Ledger Hardware Wallet Users Exposed Through Payment Processor Partner Global-e Breach

The cryptocurrency custody space faced new turbulence as Ledger disclosed a data compromise affecting some of its customers, this time stemming from a third-party payment processor rather than its own systems. Global-e, which operates as an e-commerce partner facilitating transactions for Ledger.com, confirmed unauthorized access to customer order information including names and contact details stored on its cloud infrastructure.

How the Third-Party Payment Processor Breach Unfolded

The exposure came to light through an email notification from Global-e, initially surfaced by pseudonymous blockchain analyst ZachXBT on social media. The payment processor revealed that unauthorized parties accessed personal information from customers who completed purchases through its merchant services on Ledger.com. Critically, the breach did not compromise payment card data, nor did it affect Ledger’s core wallet technology, hardware security, or private key management systems.

Global-e moved swiftly upon detecting suspicious activity, implementing security controls and retaining independent forensic investigators to examine the scope of the incident. The investigation confirmed that some customer personal data was improperly accessed, though the exact number of affected users remains undisclosed by both the payment processor and Ledger.

The Company’s Risk Clarification

In response to media inquiries, Ledger emphasized an important distinction: this incident represents a compromise of a third-party e-commerce partner’s systems, not a failure of Ledger’s self-custodial technology. “This was not a breach of Ledger’s platform, hardware or software systems, which remain secure,” the company stated. The hardware wallet maker clarified that because its products operate on a self-custodial model, Global-e has no access to users’ 24-word recovery phrases, blockchain balances, or any private keys associated with digital assets.

The company confirmed it is collaborating with Global-e to notify impacted customers with relevant protective guidance. Notably, Ledger was not the sole brand affected—the payment processor’s cloud system exposure involved customer order data from multiple retailers, highlighting a systemic vulnerability in this particular e-commerce infrastructure provider.

Historical Context: Pattern of Third-Party Incidents

This marks Ledger’s third significant security-related incident in recent years, though with differing severity. In 2020, a breach through e-commerce partner Shopify exposed personal information of approximately 270,000 customers. More critically, in 2023, Ledger fell victim to a sophisticated attack that resulted in the theft of nearly $500,000 in cryptocurrency, impacting several decentralized finance protocols. That incident was later linked to malicious code planted by a former employee.

Each incident has reinforced the distinction between Ledger’s core wallet security and vulnerabilities in surrounding services. This latest Global-e exposure, while concerning from a privacy standpoint, does not directly threaten users’ stored digital assets provided they maintain proper operational security practices.

Broader Market Context

The data breach disclosure arrives as the broader cryptocurrency market navigates continued volatility. Bitcoin recently retreated below the $84,000 level amid broader market pressures and cautious investor sentiment. Spot cryptocurrency trading volumes have contracted significantly, falling to approximately $900 billion in recent periods from $1.7 trillion in the previous year, reflecting cooling market enthusiasm and macroeconomic uncertainty.

Meanwhile, select cryptocurrency-related equities—particularly those operated by miners who have diversified into artificial intelligence infrastructure and high-performance computing—have demonstrated resilience against broader market headwinds, suggesting market differentiation based on business model adaptability.

The Ledger incident underscores why institutional adoption of cryptocurrency infrastructure requires multi-layered security assessment, addressing not only core protocol and custody technology but also the full ecosystem of third-party service providers that touch customer data.