diff --git a/crypto/ed25519/bench_test.go b/crypto/ed25519/bench_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..47897cde6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crypto/ed25519/bench_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+package ed25519
+
+import (
+	"io"
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/tendermint/tendermint/crypto"
+	"github.com/tendermint/tendermint/crypto/internal/benchmarking"
+)
+
+func BenchmarkKeyGeneration(b *testing.B) {
+	benchmarkKeygenWrapper := func(reader io.Reader) crypto.PrivKey {
+		return genPrivKey(reader)
+	}
+	benchmarking.BenchmarkKeyGeneration(b, benchmarkKeygenWrapper)
+}
+
+func BenchmarkSigning(b *testing.B) {
+	priv := GenPrivKey()
+	benchmarking.BenchmarkSigning(b, priv)
+}
+
+func BenchmarkVerification(b *testing.B) {
+	priv := GenPrivKey()
+	benchmarking.BenchmarkVerification(b, priv)
+}
diff --git a/crypto/ed25519/ed25519.go b/crypto/ed25519/ed25519.go
index 8b7bd42bd..3dd4d2b31 100644
--- a/crypto/ed25519/ed25519.go
+++ b/crypto/ed25519/ed25519.go
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import (
 	"bytes"
 	"crypto/subtle"
 	"fmt"
+	"io"
 
 	"github.com/tendermint/ed25519"
 	"github.com/tendermint/ed25519/extra25519"
@@ -102,8 +103,16 @@ func (privKey PrivKeyEd25519) ToCurve25519() *[PubKeyEd25519Size]byte {
 // It uses OS randomness in conjunction with the current global random seed
 // in tendermint/libs/common to generate the private key.
 func GenPrivKey() PrivKeyEd25519 {
+	return genPrivKey(crypto.CReader())
+}
+
+// genPrivKey generates a new ed25519 private key using the provided reader.
+func genPrivKey(rand io.Reader) PrivKeyEd25519 {
 	privKey := new([64]byte)
-	copy(privKey[:32], crypto.CRandBytes(32))
+	_, err := io.ReadFull(rand, privKey[:32])
+	if err != nil {
+		panic(err)
+	}
 	// ed25519.MakePublicKey(privKey) alters the last 32 bytes of privKey.
 	// It places the pubkey in the last 32 bytes of privKey, and returns the
 	// public key.
diff --git a/crypto/internal/benchmarking/bench.go b/crypto/internal/benchmarking/bench.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..c988de48e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crypto/internal/benchmarking/bench.go
@@ -0,0 +1,88 @@
+package benchmarking
+
+import (
+	"io"
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/tendermint/tendermint/crypto"
+)
+
+// The code in this file is adapted from agl/ed25519.
+// As such it is under the following license.
+// Copyright 2012 The Go Authors. All rights reserved.
+// Use of this source code is governed by a BSD-style
+// license that can be found at the bottom of this file.
+
+type zeroReader struct{}
+
+func (zeroReader) Read(buf []byte) (int, error) {
+	for i := range buf {
+		buf[i] = 0
+	}
+	return len(buf), nil
+}
+
+// BenchmarkKeyGeneration benchmarks the given key generation algorithm using
+// a dummy reader.
+func BenchmarkKeyGeneration(b *testing.B, GenerateKey func(reader io.Reader) crypto.PrivKey) {
+	var zero zeroReader
+	for i := 0; i < b.N; i++ {
+		GenerateKey(zero)
+	}
+}
+
+// BenchmarkSigning benchmarks the given signing algorithm using
+// the provided privkey.
+func BenchmarkSigning(b *testing.B, priv crypto.PrivKey) {
+	message := []byte("Hello, world!")
+	b.ResetTimer()
+	for i := 0; i < b.N; i++ {
+		priv.Sign(message)
+	}
+}
+
+// BenchmarkVerification benchmarks the given verification algorithm using
+// the provided privkey on a constant message.
+func BenchmarkVerification(b *testing.B, priv crypto.PrivKey) {
+	pub := priv.PubKey()
+	// use a short message, so this time doesn't get dominated by hashing.
+	message := []byte("Hello, world!")
+	signature, err := priv.Sign(message)
+	if err != nil {
+		b.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	b.ResetTimer()
+	for i := 0; i < b.N; i++ {
+		pub.VerifyBytes(message, signature)
+	}
+}
+
+// Below is the aforementioned license.
+
+// Copyright (c) 2012 The Go Authors. All rights reserved.
+
+// Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
+// modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions are
+// met:
+
+//    * Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright
+// notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer.
+//    * Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above
+// copyright notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer
+// in the documentation and/or other materials provided with the
+// distribution.
+//    * Neither the name of Google Inc. nor the names of its
+// contributors may be used to endorse or promote products derived from
+// this software without specific prior written permission.
+
+// THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS
+// "AS IS" AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT
+// LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR
+// A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE COPYRIGHT
+// OWNER OR CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL,
+// SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT
+// LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE,
+// DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY
+// THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT
+// (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE
+// OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
diff --git a/crypto/secp256k1/bench_test.go b/crypto/secp256k1/bench_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..4f651b762
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crypto/secp256k1/bench_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+package secp256k1
+
+import (
+	"io"
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/tendermint/tendermint/crypto"
+	"github.com/tendermint/tendermint/crypto/internal/benchmarking"
+)
+
+func BenchmarkKeyGeneration(b *testing.B) {
+	benchmarkKeygenWrapper := func(reader io.Reader) crypto.PrivKey {
+		return genPrivKey(reader)
+	}
+	benchmarking.BenchmarkKeyGeneration(b, benchmarkKeygenWrapper)
+}
+
+func BenchmarkSigning(b *testing.B) {
+	priv := GenPrivKey()
+	benchmarking.BenchmarkSigning(b, priv)
+}
+
+func BenchmarkVerification(b *testing.B) {
+	priv := GenPrivKey()
+	benchmarking.BenchmarkVerification(b, priv)
+}
diff --git a/crypto/secp256k1/secp256k1.go b/crypto/secp256k1/secp256k1.go
index 4b210dc7f..03d5614ab 100644
--- a/crypto/secp256k1/secp256k1.go
+++ b/crypto/secp256k1/secp256k1.go
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import (
 	"crypto/sha256"
 	"crypto/subtle"
 	"fmt"
+	"io"
 
 	secp256k1 "github.com/btcsuite/btcd/btcec"
 	amino "github.com/tendermint/go-amino"
@@ -80,8 +81,16 @@ func (privKey PrivKeySecp256k1) Equals(other crypto.PrivKey) bool {
 // It uses OS randomness in conjunction with the current global random seed
 // in tendermint/libs/common to generate the private key.
 func GenPrivKey() PrivKeySecp256k1 {
+	return genPrivKey(crypto.CReader())
+}
+
+// genPrivKey generates a new secp256k1 private key using the provided reader.
+func genPrivKey(rand io.Reader) PrivKeySecp256k1 {
 	privKeyBytes := [32]byte{}
-	copy(privKeyBytes[:], crypto.CRandBytes(32))
+	_, err := io.ReadFull(rand, privKeyBytes[:])
+	if err != nil {
+		panic(err)
+	}
 	// crypto.CRandBytes is guaranteed to be 32 bytes long, so it can be
 	// casted to PrivKeySecp256k1.
 	return PrivKeySecp256k1(privKeyBytes)