diff --git a/packages/stargate/src/queries/bank.spec.ts b/packages/stargate/src/queries/bank.spec.ts
index 14a0f6c5..323d6635 100644
--- a/packages/stargate/src/queries/bank.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/stargate/src/queries/bank.spec.ts
@@ -45,30 +45,72 @@ describe("BankExtension", () => {
     });
   });
 
-  describe("allBalances", () => {
-    it("returns all balances for unused account", async () => {
-      pendingWithoutSimapp();
-      const client = await makeBankClient(simapp.tendermintUrl);
+  describe("unverified", () => {
+    describe("balance", () => {
+      it("works for different existing balances", async () => {
+        pendingWithoutSimapp();
+        const client = await makeBankClient(simapp.tendermintUrl);
 
-      const balances = await client.bank.unverified.allBalances(unused.address);
-      expect(balances).toEqual([
-        {
+        const response1 = await client.bank.unverified.balance(unused.address, simapp.denomFee);
+        expect(response1).toEqual({
           amount: unused.balanceFee,
           denom: simapp.denomFee,
-        },
-        {
+        });
+        const response2 = await client.bank.unverified.balance(unused.address, simapp.denomStaking);
+        expect(response2).toEqual({
           amount: unused.balanceStaking,
           denom: simapp.denomStaking,
-        },
-      ]);
+        });
+      });
+
+      it("returns zero for non-existent balance", async () => {
+        pendingWithoutSimapp();
+        const client = await makeBankClient(simapp.tendermintUrl);
+
+        const response = await client.bank.unverified.balance(unused.address, "gintonic");
+        expect(response).toEqual({
+          amount: "0",
+          denom: "gintonic",
+        });
+      });
+
+      it("returns zero for non-existent address", async () => {
+        pendingWithoutSimapp();
+        const client = await makeBankClient(simapp.tendermintUrl);
+
+        const response = await client.bank.unverified.balance(nonExistentAddress, simapp.denomFee);
+        expect(response).toEqual({
+          amount: "0",
+          denom: simapp.denomFee,
+        });
+      });
     });
 
-    it("returns an empty list for non-existent account", async () => {
-      pendingWithoutSimapp();
-      const client = await makeBankClient(simapp.tendermintUrl);
+    describe("allBalances", () => {
+      it("returns all balances for unused account", async () => {
+        pendingWithoutSimapp();
+        const client = await makeBankClient(simapp.tendermintUrl);
 
-      const balances = await client.bank.unverified.allBalances(nonExistentAddress);
-      expect(balances).toEqual([]);
+        const balances = await client.bank.unverified.allBalances(unused.address);
+        expect(balances).toEqual([
+          {
+            amount: unused.balanceFee,
+            denom: simapp.denomFee,
+          },
+          {
+            amount: unused.balanceStaking,
+            denom: simapp.denomStaking,
+          },
+        ]);
+      });
+
+      it("returns an empty list for non-existent account", async () => {
+        pendingWithoutSimapp();
+        const client = await makeBankClient(simapp.tendermintUrl);
+
+        const balances = await client.bank.unverified.allBalances(nonExistentAddress);
+        expect(balances).toEqual([]);
+      });
     });
   });
 });
diff --git a/packages/stargate/src/queries/bank.ts b/packages/stargate/src/queries/bank.ts
index 4266f288..3d6b1092 100644
--- a/packages/stargate/src/queries/bank.ts
+++ b/packages/stargate/src/queries/bank.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import { toAscii } from "@cosmjs/encoding";
+import { assert } from "@cosmjs/utils";
 
 import { cosmos } from "../generated/codecimpl";
 import { QueryClient } from "../queryclient";
@@ -8,6 +9,7 @@ export interface BankExtension {
   readonly bank: {
     readonly balance: (address: string, denom: string) => Promise<cosmos.ICoin | null>;
     readonly unverified: {
+      readonly balance: (address: string, denom: string) => Promise<cosmos.ICoin>;
       readonly allBalances: (address: string) => Promise<cosmos.ICoin[]>;
     };
   };
@@ -39,6 +41,11 @@ export function setupBankExtension(base: QueryClient): BankExtension {
         return responseData.length ? toObject(cosmos.Coin.decode(responseData)) : null;
       },
       unverified: {
+        balance: async (address: string, denom: string) => {
+          const { balance } = await queryService.balance({ address: toAccAddress(address), denom: denom });
+          assert(balance);
+          return toObject(balance);
+        },
         allBalances: async (address: string) => {
           const { balances } = await queryService.allBalances({ address: toAccAddress(address) });
           return balances.map(toObject);
diff --git a/packages/stargate/types/queries/bank.d.ts b/packages/stargate/types/queries/bank.d.ts
index 6b62b2c4..e9311a92 100644
--- a/packages/stargate/types/queries/bank.d.ts
+++ b/packages/stargate/types/queries/bank.d.ts
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ export interface BankExtension {
   readonly bank: {
     readonly balance: (address: string, denom: string) => Promise<cosmos.ICoin | null>;
     readonly unverified: {
+      readonly balance: (address: string, denom: string) => Promise<cosmos.ICoin>;
       readonly allBalances: (address: string) => Promise<cosmos.ICoin[]>;
     };
   };