Ledger Asks Resellers in Six Southeast Asian Countries, Hong Kong to Halt Sales Amid Device-Tampering Probe

Crypto hardware wallet maker Ledger has asked sellers in six Southeast Asian countries and Hong Kong to suspend sales after concerns emerged that some devices may have been tampered with. The company has opened an investigation.

Cointelegraph reported on October 13 that Ledger said in an official X post a day earlier it had asked retailers and distributors in Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Hong Kong to temporarily stop selling its hardware wallets and remove display units from stores.

The move followed concerns that some products may have been altered before reaching buyers. Ledger began investigating after reports on October 9 linked crypto thefts to devices purchased through reseller CryptoBilis. At the time, the company asked that seller to stop sales and shipments. It later expanded the measure to major Southeast Asian markets and Hong Kong.

Ledger said the confirmed cases identified so far are limited to Southeast Asia. "At this stage of the ongoing investigation, the incidents confirmed are limited to Southeast Asia," the company said. Crypto theft cases linked to devices bought in other regions have not been verified, it added.

Still, users in other regions, including Europe, have continued to report signs of suspected tampering in Ledger products bought from retailers. The company said it is investigating who may have altered the devices and at what point in the distribution process the issue occurred.

Ledger also said it has found no signs the incident was tied to a hack of its own systems. "There is no indication that Ledger's infrastructure, systems, services or official direct sales channels have been compromised," it said. The investigation is therefore focused on possible tampering during distribution before the products reached consumers.