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Ledger did not become a lender when it announced Bitcoin-backed loans in Ledger Live. On March 1, 2023, Ledger said YouHodler had joined Ledger Live’s Discover section, giving users a route to a third-party lending service. Borrowing could provide liquidity without an initial Bitcoin sale, but it created debt and put pledged collateral at risk if its value fell. The announcement’s loan figures are historical, not confirmed current terms.
Who provided the loans?
YouHodler was the named lending provider in Ledger’s March 1, 2023 announcement. Ledger Live offered access through its Discover section; the announcement did not say Ledger itself lent the money or acted as the loan counterparty.
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That distinction matters: a Ledger hardware wallet and Ledger Live interface do not, by themselves, establish who holds pledged Bitcoin after a loan is made. The launch post did not spell out the collateral custody arrangement or whether collateral could be reused.
What did Ledger announce in 2023?
Ledger’s post advertised a maximum loan-to-value ratio (LTV) of up to 90%, collateral from more than 45 crypto assets, and proceeds in EUR, USD, CHF, GBP, or stablecoins. These were claims in the 2023 launch announcement—not verified current YouHodler or Ledger Live terms.
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- Effortlessly build your crypto portfolio via the all in one Ledger Wallet app: buy, sell, send, receive, swap, stake and more across popular blockchains. 15,000+ coins & tokens in a single dashboard. Keep a close eye on the market. Compare service providers. Track performance. Get timely alerts. Build your portfolio with confidence.
- Effortlessly build your crypto portfolio via the all in one Ledger Wallet app: buy, sell, send, receive, swap, stake and more across popular blockchains. 15,000+ coins & tokens in a single dashboard. Keep a close eye on the market. Compare service providers. Track performance. Get timely alerts. Build your portfolio with confidence.
- Enjoy Bluetooth connectivity, iOS access, and hours of battery use with this mobile-first, secure backup signer. Freedom you can depend on.
- Genuine Check: confirm your signer is authentic during setup with the Ledger Wallet app.
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The announcement described this workflow:
- Connect a Ledger hardware wallet to Ledger Live.
- Open Discover and select YouHodler.
- Choose collateral and the currency for the loan proceeds.
- Set the loan parameters.
Ledger also said users could access the service with a Ledger Nano device. That describes the announced workflow; it does not establish that a Ledger device is required for every current YouHodler loan route or that buying one provides loan access.
The launch post does not establish whether YouHodler remains available in Ledger Live in 2026, or whether the announced assets, currencies, LTV, fees, and eligibility still apply. Check the service and its terms directly before relying on any of those details.
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- Simply & securely take control of your digital assets and identity with the all-in-one Ledger Wallet crypto app and Ledger Flex touchscreen signer.
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- This is what security feels like: Ledger touchscreen signers all come with a private, offline, PIN-protected backup, Ledger Recovery Key, to never lose access to your assets.
How borrowing against Bitcoin works
A crypto-backed loan lets a borrower pledge Bitcoin as collateral and receive money or another crypto asset, often a stablecoin. The borrower avoids selling the Bitcoin at origination but still owes principal and interest. If Bitcoin’s price changes, the collateral value changes while the debt remains.
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A free scan shows the junk files, broken settings and background clutter dragging Windows down - then fixes them in one click.Free scan · Windows 10 & 11LTV compares the loan amount with the value of the collateral. A higher starting LTV leaves less room for a price decline before the position may breach a provider’s limits. A maximum advertised LTV is not the same as a safe borrowing level: margin-call and liquidation rules determine what can happen as collateral value falls.
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- More than just crypto: confirm your device is authentic with Genuine Check, manage all your logins with Ledger Security Key, detect common scams with Transaction Check and more.
- Industry-defining security: battle-tested by the Donjon's white hat hackers, protected by the Secure Element, and powered by Ledger OS.
- Connect effortlessly with Ledger Wallet: pair your secure Ledger signer with the all in one Ledger Wallet crypto app to manage thousands of digital assets across multiple devices and accounts with Ledger Sync from a single, secure dashboard.
- Playful, user-friendly design: monitor the market, compare rates and Clear Sign all transactions on the secure 2.8'' anti-glare, scratch-resistant touchscreen.
- This is what security feels like: Ledger touchscreen signers all come with a private, offline, PIN-protected backup, Ledger Recovery Key, to never lose access to your assets.
Ledger’s overview of DeFi borrowing notes that lending-pool approaches differ and advises researching a platform before committing. The 2023 YouHodler announcement does not specify current margin-call or liquidation thresholds, so it cannot support a reliable liquidation-price estimate.
What to check before pledging Bitcoin
- Custody and counterparty: Find out who controls the Bitcoin after it is pledged, whether it can be lent or reused, and what happens to collateral if the provider fails. Using Ledger hardware before a loan does not mean the pledged collateral remains under your sole control.
- Liquidation and margin calls: Check the trigger levels, warning process, response time, fees, and whether you can add collateral or repay part of the loan to lower LTV. Do not assume another provider’s rules apply to YouHodler.
- Total cost and repayment: Review how interest accrues, all fees, the term, required payments, early-repayment rules, maturity, renewal, and consequences of default.
- Eligibility: Confirm supported countries, identity checks, and eligible assets with the provider. The 2023 announcement does not establish present-day eligibility.
- Tax treatment: Tax consequences depend on jurisdiction and circumstances. The sources cited here do not establish a universal tax outcome; seek qualified local advice.
How provider terms can differ
Terms from another lender illustrate why figures should not be transferred between services. Ledn’s Bitcoin-backed-loan page and Help Center describe Ledn’s own offering, not Ledger’s or YouHodler’s.
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- All your digital assets in one place. You can manage thousands of crypto including Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, Tether and more.
- Connectivity: USB-C cable connection only. No Bluetooth.Compatible with the Ledger Wallet crypto app, both desktop (Windows, macOS, Linux) and mobile (Android only). Not compatible with iOS.
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- Choose the colors that match your style: express your personality and your crypto management mood, color code your signers, one for each use (trading, staking, HOLDing...).
| Provider and source | LTV and term | Other stated details |
|---|---|---|
| YouHodler, as described by Ledger on March 1, 2023 | Up to 90% maximum advertised LTV; current terms not established | More than 45 collateral assets and proceeds in EUR, USD, CHF, GBP, or stablecoins were advertised at launch; current availability not established |
| Ledn, according to its Help Center material observed September 10, 2026 | Typically 50% LTV; standard 12-month term | Interest accrues daily; no prepayment penalty, according to Ledn’s Help Center |
Ledn’s terms are a comparison point only. They do not tell you what YouHodler currently charges, how it handles collateral, or when it may liquidate a position.
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