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How to sign a message with Ledger, Electrum or MetaMask for an exchange

Message signing is the cleanest Travel Rule ownership proof: you authorize a non-transactional message with the key that controls the address. Nothing moves on-chain.

Never type a seed phrase into a website. Last checked 2026-10-27. Not legal advice.

Before you start

  1. Open the ownership prompt in your exchange and copy the exact message (or start its WalletConnect / Reown connect flow).
  2. Confirm the request domain matches the real exchange (for example coinbase.com).
  3. Use the wallet account that holds the exact address shown.

MetaMask (Ethereum and EVM)

MetaMask exposes personal_sign for human-readable messages (MetaMask docs). CoinJar’s official guide also walks through signing via MetaMask or Etherscan’s Sign Message tool connected to MetaMask / WalletConnect.

  1. Select the account for the address you are verifying.
  2. Connect MetaMask to the exchange prompt, or paste the message into the signing page your exchange names.
  3. Review the message → Sign → copy the signature if you must paste it back.

Full how-to: MetaMask on KeyProof.

Electrum (Bitcoin)

  1. Open the wallet that contains the address.
  2. Go to Tools → Sign/Verify Message (wording can vary slightly by version).
  3. Paste the exchange message, enter the Bitcoin address, click Sign.
  4. Copy the signature back into the exchange.

Hardware: CoinJar documents Electrum connected to Ledger for Bitcoin message signing. Details: Electrum how-to and Sparrow (also common for coin control + signing).

Ledger

Confirm on the device whenever prompted. For ownership messages, exchanges often expect a software companion:

  • EVM: connect Ledger to MetaMask, then sign as above; confirm on the Ledger screen.
  • Bitcoin: use Electrum (or another documented companion) with the Ledger account loaded; confirm on device.

See Ledger how-to. Bitpanda and others also document Ledger Live / WalletConnect paths for their own flows — follow the exchange that is asking.

Trezor Suite

CoinJar documents: open the account → Sign & Verify → Sign message → paste the exchange message → confirm on the Trezor → copy the signature. Also see Trezor how-to and Bitpanda’s hardware steps in the Bitpanda guide.

Check before you submit

Paste address, message and signature into the KeyProof verifier (client-side). Then submit to the exchange.

FAQ

Does signing move my crypto?

No. A message signature is not a blockchain transaction. Exchanges such as Coinbase and CoinJar document that signing proves control without moving funds.

Can Ledger Live sign by itself?

Often no for exchange ownership messages. CoinJar’s official guide says Ledger Live does not support message signing — pair Ledger with MetaMask (EVM) or Electrum (Bitcoin), then confirm on the device.

Should I use a random “sign message” website?

Only use the flow inside your exchange, or a well-known explorer tool your exchange names (CoinJar cites Etherscan / Solscan). Never enter a seed phrase. Prefer checking the result in a local verifier.

Sources

Not legal, tax or financial advice. Wallet menus change; when in doubt, follow the exchange’s linked instructions.