Using Xverse with your Ledger device allows you to manage the same Bitcoin accounts as Ledger Live, including the ability to receive and store Bitcoin, Ordinal inscriptions, and BRC-20 tokens. However, there are some key considerations that make it advisable not to use both Xverse and Ledger Live with the same Ledger device, especially if you hold Ordinals assets.
Ordinals Display and Potential Spending Risks
While Xverse fully supports Ordinal inscriptions and displays them in your wallet, Ledger Live does not recognize Ordinals & Runes. This means that any Ordinals & Runesstored in your Ledger-connected Xverse account will not be visible in Ledger Live. If you use both Xverse and Ledger Live with the same device, you risk unintentionally spending your Ordinals & Runes as regular Bitcoin, as Ledger Live treats them as standard Bitcoin without recognizing their uniqueness.
Note
This applies to all Bitcoin wallets that use Ledger but don’t support Ordinals. Always avoid using non-Ordinals-aware wallets with the same Ledger device as your Xverse wallet if it holds Ordinals assets.
However, if you’re an experienced user comfortable with managing multiple wallets, you can set a passphrase on your Ledger device to create a separate set of accounts when connecting with Xverse. This will allow you to separate your Xverse Ordinals account from your main Ledger Live account, minimizing the risk of accidental Ordinals spending.
For more details, check out: Passphrase: Ledger’s Advanced Security Feature
Derivation Paths Difference
Both Xverse and Ledger Live follow the hierarchical deterministic wallet schema:
m / purpose' / coin_type' / account' / change / address_index
However, there are key differences to be aware:
- Xverse uses the derivation path
m/84'/0'/0'/0/1for Native Segwit andm/86'/0'/0'/0/1for Taproot addresses (theaddress_indexchanges for each new account). - Ledger Live uses a similar path, but follows a different structure for additional accounts and change addresses ( the
account'changes for every new account whileaddress_indexchanges for each change address).
Due to these differences, only the first account’s receive address (with similar derivation path of m/84'/0'/0'/0/0) may match between the two wallets. Change addresses and additional accounts will not align, limiting your ability to view or manage certain assets seamlessly across both platforms.
If needed, you can transfer assets directly from your Ledger Live account to your Xverse wallet for a smoother experience.
Future Support for Custom Derivation Paths
Our team is actively working on supporting custom derivation paths to improve compatibility between Xverse and other wallets, including Ledger Live. By keeping these considerations in mind, you can avoid potential issues and make the best use of your Ledger device with Xverse.