Ledger unveils crypto-native debit card, adds support for NFTs

Hardware crypto wallet manufacturer Ledger has made a slew of announcements during the first day of its Ledger Op3n conference in Paris, including the upcoming launch of its brand new crypto-linked debit card and support for non-fungible tokens (NFTs).

Dubbed “Crypto Life,” the new debit card is powered by Ledger’s technology and will allow holders to seamlessly spend and receive cryptocurrencies without having to sell or buy them first.

BREAKING: We are launching the Crypto Life card, powered by Ledger – in partnership with @BaanxGroup. You’ll be able to manage your crypto life through your @Ledger wallet, convert to fiat at time of purchase, and more.
Join the waitlist here: https://t.co/tkRq6oL1gM#LedgerOp3n

— Ledger (@Ledger) December 9, 2021

The card will also be integrated into the Ledger Live software (also used in Ledger Nano hardware wallets), allowing its holders to track their portfolios as well as “buy, trade, access the worlds of Defi and NFTs, and more.”

“Everyone should be empowered to truly own their money, and this new card expands the number of ways to not only get paid in cryptocurrency, but transact with it anywhere,” said Ledger CEO Pascal Gauthier in an announcement shared with CryptoSlate today.

Residents of the U.K., France, and Germany will be able to get their hands on “Crypto Life” in the first quarter of 2022 while Americans will have to wait until Q2. At launch, the card will support Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), Ripple’s XRP, Baanx (BXX), Bitcoin Cash (BCH), Litecoin (LTC), and stablecoins such as USDT, EURT, and USDC.

NFTs on the go

Another big announcement is the addition of NFT support to Ledger’s wallets, albeit still in “an experimental mode.” Starting already this month, hardware wallet users will be able to view, send, and receive NFTs in Ledger Live.

To this end, Ledger has teamed up with NFT marketplace Rarible and plans to launch “a unique Discover section” in January 2022. This integration will allow users to connect their Ledger wallets to Rarible and manage their NFTs directly within Ledger Live, the company explained.

“Our integration with Ledger, leveraging its state-of-the-art security, marks a major milestone in our mission to improve how users interact with their NFTs, and will provide NFT holders with an increased sense of comfort knowing their digital collectibles are safely stored,” noted Alex Salnikov, co-founder and head of product at Rarible.

Single-window trading

Finally, Ledger has announced new partnerships with two major U.S. cryptocurrency trading platforms—FTX and Coinbase. As a result of the former, Ledger users in 150 countries will be able to trade across 300 digital asset pairs on FTX directly through the Ledger Live application.

Meanwhile, users of the Coinbase Wallet browser extension will gain the ability to self-custody their crypto with Ledger hardware wallets.

“We’ll start rolling out support for hardware wallets in the Coinbase Wallet Extension early next year, and we’re excited to share more announcements on how we’re making Coinbase Wallet the safest and most secure way to participate in Web3 over the coming months,” added Max Branzburg, VP product at Coinbase.