The integration introduces native Ledger signer support for Babylon’s Trustless Bitcoin Vaults, known as BTCVaults, allowing users to authorize vault transactions directly from a Ledger device using the company’s Clear Signing interface, according to an announcement.

BTCVaults are designed to let bitcoin holders deploy their assets as collateral in decentralized financial applications without relying on custodians, bridges, or wrapped tokens. Instead, the assets remain on the Bitcoin network and are governed by programmable conditions that can be verified onchain.

Babylon co-founder David Tse said the goal is to remove a longstanding limitation in the crypto economy. “Bitcoin is the largest crypto asset, yet most of it cannot be used in digital finance without giving up custody or relying on intermediaries,” Tse said. “Trustless Bitcoin Vaults remove that trade-off. Bitcoin stays on Bitcoin, governed by predefined conditions that are verified rather than trusted.”

Ledger will serve as the secure signing layer for vault interactions, meaning users can confirm and approve transactions directly on their hardware device rather than through a browser or wallet interface.

A key feature of the integration is Ledger’s Clear Signing system, which displays the full details of a transaction on the device’s screen before approval, allowing users to verify exactly what they are authorizing. Ledger Chief Technology Officer Charles Guillemet said the approach aligns with the company’s core philosophy around digital asset ownership.

“If not self-custody, why crypto?” Guillemet said. “True self-custody relies on uncompromising security. Now, Babylon BTCVaults users can use secure signers featuring a dedicated screen as part of their security model.”

The collaboration also broadens Babylon’s presence across the Ledger ecosystem, including connectivity through the Ledger Wallet application and support for Babylon’s native token BABY.

Babylon and bitcoin

Babylon Labs focuses on what it calls “trustless Bitcoin productivity,” building tools that allow bitcoin to secure other blockchain systems and participate in decentralized finance while remaining on the Bitcoin network.

The project already launched a self-custodial bitcoin staking protocol, which it says has activated more than $10 billion worth of native BTC to secure proof-of-stake chains, Layer 2 networks, and other decentralized systems.

Partnering with the hardware wallet makers adds to Babylon’s growing ecosystem and institutional backing. Venture firm a16z Crypto previously purchased $15 million worth of BABY tokens to support the development of BTCVaults and related infrastructure.

Babylon’s technology has also been adopted by industry platforms seeking to offer bitcoin yield without traditional lending or wrapping mechanisms. Crypto exchange Kraken, for example, introduced bitcoin staking through Babylon last year, allowing users to earn rewards while retaining custody of their BTC.

Ledger has simultaneously expanded its own push into bitcoin-native financial tools. The company recently rolled out a BTC yield feature in Ledger Wallet, developed with partners Lombard and Figment, to give hardware wallet users access to yield-generating strategies while maintaining hardware-level security.

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source: https://www.tradingview.com/news/the_block:dbe1483e4094b:0-babylon-ledger-partnership-targets-secure-use-of-bitcoin-as-defi-collateral/