Ledger Users' Personal Data Exposed Through Global-e Payment Processor Vulnerability

Ledger, the world’s leading hardware wallet manufacturer, is facing scrutiny after customer personal information was accessed without authorization through a security incident at Global-e, its third-party payment processor. The incident marks yet another exposure affecting the cryptocurrency custody platform’s users, raising fresh questions about third-party service risks in the digital asset ecosystem.

Payment Processor Detects Unusual Access Patterns

Global-e, which processes payments for Ledger and multiple other major retail brands, detected unusual activity within its cloud infrastructure and quickly implemented containment measures. The unauthorized access to Global-e’s systems exposed customer personal details including names and contact information from Ledger’s e-commerce platform. The company has not disclosed the exact number of affected Ledger customers or the precise timing of when the compromise occurred.

In a statement to its customers, Global-e explained the incident: “We retained independent forensic experts to conduct an investigation into the incident and we were able to determine that some personal data including name and contact information were improperly accessed.” The payment processor emphasized that it is working to notify all impacted customers and implement enhanced security controls.

Why This Matters Less Than It Appears

While the data exposure is concerning, Ledger stressed an important technical distinction that users should understand. The company clarified that Global-e’s access breach did not compromise Ledger’s core platform, hardware devices, or software systems—all of which remain secure. More critically, because Ledger products operate on a self-custodial model, Global-e never had access to users’ 24-word seed phrases, private keys, blockchain balances, or any digital asset secrets.

“This was not a breach of Ledger’s platform, hardware or software systems, which remain secure,” Ledger stated. “For the avoidance of doubt, as the Ledger product is self-custodial, Global-e does not have access to your 24 words, blockchain balance, or any secrets related to digital assets.”

The incident centered specifically on order data—Ledger confirmed that payment card information was not included in the compromise. This distinction is crucial: while personal contact details may have been exposed, digital assets themselves remain untouched.

A Pattern of Vulnerabilities Through Third Parties

This is not Ledger’s first encounter with data exposure. In 2020, approximately 270,000 Ledger customer records were compromised through e-commerce partner Shopify, revealing the risks of relying on third-party service providers. In 2023, Ledger was targeted again, this time losing nearly $500,000 in a hack that affected decentralized finance applications and demonstrated vulnerabilities across the broader ecosystem.

The recurring nature of these incidents highlights a systemic challenge: even well-secured platforms face risks when partnering with external service providers. Each breach, while handled differently, underscores the complexity of maintaining comprehensive security across the entire customer journey—from purchase to product use.

The Broader Security Landscape

Global-e operates as a Merchant of Record for numerous global brands and retailers beyond Ledger, meaning multiple customers from different companies likely had data exposed in this same incident. This wider exposure underscores how payment infrastructure vulnerabilities can have cascading effects across multiple organizations simultaneously.

The cryptocurrency industry continues to grapple with security challenges from multiple angles: malicious actors persistently targeting user information, inadequate security protocols at third-party vendors, and the expanding attack surface created by business partnerships. Ledger reinforced its commitment to the broader ecosystem, stating: “We remain united with the industry at war against hackers and bad actors who are tirelessly trying to steal users’ information in the ecosystem and e-commerce space at large.”

Market Context and Industry Implications

The incident occurs as cryptocurrency markets face headwinds. Bitcoin has recently retreated to $83.53K, amid broader pressure on crypto-related equities and cooling trading volumes, which have halved from $1.7 trillion annually to $900 billion, reflecting cautious investor sentiment in the face of macroeconomic uncertainties.

These market pressures, combined with recurring security incidents, reinforce the need for both institutional-grade security practices and user vigilance when selecting custody solutions and payment processing platforms.

What Users Should Do

Ledger users affected by the Global-e exposure should monitor their contact information for suspicious activity and remain alert to phishing attempts. However, the critical point remains: user cryptocurrency holdings stored on Ledger hardware wallets are not at risk from this particular incident. The self-custodial architecture that defines Ledger’s core value proposition—giving users complete control and security of their digital assets—remains intact.