diff --git a/lib/crypto/crypto.go b/lib/crypto/crypto.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..977e8ae9a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/crypto/crypto.go
@@ -0,0 +1,70 @@
+package crypto
+
+import (
+	"bytes"
+	"crypto/ecdsa"
+	"crypto/elliptic"
+	"crypto/rand"
+	"io"
+
+	secp256k1 "github.com/ipsn/go-secp256k1"
+)
+
+// PrivateKeyBytes is the size of a serialized private key.
+const PrivateKeyBytes = 32
+
+// PublicKeyBytes is the size of a serialized public key.
+const PublicKeyBytes = 65
+
+// PublicKey returns the public key for this private key.
+func PublicKey(sk []byte) []byte {
+	x, y := secp256k1.S256().ScalarBaseMult(sk)
+	return elliptic.Marshal(secp256k1.S256(), x, y)
+}
+
+// Sign signs the given message, which must be 32 bytes long.
+func Sign(sk, msg []byte) ([]byte, error) {
+	return secp256k1.Sign(msg, sk)
+}
+
+// Equals compares two private key for equality and returns true if they are the same.
+func Equals(sk, other []byte) bool {
+	return bytes.Equal(sk, other)
+}
+
+// Verify checks the given signature and returns true if it is valid.
+func Verify(pk, msg, signature []byte) bool {
+	if len(signature) == 65 {
+		// Drop the V (1byte) in [R | S | V] style signatures.
+		// The V (1byte) is the recovery bit and is not apart of the signature verification.
+		return secp256k1.VerifySignature(pk[:], msg, signature[:len(signature)-1])
+	}
+
+	return secp256k1.VerifySignature(pk[:], msg, signature)
+}
+
+// GenerateKeyFromSeed generates a new key from the given reader.
+func GenerateKeyFromSeed(seed io.Reader) ([]byte, error) {
+	key, err := ecdsa.GenerateKey(secp256k1.S256(), seed)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	privkey := make([]byte, PrivateKeyBytes)
+	blob := key.D.Bytes()
+
+	// the length is guaranteed to be fixed, given the serialization rules for secp2561k curve points.
+	copy(privkey[PrivateKeyBytes-len(blob):], blob)
+
+	return privkey, nil
+}
+
+// GenerateKey creates a new key using secure randomness from crypto.rand.
+func GenerateKey() ([]byte, error) {
+	return GenerateKeyFromSeed(rand.Reader)
+}
+
+// EcRecover recovers the public key from a message, signature pair.
+func EcRecover(msg, signature []byte) ([]byte, error) {
+	return secp256k1.RecoverPubkey(msg, signature)
+}
diff --git a/lib/crypto/crypto_test.go b/lib/crypto/crypto_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..c9c8db9e3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/crypto/crypto_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,64 @@
+package crypto_test
+
+import (
+	"math/rand"
+	"testing"
+	"time"
+
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
+
+	"github.com/filecoin-project/go-filecoin/crypto"
+	tf "github.com/filecoin-project/go-filecoin/testhelpers/testflags"
+)
+
+func TestGenerateKey(t *testing.T) {
+	tf.UnitTest(t)
+
+	rand.Seed(time.Now().UnixNano())
+
+	sk, err := crypto.GenerateKey()
+	assert.NoError(t, err)
+
+	assert.Equal(t, len(sk), 32)
+
+	msg := make([]byte, 32)
+	for i := 0; i < len(msg); i++ {
+		msg[i] = byte(i)
+	}
+
+	digest, err := crypto.Sign(sk, msg)
+	assert.NoError(t, err)
+	assert.Equal(t, len(digest), 65)
+	pk := crypto.PublicKey(sk)
+
+	// valid signature
+	assert.True(t, crypto.Verify(pk, msg, digest))
+
+	// invalid signature - different message (too short)
+	assert.False(t, crypto.Verify(pk, msg[3:], digest))
+
+	// invalid signature - different message
+	msg2 := make([]byte, 32)
+	copy(msg2, msg)
+	rand.Shuffle(len(msg2), func(i, j int) { msg2[i], msg2[j] = msg2[j], msg2[i] })
+	assert.False(t, crypto.Verify(pk, msg2, digest))
+
+	// invalid signature - different digest
+	digest2 := make([]byte, 65)
+	copy(digest2, digest)
+	rand.Shuffle(len(digest2), func(i, j int) { digest2[i], digest2[j] = digest2[j], digest2[i] })
+	assert.False(t, crypto.Verify(pk, msg, digest2))
+
+	// invalid signature - digest too short
+	assert.False(t, crypto.Verify(pk, msg, digest[3:]))
+	assert.False(t, crypto.Verify(pk, msg, digest[:29]))
+
+	// invalid signature - digest too long
+	digest3 := make([]byte, 70)
+	copy(digest3, digest)
+	assert.False(t, crypto.Verify(pk, msg, digest3))
+
+	recovered, err := crypto.EcRecover(msg, digest)
+	assert.NoError(t, err)
+	assert.Equal(t, recovered, crypto.PublicKey(sk))
+}