Ledger answers the spy-chip scandal with an $849 Android 'signer' that raises the alarm if its case is opened, shipping in summer 2027

Days after admitting that tampered hardware wallets sold by a reseller leaked customers' recovery phrases over a mobile network, Ledger has shown off a device built to make that attack impossible. Atom, unveiled at the company's Op3n conference in Paris on Thursday, is a 6.77-inch touchscreen Android device with a Ledger secure element, a data-only eSIM and encrypted messaging, which Ledger calls a "signer" rather than a wallet, Decrypt reported.

The Block reported that a limited Founder's Edition costs $849, reserved with a fully refundable $100 deposit, and that regular orders will cost $899; Ledger's existing wallets run from $69 to $399. Decrypt said Ledger had not announced a price or ship date in its release. Deliveries are expected in summer 2027, subject to certification, and the device will be sold only through Ledger's own website.

The security design is a direct response to the CryptoBilis incident. Atom will detect attempts to remove its screen or enclosure, its secure element and supporting chips sit in a monitored area, and the tamper sensors keep running on a separate battery when the device is off. A Ledger spokesperson told The Block that the Core Protection feature "will explicitly block the screen reader implants from this weekend's incident." On Wednesday Ledger said it had inspected devices at German retailers and found no tampering. Onchain researchers have linked the implants to more than $86 million in suspected losses, a figure Ledger has not confirmed.

Solana Mobile's Seeker app, with its wallet and dApp store, will ship on Atom, and Kraken is exploring approving exchange actions through the Secure Mode.