As the cryptocurrency sector becomes increasingly popular, the number of global users has exceeded 562 million in 2024 (and is projected to reach 1 billion users by 2030).

With this growth, comes the need for secure crypto storage. A crypto wallet allows you to buy, sell, send, receive, and store cryptocurrency. Ledger has been a major player in the crypto storage sector since 2014 when it launched its first hardware wallet.

The Ledger Stax, its latest release, is currently available for pre-order, and that’s why I wrote this review. To share with you a glimpse of the device before it’s even available in stores. But before that, let's talk wallets for a sec—there are so many out there, each with distinct features and quirks. Up until now, I've mostly been using Trezor and the previous models from Ledger.

But what's this new device, you ask? Honestly, I had no clue what to expect. The flashy pictures Ledger threw up online caught my eye, and before I knew it, I had ordered a few of them. Call it impulse buying or call it faith in Ledger's knack for cool gadgets. By the end of this review, you will make an informed choice whether the new Ledger Stax is a good buy or not.

Features of Ledger Stax

Ledger Stax stands out with its sleek design and added features, making it a solid upgrade from previous models, the Ledger Nano X and Nano S.

The wallet comes with a larger display, unlike the Ledger Nano S and Nano X, which had relatively smaller screens.

The screen sets itself apart with its size and intuitive design, making it easy to navigate, sign transactions, and use basic features like sending, receiving, buying, and selling crypto. I can't forget to mention the real-time portfolio overview, which lets you keep a close eye on your portfolio.

I’ve also got to highlight the quality build using long-lasting quality materials, ensuring a long service life. I am not forgetting the modern USB port, which makes connecting to other devices a breeze.

Ledger Stax - Technical Overview

The Ledger Stax combines aluminum and plastic with stackability and is available in Graphite color. It features a 3.7-inch E Ink® curved touchscreen display with 16 scales of gray. It's equipped with a Secure Element Chip ST33K1M5, certified with CC EAL6+ for high security.

The Ledger Stax supports over 500 cryptocurrencies and tokens, including Ethereum and Polygon NFTs, through the Ledger Live app. It is compatible with 64-bit desktop computers (Windows 10/11, macOS, Ubuntu) and smartphones (iOS 14+, Android 10+), but not Chromebooks or mining. More technical specifications are available here.

The package includes 1 Ledger Stax device, 1 USB-C to USB-C cable, 1 Recovery Sheet, 1 Ledger Stax Magnet Shell in Midnight Black, and a guide for the Ledger Stax.

Ledger Stax Pros and Cons

Pros

• Super design
• Intuitive touchscreen (with smooth navigation)
• Easy to use
• Crypto and NFT functionality
• Durable, long-lasting material

Cons

• Not the most secure packaging.
• Except for the new physical design, it duplicates most of the functionality from previous models.

Buying NFTs with Ledger Stax - My User Experience

Today, I'm diving into my Ledger Stax wallet (which already holds one Ethereum) to buy an NFT. For this, I'll be using my favorite NFT PFP (Picture-for-Profile) maker, 8biticon. It was churning out stylish 8-bit PFPs long before the hype and the CryptoPunks, making it a true original. You can check out my avatar here - 8biticon.com/constructor?token=192440955321416.

This is a really cool constructor: it’s super easy to use, with a sleek, user-friendly interface. . and if you want a unique and awesome PFP on ERC-20 (currently the only supported one), it’s definitely worth trying out.

Now, moving on to buying the NFT. I’ve got my 1 Ether ready, and my account set up on 8biticon.com.

I've generated this stylish dude for myself, and now I want to buy him using my mobile phone and Ledger Stax, which is connected to it via Bluetooth. I click “Buy now.”

Next, I have to choose how I am going to purchase since I'm not talking about browser extensions, but my mobile wallet.

Here, it gets a bit tricky. Since I’m not using a browser extension, but a mobile wallet, I need to use WalletConnect.

Once selected, choose “Mobile.” The UI here could be smoother - personally, I’d love to see a “Scan QR” button more readily available, as it took me a moment to figure out the process.

After selecting the WalletConnect icon in the Ledger app, I press “Connect”, scan the QR code, and confirm the connection.

With these steps done, I’m connected to the website, and my ETH wallet address appears. The final step is to confirm the mint payment. Once processed, the site quickly confirms a successful transaction, and my avatar begins the minting process.

YAY!!!! All that's left is to wait for it in the wallet itself. And there it is; that all looks well and good.

So, that’s my experience with buying NFTs using Ledger Stax. Have fun using Ledger Stax!

Conclusion

Ledger Stax is an advanced hardware crypto wallet that combines style, convenience, and innovative features for the next generation of crypto HODLers. Despite some drawbacks, such as insufficient packaging protection, this device has all the chances to become a popular go-to hardware wallet among cryptocurrency users.

I advise that you go through the setup guide for the Ledger Stax wallet as it may require some level of understanding of cryptocurrencies. The process may appear technical at first but it’s something you can get around easily.  And is meant to achieve maximum protection of your assets.

One more thing - your Secret Recovery Sheet is like the keys to your Ledger Stax kingdom, so keep it safe! And hey, don’t do what I did in the picture below. Seriously though, never share it. Stay smart, stay secure!