Ledger launches Atom security device for AI & crypto

Ledger has launched Ledger Atom, a privacy and security device that runs everyday apps. It is designed to protect sensitive digital activity, including payments, identity and communications.

The Paris-based crypto security company said the device combines open-source Android with its own Ledger OS on a secure element chip, creating a dual-operating-system structure that separates routine app use from higher-risk approvals and signing tasks.

The product is aimed at users who rely on mobile devices for financial transactions, private communications and AI-related tasks, but want additional hardware controls when approving sensitive actions. Ledger framed the launch against rising mobile security threats, citing growth in mobile zero-days, spyware activity, and losses linked to cybercrime and compromised crypto wallets.

Under Ledger's design, the device switches automatically between Standard Mode and Secure Mode. An FPGA chip bridges the two systems, while a visible secure bar indicates which mode is active.

The architecture is intended to prevent standard apps from viewing or interfering with operations carried out in Secure Mode. Ledger said the product is not meant to replace a mobile phone, but to provide a separate environment for activities that need stronger protections.

"In a world where AI lets attackers target anyone, digital freedom is no longer a nice-to-have. It is a requirement," said Pascal Gauthier, chairman and CEO of Ledger. "For twelve years, we protected your money. Ledger Atom protects everything you own online: your money, your identity, your words, and the agents acting in your name. It runs your everyday apps, and with Ledger Connectivity, any app or website connects directly to your Ledger, with nothing in the middle. For the moments that matter, the final approval is you. Without ownership, you are not free."

AI controls

A central part of the launch is Ledger Agent Intent, a system that applies hardware approval to AI agents. AI agents can read and propose actions, but sensitive steps must be physically approved on Ledger Atom or another compatible Ledger signing device before execution, according to the company.

Ledger Agent Intent builds on the company's open-source Ledger Agent Stack and is available for compatible Ledger signers. Ledger also said the OpenClaw application will come preloaded on Ledger Atom, allowing users to register OpenClaw agents and authorise actions on the device.

Ledger positioned the feature as a response to concerns over data access, payment permissions and unauthorised actions by AI systems. It said agents often require access to identity and payment information, creating risks around data exfiltration, costly errors and permission escalation.

Wallet functions

Atom will also serve as both interface and signer for Ledger Wallet, according to the company. Users will be able to initiate transactions through the wallet app and then approve them in Secure Mode on the device's display.

That would allow users to send crypto and access third-party services through Ledger Wallet for activities such as buying, selling, swapping and earning yield, with transaction signing handled directly on the device. Ledger said Kraken is exploring support for Ledger Atom ahead of launch, which could allow clients to review and clear-sign transactions on the device display.

Ledger also said Solana Mobile has named it as its first hardware expansion partner. According to the company, the Seeker app is planned to be preinstalled on Ledger Atom and would give users access to the Solana dApp Store while keeping transaction approvals within Secure Mode.

Privacy features

Atom includes new anti-tampering and tamper-evident measures covering both packaging and the device itself, according to Ledger. The company said the device is designed to detect if the enclosure has been opened or the display removed, while key components, including the secure element, MCU and FPGA, have additional protections.

The product also supports GPG and OpenPGP messaging, Ledger said. This allows a message to be encrypted before being sent through a third-party application, with the unencrypted message visible only when Ledger OS takes control, and decrypted on another Ledger Atom device in Secure Mode.

Another hardware measure is a physical privacy switch that cuts power to the cameras and microphone at circuit level. Ledger said the cameras and microphone are also disabled automatically whenever the device enters Secure Mode.

Cyber50, which describes itself as an AI-driven cybersecurity company, is collaborating with Ledger to examine how organisations in the region could use the device's hardware-backed security for secure communications. Ledger linked that work to growing concern among business leaders about cyber-enabled fraud and phishing.

Pricing and timing

Ledger said Atom is expected to be available in summer 2027, subject to applicable product certifications, including FCC certification in the United States. The company has opened reservations for a limited Founder's Edition at USD $849 with a USD $100 refundable deposit, while orders placed after launch are set to be priced at USD $899.

Ledger said it has sold more than 8 million signing devices in more than 165 countries and secures a significant share of retail-held Bitcoin and dollar stablecoins. The company also said Ledger Atom is designed to be compatible with NIST post-quantum standards, with post-quantum cryptography accelerated in the secure hardware itself.