporate additional protections specifically designed to counter this type of attack, a spokesperson told CoinDesk via email.
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