Legendary Apple Designer Announces New Ledger Stax Crypto Wallet
Tony Fadell is renowned for designing Apple’s original iPod music player and for being cocreator of the first iPhones, before going on to develop smart thermostats at Nest. On Tuesday, the famous engineer revealed his latest product: a hardware wallet he built for the crypto firm Ledger.
The new wallet, called Ledger Stax, comes with an E-Ink display that covers the front and curves around the spine of the card-like device, letting users easily view transactions as well as their favorite art.
If you’re unfamiliar with Ledger, the company makes UBS-like devices that let users store Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies offline. Its flagship product is the Ledger Nano, which interacts with customers’ phones and lets them store and view their crypto securely.
The new Fadell wallet offers the same functionality and security as Ledger’s other products, but represents a leap forward in terms of design.
“We need a user-friendly—no, a ‘user-delightful’—tool to bring digital asset security to the rest of us, not just the geeks,” said Fadell.
The Stax is compatible with 500 types of cryptocurrencies, and it permits users to view and manage NFT collections, according to Yahoo Finance.
Ledger users have the option of interacting with the phone over Bluetooth, but those wanting to maximize security precautions are better off connecting the wallet to a laptop with a cable.
Ledger announced the new wallet at an event in Paris, where the company is based. It is currently taking preorders for the device, which will be available by March and retail for $279.
In response to a question from Fortune about Ledger’s financial situation, a company spokesperson declined to provide specific revenue figures but said Ledger has historically been profitable. H
e added that Ledger had its two best-ever sales days in November in the wake of the collapse of the FTX cryptocurrency exchange—a development that likely reflects a desire among crypto owners to store their own digital assets instead of relying on a third party.
