diff --git a/benchmarks/codec_test.go b/benchmarks/codec_test.go
index b34417992..83e25e212 100644
--- a/benchmarks/codec_test.go
+++ b/benchmarks/codec_test.go
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import (
 	"testing"
 	"time"
 
+	"github.com/tendermint/go-amino"
 	"github.com/tendermint/go-crypto"
 
 	proto "github.com/tendermint/tendermint/benchmarks/proto"
@@ -13,6 +14,8 @@ import (
 
 func BenchmarkEncodeStatusWire(b *testing.B) {
 	b.StopTimer()
+	cdc := amino.NewCodec()
+	ctypes.RegisterAmino(cdc)
 	pubKey := crypto.GenPrivKeyEd25519().PubKey()
 	status := &ctypes.ResultStatus{
 		NodeInfo: p2p.NodeInfo{
@@ -43,6 +46,8 @@ func BenchmarkEncodeStatusWire(b *testing.B) {
 
 func BenchmarkEncodeNodeInfoWire(b *testing.B) {
 	b.StopTimer()
+	cdc := amino.NewCodec()
+	ctypes.RegisterAmino(cdc)
 	pubKey := crypto.GenPrivKeyEd25519().PubKey()
 	nodeInfo := p2p.NodeInfo{
 		PubKey:     pubKey,
@@ -66,6 +71,8 @@ func BenchmarkEncodeNodeInfoWire(b *testing.B) {
 
 func BenchmarkEncodeNodeInfoBinary(b *testing.B) {
 	b.StopTimer()
+	cdc := amino.NewCodec()
+	ctypes.RegisterAmino(cdc)
 	pubKey := crypto.GenPrivKeyEd25519().PubKey()
 	nodeInfo := p2p.NodeInfo{
 		PubKey:     pubKey,
diff --git a/cmd/priv_val_server/main.go b/cmd/priv_val_server/main.go
index 9f3ec73ca..6b10b8178 100644
--- a/cmd/priv_val_server/main.go
+++ b/cmd/priv_val_server/main.go
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ func main() {
 		"privPath", *privValPath,
 	)
 
-	privVal := priv_val.LoadPrivValidatorJSON(*privValPath)
+	privVal := priv_val.LoadFilePV(*privValPath)
 
 	rs := priv_val.NewRemoteSigner(
 		logger,
diff --git a/cmd/tendermint/commands/gen_validator.go b/cmd/tendermint/commands/gen_validator.go
index 59fe30128..ff0d97d76 100644
--- a/cmd/tendermint/commands/gen_validator.go
+++ b/cmd/tendermint/commands/gen_validator.go
@@ -1,12 +1,11 @@
 package commands
 
 import (
-	"encoding/json"
 	"fmt"
 
 	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
 
-	"github.com/tendermint/tendermint/types"
+	pvm "github.com/tendermint/tendermint/types/priv_validator"
 )
 
 // GenValidatorCmd allows the generation of a keypair for a
@@ -18,11 +17,11 @@ var GenValidatorCmd = &cobra.Command{
 }
 
 func genValidator(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
-	privValidator := types.GenPrivValidatorFS("")
-	privValidatorJSONBytes, err := json.MarshalIndent(privValidator, "", "\t")
+	pv := pvm.GenFilePV("")
+	jsbz, err := cdc.MarshalJSON(pv)
 	if err != nil {
 		panic(err)
 	}
 	fmt.Printf(`%v
-`, string(privValidatorJSONBytes))
+`, string(jsbz))
 }
diff --git a/cmd/tendermint/commands/init.go b/cmd/tendermint/commands/init.go
index 70648f8ff..224452646 100644
--- a/cmd/tendermint/commands/init.go
+++ b/cmd/tendermint/commands/init.go
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
 
 	"github.com/tendermint/tendermint/types"
+	pvm "github.com/tendermint/tendermint/types/priv_validator"
 	cmn "github.com/tendermint/tmlibs/common"
 )
 
@@ -17,13 +18,13 @@ var InitFilesCmd = &cobra.Command{
 func initFiles(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
 	// private validator
 	privValFile := config.PrivValidatorFile()
-	var privValidator *types.PrivValidatorFS
+	var pv *pvm.FilePV
 	if cmn.FileExists(privValFile) {
-		privValidator = types.LoadPrivValidatorFS(privValFile)
+		pv = pvm.LoadFilePV(privValFile)
 		logger.Info("Found private validator", "path", privValFile)
 	} else {
-		privValidator = types.GenPrivValidatorFS(privValFile)
-		privValidator.Save()
+		pv = pvm.GenFilePV(privValFile)
+		pv.Save()
 		logger.Info("Generated private validator", "path", privValFile)
 	}
 
