Ledger Investigates Fund Losses After Finding Implant in Tampered Hardware Wallet

hardware wallet implant — Ledger is investigating fund losses tied to a Southeast Asian reseller after discovering an unauthorized hardware implant inside a customer’s device.

The hardware wallet manufacturer confirmed the investigation on Sunday, stating it had reached out to affected customers following reports from users in Southeast Asia who lost funds after purchasing from a reseller. Ledger identified the vendor as Malaysia-based CryptoBilis, which has since halted its hardware wallet sales.

The company confirmed on Saturday that one impacted user’s device contained the unauthorized hardware implant. While Ledger would not confirm the amount lost, blockchain investigator Specter reported that approximately $86 million had been drained from devices. Ledger advised all customers who purchased from CryptoBilis to not set up their devices and warned against buying from unauthorized resellers.

The incident follows other recent hardware wallet security concerns, including a $120 million theft from Coldcard users in July due to a firmware bug and a data leak affecting nearly 81,000 Trezor customers last month. Ledger stated it is working with relevant authorities and continues to review its distribution and anti-tamper processes.