- Ledger is a company founded in 2014 that specializes in cryptocurrency hardware wallets.
- The Nano S device was launched back in 2016 and Ledger confirmed last month that it was discontinuing the device.
- The decision received backlash online from users.
Ledger wallet users are expressing frustration after crypto hardware wallet provider announced in an update they would officially end support for its Nano S device.
The Nano S device was launched back in 2016 and Ledger confirmed it was sunsetting the device due to evolving security standards and hardware limitations.
The move comes nearly a decade after the market debut.
Accordingly, the company will no longer accept new apps, features, or updates for the Nano S.
User Backlash and Concern
The end of support for the Ledger Nano S has reignited debate around planned obsolescence in the crypto hardware space. While Ledger maintains the decision is rooted in evolving tech standards, users are left weighing whether to upgrade now or risk vulnerabilities down the line.
The decision has caught many users off guard, with complaints surfacing across X (formerly Twitter) and Reddit.
While some recognized the hardware’s age, others criticized Ledger for what they saw as a forced upgrade.
“Very uncool,” posted Ethereum ecosystem contributor Pcaversaccio.
“Don’t play with backwards compatibility guys, many rely on the Nano S. You’re one of the few trusted parties out there, and now you start censoring new features & access because of business rationale.”
Ledger, in its April statement, justified the decision by citing the Nano S’s limited storage capacity, which it said could no longer support most new use cases in today’s rapidly expanding crypto landscape.
Despite the advance warning, many users only recently became aware of the change, sparking a wave of reactions ranging from disappointment to concern over long-term security implications.
X user Beau, a safety project manager for Pudgy Penguins, labeled the development a “major bummer.”
“If you use the Nano S currently, make sure you have your seed phrase backed up and, if necessary, transfer assets to new wallets. Don’t want to be caught with a broken device after updates stop,” Beau wrote.
Users who continue to use the Nano S post support risk losing access to future blockchain updates, new features, and critical security enhancements.
Ledger has encouraged users to upgrade to newer models like the Nano S Plus or Nano X and ensure they have access to their 24 word Secret Recovery Phrase before making the switch.
Others raised questions about whether the Nano S would still function without updates, and whether security risks would increase over time. Beau suggested the device would “probably still work,” but noted that without firmware updates, it becomes more susceptible to potential issues or compatibility failures.
Juan, a contributor to the Nillion Ecosystem, expressed skepticism, asking, “Is Ledger just gonna deprecate people’s existing devices and force them to buy the new one? Am I reading this right? Wtf?”
Not all users saw the updates as essential.
Roman Semenov, co-founder of Tornado Cash, currently wanted by U.S. authorities for his connection with Tornado Cash said he hadn’t updated his Ledger device in years due to concerns about newer firmware features.
“It doesn’t really need any updates to work,” he claimed.
Ledger is yet to issue a direct response to user backlash.
Meanwhile, ledger is currently offering a 20% exclusively for Nano S hardware wallet users to upgrade their wallets.