@@ -36,7 +37,7 @@ func initFiles(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
 			ChainID: cmn.Fmt("test-chain-%v", cmn.RandStr(6)),
 		}
 		genDoc.Validators = []types.GenesisValidator{{
-			PubKey: privValidator.GetPubKey(),
+			PubKey: pv.GetPubKey(),
 			Power:  10,
 		}}
 
diff --git a/cmd/tendermint/commands/reset_priv_validator.go b/cmd/tendermint/commands/reset_priv_validator.go
index 513365237..78db87ded 100644
--- a/cmd/tendermint/commands/reset_priv_validator.go
+++ b/cmd/tendermint/commands/reset_priv_validator.go
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
 
-	"github.com/tendermint/tendermint/types"
+	pvm "github.com/tendermint/tendermint/types/priv_validator"
 	"github.com/tendermint/tmlibs/log"
 )
 
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ var ResetPrivValidatorCmd = &cobra.Command{
 // ResetAll removes the privValidator files.
 // Exported so other CLI tools can use it.
 func ResetAll(dbDir, privValFile string, logger log.Logger) {
-	resetPrivValidatorFS(privValFile, logger)
+	resetFilePV(privValFile, logger)
 	if err := os.RemoveAll(dbDir); err != nil {
 		logger.Error("Error removing directory", "err", err)
 		return
@@ -44,18 +44,18 @@ func resetAll(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
 // XXX: this is totally unsafe.
 // it's only suitable for testnets.
 func resetPrivValidator(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
-	resetPrivValidatorFS(config.PrivValidatorFile(), logger)
+	resetFilePV(config.PrivValidatorFile(), logger)
 }
 
-func resetPrivValidatorFS(privValFile string, logger log.Logger) {
+func resetFilePV(privValFile string, logger log.Logger) {
 	// Get PrivValidator
 	if _, err := os.Stat(privValFile); err == nil {
-		privValidator := types.LoadPrivValidatorFS(privValFile)
-		privValidator.Reset()
+		pv := pvm.LoadFilePV(privValFile)
+		pv.Reset()
 		logger.Info("Reset PrivValidator", "file", privValFile)
 	} else {
-		privValidator := types.GenPrivValidatorFS(privValFile)
-		privValidator.Save()
+		pv := pvm.GenFilePV(privValFile)
+		pv.Save()
 		logger.Info("Generated PrivValidator", "file", privValFile)
 	}
 }
diff --git a/cmd/tendermint/commands/testnet.go b/cmd/tendermint/commands/testnet.go
index 3864e7ad5..eb86e4f8d 100644
--- a/cmd/tendermint/commands/testnet.go
+++ b/cmd/tendermint/commands/testnet.go
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import (
 
 	cfg "github.com/tendermint/tendermint/config"
 	"github.com/tendermint/tendermint/types"
+	pvm "github.com/tendermint/tendermint/types/priv_validator"
 	cmn "github.com/tendermint/tmlibs/common"
 )
 
@@ -46,10 +47,10 @@ func testnetFiles(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
 			cmn.Exit(err.Error())
 		}
 		// Read priv_validator.json to populate vals
-		privValFile := filepath.Join(dataDir, mach, defaultConfig.PrivValidator)
-		privVal := types.LoadPrivValidatorFS(privValFile)
+		pvFile := filepath.Join(dataDir, mach, defaultConfig.PrivValidator)
+		pv := pvm.LoadFilePV(pvFile)
 		genVals[i] = types.GenesisValidator{
-			PubKey: privVal.GetPubKey(),
+			PubKey: pv.GetPubKey(),
 			Power:  1,
 			Name:   mach,
 		}
@@ -78,13 +79,13 @@ func initMachCoreDirectory(base, mach string) error {
 	// Create priv_validator.json file if not present
 	defaultConfig := cfg.DefaultBaseConfig()
 	dir := filepath.Join(base, mach)
-	privValPath := filepath.Join(dir, defaultConfig.PrivValidator)
-	dir = filepath.Dir(privValPath)
+	pvPath := filepath.Join(dir, defaultConfig.PrivValidator)
+	dir = filepath.Dir(pvPath)
 	err := cmn.EnsureDir(dir, 0700)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	ensurePrivValidator(privValPath)
+	ensurePrivValidator(pvPath)
 	return nil
 
