Blockstream Jade: Open-Source Bitcoin Hardware Wallet, Models and How It Works

Both share a 1.9-inch color screen and a 65 × 30 × 12 mm body ¹. When Jade Plus launched, Blockstream priced it at $149 for the standard edition and $169 for metal editions, and still sold the original Jade at $79 ². The current Jade page lists only Jade Plus and Jade Core ¹. Blockstream sells through its own store and an authorized reseller program ¹. Buying from the official store or listed resellers lowers the risk of tampered devices.

Jade is built around bitcoin. The original Jade also supported assets on Liquid, Blockstream's bitcoin sidechain, such as L-BTC and Liquid USDt ⁴. Blockstream's current comparison table labels Jade Plus "Bitcoin-Only," while its navigation describes Jade Core as a wallet "for Bitcoin and Liquid" ¹. Check the current product page or help center before relying on Liquid support for a specific model. Jade does not support Ethereum, Solana or other non-bitcoin chains.

You set up Jade with a companion app. Blockstream's own app (formerly Blockstream Green) handles setup, firmware updates and buying bitcoin, and Jade also works with Sparrow, Nunchuk, BlueWallet and Bitcoin Core ²³. During setup the device generates a recovery phrase, which you write down offline; that phrase is the only way to restore funds if the device is lost.

There are two ways to connect:

• Connected mode (both models). Jade pairs with the app over USB-C or Bluetooth. The app builds transactions, and Jade shows the details on its screen for you to confirm before signing ¹.
• Air-gapped mode (Jade Plus). Jade Plus uses its camera to scan transactions shown as QR codes and displays the signed result as a QR code, so it never has to be plugged into a computer. JadeLink, an optional accessory, adds air-gapped firmware upgrades and signing through a USB drive ¹².

Jade can also act as one key in a multisignature wallet, for example two of three keys required to spend ¹, and supports anti-exfil signing, a protocol that stops a malicious device from leaking key data through signatures ¹.

All Jade firmware is published on GitHub under the GPL-3.0 license, and Blockstream documents how to rebuild the official firmware images from source so anyone can check they match ⁵. The same firmware runs on several off-the-shelf ESP32 development boards, so technically skilled users can build a do-it-yourself Jade ⁵.

Most hardware wallets keep keys in a secure-element chip whose code is closed. Jade takes a different approach. Its stored key material is encrypted, and unlocking it with your PIN requires the cooperation of a "blind oracle" server that never learns the key or the PIN ¹². Blockstream calls this a "virtual secure element" and says it stops someone who steals the device from extracting the keys ¹². The firmware repository includes Blockstream's blind PIN server code and a tool for configuring a different PIN server ⁵. Jade also offers an optional stateless mode in which the device stores nothing between uses ¹.

The trade-off: Jade's protection depends on this design and on the ESP32 chip rather than on a hardened, certified chip, and independent researchers have tested that boundary (see below).

For the December 2025 issue, Blockstream advised updating to firmware 1.0.38 or later and avoiding web wallets that request WebUSB access to Jade ⁷. If you suspect your computer or phone was compromised, Blockstream recommends confirming your recovery-phrase backup and factory-resetting Jade before upgrading ⁷.

Jade is aimed at bitcoin holders who want open-source hardware at a relatively low price, including users who want air-gapped QR signing (Jade Plus) or a simple Bluetooth device for phone use (Jade Core). It is not built for holders of many different cryptocurrencies. People comparing it with Trezor or Ledger usually weigh Jade's open-source, oracle-based design against devices that use dedicated secure-element chips.

Whatever device you choose, never type your recovery phrase into a website or app, and ignore messages claiming to be Blockstream support asking for it. See crypto phishing.