Desktop wallet + hardware vs vendor app alone.
The hardware device is the same. What changes is the software on the host computer that prepares transactions and shows balances.
| Capability | Electrum RVN + device | Vendor companion app |
|---|---|---|
| Hardware signs transactions | ||
| Native Ravencoin asset UI | ||
| Multi-cosigner / PSBT | ||
| Watch-only wallets | ||
| Custom server / own node | ||
| Open-source host software | ||
| Lists RVN as a first-class chain | ||
| Maintained by hardware vendor |
Do I still need Electrum RVN if I have a Ledger or Trezor?
The short answer is yes — for Ravencoin specifically. The hardware wallet's job is to hold keys and sign transactions; it does not provide a Ravencoin-aware UI on its own. Ledger Live and Trezor Suite do not list RVN as a first-class chain, so RVN holders pair the device with a Ravencoin wallet — and that wallet is Electrum RVN.
A Ledger or Trezor stores your seed on a secure element, displays transaction details on its own screen, and signs only what you approve there. It does not build transactions, sync balances, talk to the Ravencoin network, or render an asset balance on its own.
That separation is the whole point: the device is small, single-purpose, and auditable; the host software is rich, chain-aware, and replaceable. You can swap the host wallet at any time without touching the device — the same seed will re-derive the same addresses in any compatible client.
Why pair Electrum RVN with the hardware
You get the device's hardware-key isolation plus a Ravencoin-aware UI that actually understands assets, multi-signature, PSBT, watch-only wallets, and arbitrary node connections. The companion app on its own — Ledger Live or Trezor Suite — treats RVN as either a generic balance or, more commonly, doesn't list it at all.
- Asset issuance and asset transfers — only via Electrum RVN.
- Multi-signature setups — only via Electrum RVN.
- Watch-only mode for monitoring balances on a second machine — only via Electrum RVN.
- Custom server or your own Ravencoin node — only via Electrum RVN.
- Hardware key isolation — provided by the device, regardless of host software.
Ledger Live's Manager installs the Ravencoin device app, which is what lets the Ledger sign RVN transactions. Ledger Live's main UI does not display RVN balances or assets, however — it focuses on a curated set of chains. For day-to-day Ravencoin use, install the app from Ledger Live, then quit Suite-style apps and use Electrum RVN as the wallet UI.
Trezor Suite does not list Ravencoin as a first-class chain. Keep the device firmware current via Suite, then drive RVN specifically through Electrum RVN. The Trezor itself signs Ravencoin transactions perfectly well — the gap is only in the vendor's host UI, not in the device.
When the vendor app alone is fine
If you only ever hold RVN as a passive balance, never issue or transfer assets, and don't care about multi-signature or watch-only setups, the vendor's own app covers the basics in the chains it supports. Add the desktop wallet the moment you want to do anything beyond receive-and-hold — which for most RVN holders is fairly quickly. The cleanest path is to install Electrum RVN now and pair it with the device once the install is verified, rather than discovering the gap later.
A hardware wallet stores and uses keys; it doesn't replace the desktop application that builds transactions, displays balances, and exposes the asset layer. The two work together — Electrum RVN as the interface, the hardware device as the signer. Treating them as alternatives leads to the worst of both worlds: hardware-only setups have poor UX for asset operations, software-only setups expose keys to a general-purpose computer.
Install Electrum RVN, plug in the hardware wallet, and use the "Connect hardware wallet" flow on the first-run screen. The wallet derives addresses from the device's xpub without ever asking the device for the private keys themselves. From that point on, every send is built on the host and confirmed on the device screen — the host can be fully compromised without exposing a single private key. The setup takes under ten minutes and is the same workflow on Windows, macOS, and Linux.
Frequently asked
Continue with Electrum RVN
- Ledger Ravencoin — pair a Ledger device
- Trezor Ravencoin — pair a Trezor device
- Ravencoin desktop wallet — desktop client that drives the device
Run your own Ravencoin wallet.
Open-source, lightweight, and built for the desktop user who wants real control over keys and assets. Download the wallet directly from our download page — signed installers for every operating system.