 }
@@ -93,6 +94,6 @@ func ensurePrivValidator(file string) {
 	if cmn.FileExists(file) {
 		return
 	}
-	privValidator := types.GenPrivValidatorFS(file)
-	privValidator.Save()
+	pv := pvm.GenFilePV(file)
+	pv.Save()
 }
diff --git a/lite/files/commit.go b/lite/files/commit.go
index 33f5bb677..8a7e4721e 100644
--- a/lite/files/commit.go
+++ b/lite/files/commit.go
@@ -1,13 +1,11 @@
 package files
 
 import (
-	"encoding/json"
+	"io/ioutil"
 	"os"
 
 	"github.com/pkg/errors"
 
-	wire "github.com/tendermint/go-wire"
-
 	"github.com/tendermint/tendermint/lite"
 	liteErr "github.com/tendermint/tendermint/lite/errors"
 )
@@ -19,7 +17,7 @@ const (
 	MaxFullCommitSize = 1024 * 1024
 )
 
-// SaveFullCommit exports the seed in binary / go-wire style
+// SaveFullCommit exports the seed in binary / go-amino style
 func SaveFullCommit(fc lite.FullCommit, path string) error {
 	f, err := os.Create(path)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -27,9 +25,11 @@ func SaveFullCommit(fc lite.FullCommit, path string) error {
 	}
 	defer f.Close()
 
-	var n int
-	wire.WriteBinary(fc, f, &n, &err)
-	return errors.WithStack(err)
+	_, err = cdc.MarshalBinaryWriter(f, fc)
+	if err != nil {
+		return errors.WithStack(err)
+	}
+	return nil
 }
 
 // SaveFullCommitJSON exports the seed in a json format
@@ -39,9 +39,15 @@ func SaveFullCommitJSON(fc lite.FullCommit, path string) error {
 		return errors.WithStack(err)
 	}
 	defer f.Close()
-	stream := json.NewEncoder(f)
-	err = stream.Encode(fc)
-	return errors.WithStack(err)
+	bz, err := cdc.MarshalJSON(fc)
+	if err != nil {
+		return errors.WithStack(err)
+	}
+	_, err = f.Write(bz)
+	if err != nil {
+		return errors.WithStack(err)
+	}
+	return nil
 }
 
 // LoadFullCommit loads the full commit from the file system.
@@ -56,9 +62,11 @@ func LoadFullCommit(path string) (lite.FullCommit, error) {
 	}
 	defer f.Close()
 
-	var n int
-	wire.ReadBinaryPtr(&fc, f, MaxFullCommitSize, &n, &err)
-	return fc, errors.WithStack(err)
+	_, err = cdc.UnmarshalBinaryReader(f, &fc, 0)
+	if err != nil {
+		return fc, errors.WithStack(err)
+	}
+	return fc, nil
 }
 
 // LoadFullCommitJSON loads the commit from the file system in JSON format.
@@ -73,7 +81,13 @@ func LoadFullCommitJSON(path string) (lite.FullCommit, error) {
 	}
 	defer f.Close()
 
-	stream := json.NewDecoder(f)
-	err = stream.Decode(&fc)
-	return fc, errors.WithStack(err)
+	bz, err := ioutil.ReadAll(f)
+	if err != nil {
+		return fc, errors.WithStack(err)
+	}
+	err = cdc.UnmarshalJSON(bz, &fc)
+	if err != nil {
+		return fc, errors.WithStack(err)
+	}
+	return fc, nil
 }
diff --git a/lite/files/wire.go b/lite/files/wire.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..99f98931e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lite/files/wire.go
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+package files
+
+import (
+	"github.com/tendermint/go-amino"
+	"github.com/tendermint/go-crypto"
+)
+
+var cdc = amino.NewCodec()
+
+func init() {
+	crypto.RegisterAmino(cdc)
+}
diff --git a/lite/helpers.go b/lite/helpers.go
index 7df77027c..714675afb 100644
--- a/lite/helpers.go
+++ b/lite/helpers.go
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ type ValKeys []crypto.PrivKey
 func GenValKeys(n int) ValKeys {
 	res := make(ValKeys, n)
 	for i := range res {
-		res[i] = crypto.GenPrivKeyEd25519().Wrap()
+		res[i] = crypto.GenPrivKeyEd25519()
 	}
 	return res
 }
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ func GenValKeys(n int) ValKeys {
 func (v ValKeys) Change(i int) ValKeys {
 	res := make(ValKeys, len(v))
 	copy(res, v)
-	res[i] = crypto.GenPrivKeyEd25519().Wrap()
+	res[i] = crypto.GenPrivKeyEd25519()
 	return res
 }
 
