Using Ledger Live’s API for Portfolio Tracking

in #tech • 13 days ago

Ledger Live does not provide a public API specifically designed for portfolio tracking that you can directly integrate into external applications or scripts to programmatically access your wallet balances, transactions, or portfolio data in real-time. Ledger Live is primarily a user-facing application focused on securely managing cryptocurrency assets with your Ledger hardware wallet (Nano S Plus, Nano X, Flex, or Stax), prioritizing security and simplicity over open programmatic access. 

However, there are ways to leverage Ledger Live’s data indirectly for portfolio tracking purposes, either through manual exports or by integrating your Ledger with third-party tools that offer APIs or portfolio tracking features. 

Please download the last update of Ledger Live Application:

1. Ledger Live for Windows 10/11

2. Ledger Live for MAC

3. Ledger Live for Android

Below, I’ll explain what’s available, why there’s no public Ledger Live API for this purpose, and how you can work around it effectively.

Does Ledger Live Have a Public API for Portfolio Tracking?

  • No Direct Public API: Ledger Live does not expose a public API endpoint that allows developers or users to programmatically fetch portfolio data (e.g., balances, transaction history) directly from the app. This is intentional—Ledger prioritizes security by keeping sensitive operations (like private key management) offline and avoiding cloud-based APIs that could introduce vulnerabilities.
  • Internal APIs: Ledger Live uses internal APIs to communicate with blockchain nodes and its own infrastructure (e.g., for price feeds, syncing balances), but these are not documented or accessible to end users. They’re locked behind the app’s architecture and require a Ledger device for signing, reinforcing the focus on hardware-based security.
  • Developer Tools:Ledger does offer a Wallet-API through its Developer Portal (wallet.api.live.ledger.com) for integrating dApps into Ledger Live’s Discover section, but this is invitation-only, intended for dApp developers, and not suited for general portfolio tracking. It focuses on transaction signing and dApp interaction, not portfolio data retrieval.

Why No Public Portfolio Tracking API?

  • Security Focus: Exposing an API for portfolio data could risk leaking sensitive information (e.g., account balances, transaction patterns) if not properly secured. Ledger’s design avoids centralized data storage—your transaction history is stored locally on your device (computer or phone), not on Ledger’s servers.
  • Hardware Dependency: Ledger Live relies on your Ledger device for key operations—any API would need to authenticate via the hardware, complicating real-time access without physical interaction.
  • User Experience: Ledger targets simplicity for retail users—manual exports suffice for most, while advanced users are directed to third-party tools or blockchain explorers.

How to Use Ledger Live Data for Portfolio Tracking

Since there’s no direct Ledger Live API, here are practical methods to track your portfolio programmatically or manually:

Option 1: Export Transaction History and Build Your Own Tracking

  1. Export Data from Ledger Live:
    • Open Ledger Live, connect your Ledger, and go to Accounts.
    • Select an account (e.g., “Bitcoin 1”), click the History tab, then the export icon (typically a download arrow or “Export” button).
    • Choose Export Operations—save as a CSV file (e.g., “ledger_btc_2025.csv”).
    • Repeat for each account (ETH, SOL, etc.).
    • The CSV includes: date, type (send/receive), amount, transaction ID—enough to track activity but not real-time balances.
  2. Script Your Own Solution:
    • Use a programming language like Python to parse the CSV:
    • python

import pandas as pd

# Load Ledger Live CSV

df = pd.read_csv(“ledger_btc_2025.csv”)

  • print(df[[“Date”, “Amount”, “Operation Type”]])
  • Fetch current prices via a free API (e.g., CoinGecko: api.coingecko.com/api/v3/simple/price?ids=bitcoin&vs_currencies=usd) to calculate portfolio value:
  • python

import requests

response = requests.get(“https://api.coingecko.com/api/v3/simple/price?ids=bitcoin&vs_currencies=usd”)

btc_price = response.json()[“bitcoin”][“usd”]

total_value = df[“Amount”].sum() * btc_price

  • print(f”Portfolio Value: ${total_value}”)
  • Automate with cron jobs or scheduled tasks—export manually periodically since there’s no live feed.
  1. Limitations: Not real-time—requires manual exports each time your portfolio changes. Cost basis and external transactions (e.g., from exchanges) need separate tracking.

Option 2: Use Ledger with Third-Party Portfolio Trackers via Public Addresses

  1. Get Public Addresses:
    • In Ledger Live, go to Accounts > [Coin] > Receive, connect your Ledger, approve on-device to display the address (e.g., bc1q… for BTC, 0x123… for ETH).
    • Copy addresses for all coins you track.
  2. Integrate with a Tracker like Koinly or CoinStats:
    • Koinly:
      • Sign up at koinly.io, go to Wallets > Add Wallet, select “Blockchain” (e.g., Ethereum).
      • Paste your Ledger’s public address—Koinly scans the blockchain for transactions and balances.
      • No API needed—Koinly uses public data, syncing in real-time.
    • CoinStats:
      • At coinstats.app, go to Portfolio > Add Manual Wallet, enter your Ledger address.
      • Supports API-like tracking via blockchain queries—offers a REST API for developers (api.coinstats.app) to fetch portfolio data programmatically (requires a paid plan, ~$7.49/month).
  3. Programmatic Access:
  4. Security: Only share public addresses—your Ledger’s private keys remain offline.

Option 3: Connect Ledger to a Full Node (Bitcoin Only)

  • Setup: Run a Bitcoin full node (e.g., Bitcoin Core—see “Running a Bitcoin Node”) and connect it to Ledger Live via Ledger SatStack (experimental, less reliable in recent versions).
  • Tracking: Query your node for UTXO data tied to your Ledger addresses—requires coding or third-party tools like Sparrow Wallet.
  • Limitations: Bitcoin-specific, complex, no altcoin support—less practical for broad portfolio tracking.

Best Practices for Security

  • Never Share Seed: Your 24-word recovery phrase stays on your Ledger—don’t enter it into any software or site (see “Why Never Share Your Seed”).
  • Verify Tools: Use official sources—ledger.com/ledger-live for Ledger Live, koinly.io or coinstats.app for trackers—avoid phishing scams (see “Avoiding Phishing Scams”).
  • Public Data Only: Share addresses or CSVs, not private keys—Koinly/CoinStats use blockchain data securely.
  • Update: Keep Ledger Live, coin apps, and firmware current (My Ledger > Firmware).
  • Offline Backup: Store CSVs or API keys offline—encrypt if sensitive.

Example Workflow

  • Goal: Track BTC and ETH portfolio value daily.
  • Steps:
    1. Export BTC/ETH CSVs from Ledger Live weekly.
    2. Import into Koinly—add exchange data (e.g., Coinbase CSV).
    3. Use CoinStats with public addresses (bc1q…, 0x123…) for real-time updates:
    4. python

import requests

api_key = “YOUR_COINSTATS_KEY”

response = requests.get(“https://api.coinstats.app/public/v1/portfolio”, headers={“Authorization”: f”Bearer {api_key}”})

  1. print(response.json())
  2. Check Ledger Live (Portfolio) to confirm balances match.

Conclusion

Ledger Live lacks a public API for portfolio tracking due to its security-first design, but you can work around this by exporting transaction CSVs and scripting your own solution—or better yet, integrating your Ledger’s public addresses with tools like Koinly or CoinStats, which offer APIs or real-time tracking. Your Ledger keeps keys safe offline, while third-party platforms handle the heavy lifting for portfolio insights. For a lightweight setup, start with Koinly’s CSV import; for automation, CoinStats’ API is your go-to. 

13 days ago in #tech by
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