How Ledger is Reshaping Crypto Staking for Institutional Governance

Institutional participation in blockchain networks has long faced a fundamental contradiction: enterprises want yield, but they refuse to surrender control. As Proof-of-Stake networks mature, major organizations are watching Ethereum, Solana, Polkadot, and Tezos command growing shares of locked crypto value. Yet most refuse to take the leap. Why? Because traditional staking required moving assets to external validators, creating custody risks that no compliance officer would approve. This standoff may finally be breaking.

Ledger, the world’s leading provider of hardware-based asset security, has partnered with Chorus One, a major infrastructure operator across 40+ Proof-of-Stake networks, to solve this impasse. The collaboration integrates staking capabilities directly into Ledger Enterprise, enabling institutions to generate yield without transferring custody of their digital assets. It’s a simple idea with profound implications for how enterprises approach crypto adoption.

Ledger and Chorus One Unite: Redefining Enterprise Staking Infrastructure

At its core, the partnership combines two complementary strengths. Ledger Enterprise provides the custody layer—private keys remain locked inside hardware wallets, inaccessible to external parties. Chorus One supplies the validator backbone, maintaining high performance across multiple PoS networks including Cosmos, Avalanche, and Near.

The mechanics are streamlined: institutions delegate assets directly from their secured Ledger hardware wallets to Chorus One validators. No asset transfers. No custody handoff. Staking rewards accumulate, validators operate continuously, and everything happens within the same governance environment where institutions already manage treasury operations and asset decisions.

For institutions accustomed to segregated IT systems and role-based approval workflows, this is transformative. Ledger Enterprise layers multiple-authorization requirements across staking actions, meaning CFOs, treasurers, and compliance officers can each enforce their authority before any transaction executes. Every staking decision generates an immutable audit trail. Risk managers can track precisely who approved what, when, and why.

Why Governance Becomes the Make-or-Break Factor in Institutional Crypto Adoption

Here’s what most crypto companies miss: yield is secondary to control. When a CFO considers whether their company should participate in crypto staking, they’re not primarily asking “what’s the APY?” They’re asking “can I maintain governance over this decision? Will our auditors accept it? Can we prove compliance?”

The Ledger-Chorus One setup directly addresses these anxieties. Governance workflows embedded in Ledger Enterprise let institutions define exactly which roles can initiate staking, which must approve, and which can only observe. Some enterprises may require five signatures before delegating $100M to validators. Others may streamline approval for smaller positions. The platform accommodates both.

Compliance reporting is equally critical. Institutions operating in regulated jurisdictions face scrutiny from auditors, regulators, and internal risk committees. Every interaction with blockchain networks must be documented, timestamped, and explainable. The integration delivers this through detailed transaction histories that support both treasury oversight and regulatory inquiries. When a regulator asks “why did you stake in Solana on March 15th?”, compliance teams have bulletproof documentation.

Sébastien Badault, Executive Vice President at Ledger Enterprise, noted that enterprise crypto adoption accelerates when security and self-custody remain non-negotiable. This partnership reflects that reality—institutions can now participate in yield generation without compromising on either front.

Opening PoS Staking to Enterprise Players: Ledger’s Market Expansion Strategy

Chorus One already operates validator infrastructure across major networks. Their track record spans Solana, Ethereum, Polkadot, Tezos, and dozens more. But experience on its own doesn’t guarantee institutional adoption. Enterprises need hardware-backed security, policy enforcement, and governance frameworks. They need partners like Ledger.

This integration significantly expands which institutions can feasibly enter PoS staking. Regulated asset managers, corporate treasuries, insurance companies, and pension funds—entities that previously sat on the sidelines—now have a clear on-ramp. The collaboration positions Ledger Enterprise as a comprehensive digital asset management platform, not just a custody solution. Institutions gain one unified environment where they custody assets, manage governance, and generate yield across multiple blockchain networks.

The timing aligns with growing institutional demand. As crypto markets mature and regulatory frameworks clarify, enterprises that have been watching from the sidelines are beginning to ask: “How do we participate responsibly?” This partnership provides an answer. By combining Ledger’s security pedigree with Chorus One’s operational excellence, the collaboration removes a critical barrier that has long kept institutions sidelined from the most profitable aspect of blockchain infrastructure.

Damien Scanlon, Chief Product Officer at Chorus One, emphasized that institutional staking demands solutions meeting strict security and compliance benchmarks. The partnership delivers exactly that—performance validators backed by uncompromising self-custody and governance controls that institutions actually need.