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ func (v ValKeys) Extend(n int) ValKeys {
 func GenSecpValKeys(n int) ValKeys {
 	res := make(ValKeys, n)
 	for i := range res {
-		res[i] = crypto.GenPrivKeySecp256k1().Wrap()
+		res[i] = crypto.GenPrivKeySecp256k1()
 	}
 	return res
 }
diff --git a/lite/proxy/proxy.go b/lite/proxy/proxy.go
index 34aa99fa0..fe10399dc 100644
--- a/lite/proxy/proxy.go
+++ b/lite/proxy/proxy.go
@@ -3,10 +3,12 @@ package proxy
 import (
 	"net/http"
 
+	"github.com/tendermint/go-amino"
 	"github.com/tendermint/tmlibs/log"
 
 	rpcclient "github.com/tendermint/tendermint/rpc/client"
 	"github.com/tendermint/tendermint/rpc/core"
+	ctypes "github.com/tendermint/tendermint/rpc/core/types"
 	rpc "github.com/tendermint/tendermint/rpc/lib/server"
 )
 
@@ -23,13 +25,15 @@ func StartProxy(c rpcclient.Client, listenAddr string, logger log.Logger) error
 		return err
 	}
 
+	cdc := amino.NewCodec()
+	ctypes.RegisterAmino(cdc)
 	r := RPCRoutes(c)
 
 	// build the handler...
 	mux := http.NewServeMux()
-	rpc.RegisterRPCFuncs(mux, r, logger)
+	rpc.RegisterRPCFuncs(mux, r, cdc, logger)
 
-	wm := rpc.NewWebsocketManager(r, rpc.EventSubscriber(c))
+	wm := rpc.NewWebsocketManager(r, cdc, rpc.EventSubscriber(c))
 	wm.SetLogger(logger)
 	core.SetLogger(logger)
 	mux.HandleFunc(wsEndpoint, wm.WebsocketHandler)
diff --git a/types/event_bus_test.go b/types/event_bus_test.go
index 9002b531c..40aa0746a 100644
--- a/types/event_bus_test.go
+++ b/types/event_bus_test.go
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ func benchmarkEventBus(numClients int, randQueries bool, randEvents bool, b *tes
 			eventType = randEvent()
 		}
 
-		eventBus.Publish(eventType, "Gamora")
+		eventBus.Publish(eventType, EventDataString("Gamora"))
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/types/events.go b/types/events.go
index cdffc0ee5..342d4bc20 100644
--- a/types/events.go
+++ b/types/events.go
@@ -47,15 +47,17 @@ func (_ EventDataTx) AssertIsTMEventData()                {}
 func (_ EventDataRoundState) AssertIsTMEventData()        {}
 func (_ EventDataVote) AssertIsTMEventData()              {}
 func (_ EventDataProposalHeartbeat) AssertIsTMEventData() {}
+func (_ EventDataString) AssertIsTMEventData()            {}
 
 func RegisterEventDatas(cdc *amino.Codec) {
 	cdc.RegisterInterface((*TMEventData)(nil), nil)
-	cdc.RegisterConcrete(EventDataNewBlock{}, "tendermint/EventDataNameNewBlock", nil)
-	cdc.RegisterConcrete(EventDataNewBlockHeader{}, "tendermint/EventDataNameNewBlockHeader", nil)
-	cdc.RegisterConcrete(EventDataTx{}, "tendermint/EventDataNameTx", nil)
-	cdc.RegisterConcrete(EventDataRoundState{}, "tendermint/EventDataNameRoundState", nil)
-	cdc.RegisterConcrete(EventDataVote{}, "tendermint/EventDataNameVote", nil)
-	cdc.RegisterConcrete(EventDataProposalHeartbeat{}, "tendermint/EventDataNameProposalHeartbeat", nil)
+	cdc.RegisterConcrete(EventDataNewBlock{}, "tendermint/event/NewBlock", nil)
+	cdc.RegisterConcrete(EventDataNewBlockHeader{}, "tendermint/event/NewBlockHeader", nil)
+	cdc.RegisterConcrete(EventDataTx{}, "tendermint/event/Tx", nil)
+	cdc.RegisterConcrete(EventDataRoundState{}, "tendermint/event/RoundState", nil)
+	cdc.RegisterConcrete(EventDataVote{}, "tendermint/event/Vote", nil)
+	cdc.RegisterConcrete(EventDataProposalHeartbeat{}, "tendermint/event/ProposalHeartbeat", nil)
+	cdc.RegisterConcrete(EventDataString(""), "tendermint/event/ProposalString", nil)
 }
 
 // Most event messages are basic types (a block, a transaction)
@@ -93,6 +95,8 @@ type EventDataVote struct {
 	Vote *Vote
 }
 
+type EventDataString string
+
 ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 // PUBSUB
 ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////