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Storing and managing Bitcoin ordinals with your Ledger

 

This tutorial describes how to store and manage Bitcoin ordinals in a Ledger Bitcoin (BTC) account.

 Important note

  • The development of Bitcoin ordinals is still in its early stages and, therefore, it is advised that only advanced users with a solid understanding of UTXO management should store and manage ordinals using their Ledger device. Further information on UTXO management can be found at the following links: here and here.
  • In addition, it is important to note that transferring ordinals still carries the risk of potential loss and should only be undertaken at your own risk.

Before you start

  • Do a complete update of your Ledger setup to ensure Ledger Live and your Ledger device are running the latest apps and software. Learn more.

Creating a dedicated Bitcoin account to store your ordinals

 Your Bitcoin ordinals should be stored in a dedicated account as they are linked to specific UTXOs. This will also prevent accidentally sending your ordinals along with regular BTC transfers.

  1. Open Ledger Live and click the +Add account button.

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  2. Select Bitcoin (BTC) and click Continue.

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  3. On your device, press both buttons simultaneously to Allow a secure connection with Ledger.

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  4. Press both buttons simultaneously to Open the Bitcoin app on your Ledger.

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  5. Toggle Show all address types, select a Taproot account, rename it and click Add account.
     Again, make sure to select a Taproot account.

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  6. Open your newly created Taproot account, and click the Receive button to create a deposit address and verify it on your Ledger screen.

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  7. If all looks good, copy the address and approve it on your device.

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  8. Using the Ord wallet, send your ordinal to your Ledger address. Wait for the transaction to confirm on the Bitcoin blockchain and to appear in your transaction history.

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    All done!
    Go to https://ordinals.com/ and search for your ordinal. The address field should now display your Ledger address.

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Managing your ordinals

 Again, it's very important to note that transferring your ordinals carries a risk of loss and it's strongly advised that only experienced users with knowledge of UTXO management should attempt it. If you're not confident in managing UTXOs, it's best to avoid transferring your ordinals.

Sending ordinals with Ledger Live
Sending ordinals with Ledger Live is not supported for the moment. Instead, please connect your Ledger account to Sparrow Wallet to manage your ordinals.
Sending ordinals with Sparrow Wallet

 Before you continue

It is not recommended to transfer your ordinals, and any such action is undertaken at your own risk. Prior to sending your ordinals, please visit https://docs.ordinals.com/guides/collecting/sparrow-wallet.html and carefully review the section titled "Sending inscriptions with Sparrow Wallet."

  1. Go to https://sparrowwallet.com/ and click Download.

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  2. Install Sparrow Wallet on your computer and open it.
  3. Click File > New Wallet.

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  4. Name your wallet then click Create Wallet.

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  5. Open the Bitcoin app on your Ledger device, select a Taproot (P2TR) account then click Connected Hardware Wallet.

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  6. Click Scan.

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  7. Click Import Keystore.

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  8. Click Apply > No Password

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  9. Select the UTXO tab, then freeze all your UTXOs using right click > Freeze UTXO.

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  10. To send an ordinal, unfreeze only the corresponding UTXO then go to Send to prepare the transaction.

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  11. Go to https://docs.ordinals.com/guides/collecting/sparrow-wallet.html, scroll down to the section titled "Sending inscriptions with Sparrow Wallet" and follow the instructions to prepare and broadcast your transaction.

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