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Ledger, the hardware wallet giant securing billions in crypto assets, is under fire from developers and users over its newly launched Multisig app, hailed for security enhancements but slammed for introducing per-transaction fees that critics brand a “cash grab.” Debuting October 24 alongside the Nano Gen5 device and revamped Wallet app (replacing Ledger Live), the feature streamlines multi-signature transactions via Ledger’s backend, ditching third-party tools like open-source Specter and Sparrow.
Praised for “clear signing” to prevent blind approvals and added checks like transaction verification, the app bolsters defenses against phishing—vital as Kaspersky notes social engineering remains crypto’s top threat. Yet, the $10 flat fee per standard transfer and 0.05% on ERC-20 tokens—plus network gas—has ignited fury. Ethereum developer pcaversaccio, from SEAL-911, blasted it as turning multisig users into “cash cows,” creating a “single choke point” that monetizes self-custody’s ethos. Avalanche dev Sarnavo echoed: “Trust functionality is now paid access,” decrying the closed-source code.
Exacerbating woes, the app excludes the legacy Nano S—Ledger’s affordable bestseller with millions sold—due to memory limits, leaving users “censored.” CTO Charles Guillemet’s X post claiming “Ledger Multisig is free” fueled confusion; he later called it a “typo,” clarifying fees fund infrastructure and audits. Ledger, with 7.5 million devices shipped and 20% market share, hasn’t formally responded beyond that.
X erupted: “Ledger charging for security? Against cypherpunk roots,” one user fumed, while others pivoted to Trezor’s Safe 7 launch. Experts warn this erodes trust in a competitive field, where Safe{Wallet} secures $60 billion fee-free. As Ledger eyes AI-era signer tech, the row spotlights innovation’s cost: Will fees sustain growth or alienate the community it protects?
