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An XRP community member has reported losing his entire XRP balance following a compromise of a Ledger cold wallet.
The claim was made by Jaime, host of the Trident podcast, who disclosed the incident publicly on X. According to Jaime, his Ledger hardware wallet was somehow compromised, resulting in the complete loss of the XRP it contained.
In response to immediate skepticism, Jaime addressed several potential points of failure. He stated that he never shared his 24-word recovery phrase, nor did he photograph or store it digitally. He also emphasized that the Ledger device itself had remained physically secure and had not been accessed by anyone else.
As questions continued to surface, Jaime publicly appealed to Ledger for clarification. Tagging the company’s official support account on X, he asked how such a loss could occur under those circumstances. The appeal prompted a response from the wallet manufacturer.
Ledger Responds
Ledger, the French company behind the hardware wallet, issued a response shortly thereafter. However, it did not confirm any security breach affecting its devices. Instead, the company directed users to its official support documentation.
According to Ledger’s guidance, the first step is to confirm whether funds are truly missing. Users are advised to update their Ledger Wallet software and clear the application cache before reviewing balances again.
If discrepancies persist, Ledger recommends verifying holdings through blockchain explorers. Third-party tools, such as Zerion, accessible within Ledger Wallet, can also be used to cross-check balances.
If losses are confirmed, users are instructed to examine outgoing transactions in detail. Any transfer not personally authorized would indicate a possible compromise. Ledger notes that this review is critical for determining whether external interference may have occurred.
Ledger Explains Why Funds Cannot Be Recovered Directly
From there, Ledger highlights the structural limitations of blockchain systems. The company states that crypto transactions cannot be reversed once confirmed. Public blockchains do not allow accounts to be frozen or assets retrieved.
As a result, Ledger notes that recovery depends on identifying the attacker. Only law enforcement or the legal system can compel a return of stolen funds. Ledger, therefore, recommends filing a police report when theft is suspected.
While Ledger maintains that its hardware wallets are engineered to withstand known technical attacks, the company stresses that most losses arise from human vulnerabilities rather than device flaws. Phishing, social engineering, and other forms of fraud constitute the most common attack vectors.
Ledger emphasizes that even robust security tools cannot fully protect users from deception or operational mistakes.
Prior Ledger Incidents Add Context
The incident comes against the backdrop of a notable Ledger-related event in December 2023, when the company disclosed a breach affecting its Connect Kit tool.
That breach originated after a former employee’s NPMJS account was compromised through phishing, allowing a malicious version of the tool to be uploaded.
The exploit affected several decentralized finance (DeFi) platforms, including MetaMask, Lido, and Sushi, causing users to unknowingly and unintentionally transfer funds to the attacker.
Ledger CEO Pascal Gauthier later stated that assets stored directly on Ledger devices were not compromised and advised users to avoid decentralized applications during the incident.
Earlier Warning Issued to XRP Holders
Separately, Ledger issued a security alert to XRP holders in November 2023 following a surge in scam activity targeting the XRP community. Fraudsters used imagery associated with Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse, along with deceptive XRP-themed airdrops, to lure users into surrendering their assets.
Collectively, these events highlight enduring risks associated with crypto self-custody. Ledger continues to stress the importance of verification, caution, and user awareness, urging crypto holders to remain vigilant as scam tactics continue to evolve.