ZachXBT calls hardware wallets 'worthless' and Ledger the worst

Well-known on-chain researcher ZachXBT has strongly criticised hardware wallets. He considers them utterly worthless for signing transactions or storing large amounts of crypto. Ledger receives the most criticism, because according to ZachXBT, the frequent updates to Ledger Live repeatedly break basic functionality.

A separate iPhone as an alternative

Instead of a traditional hardware wallet, ZachXBT recommends using a separate iPhone that is exclusively dedicated to crypto management. That device then has no other apps or functions, which in his view offers a more secure environment than the common hardware solutions on the market.

He does add that this advice is not suitable for everyone. On his Telegram channel Investigations by ZachXBT, he explicitly writes that you should only do this if you know what you are doing. So it is not a tip for beginners, but for experienced users who are conscious about their digital security.

Ledger falls short according to ZachXBT

Ledger is one of the world’s largest providers of hardware wallets, but ZachXBT describes it as the worst option on the market. His main objection is that Ledger Live regularly rolls out updates for the user interface and apps, while those updates serve no clear purpose but do break simple operations. For someone who works with crypto daily, that is a serious problem.

ZachXBT’s remarks stand out in a period when the security of crypto assets is increasingly in the news. Recently, for example, wallets from LayerZero were hacked, with $24 million in crypto stolen. The community is divided in response to his stance: some share his frustrations with Ledger Live, while others still see hardware wallets as a reliable standard for the average user who wants to store their crypto safely.