diff --git a/CHANGELOG_PENDING.md b/CHANGELOG_PENDING.md
index 21273b993..643e2304f 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG_PENDING.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG_PENDING.md
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ Friendly reminder, we have a [bug bounty program](https://hackerone.com/tendermi
     - [crypto] [\#5214] Change `GenPrivKeySecp256k1` to `GenPrivKeyFromSecret` to be consistent with other keys
     - [state] [\#5191](https://github.com/tendermint/tendermint/pull/5191) Add `State.InitialHeight` field to record initial block height, must be `1` (not `0`) to start from 1 (@erikgrinaker)
     - [state] `LoadStateFromDBOrGenesisFile()` and `LoadStateFromDBOrGenesisDoc()` no longer saves the state in the database if not found, the genesis state is simply returned (@erikgrinaker)
+    - [crypto] \#5236 `VerifyBytes` is now `VerifySignature` on the `crypto.PubKey` interface.
 
 ### FEATURES:
 
diff --git a/consensus/state.go b/consensus/state.go
index 29662a890..b1c64f9a4 100644
--- a/consensus/state.go
+++ b/consensus/state.go
@@ -1708,7 +1708,9 @@ func (cs *State) defaultSetProposal(proposal *types.Proposal) error {
 
 	p := proposal.ToProto()
 	// Verify signature
-	if !cs.Validators.GetProposer().PubKey.VerifyBytes(types.ProposalSignBytes(cs.state.ChainID, p), proposal.Signature) {
+	if !cs.Validators.GetProposer().PubKey.VerifySignature(
+		types.ProposalSignBytes(cs.state.ChainID, p), proposal.Signature,
+	) {
 		return ErrInvalidProposalSignature
 	}
 
diff --git a/crypto/crypto.go b/crypto/crypto.go
index 765632f71..9a341f9ac 100644
--- a/crypto/crypto.go
+++ b/crypto/crypto.go
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ func AddressHash(bz []byte) Address {
 type PubKey interface {
 	Address() Address
 	Bytes() []byte
-	VerifyBytes(msg []byte, sig []byte) bool
+	VerifySignature(msg []byte, sig []byte) bool
 	Equals(PubKey) bool
 	Type() string
 }
diff --git a/crypto/ed25519/ed25519.go b/crypto/ed25519/ed25519.go
index 19bb3f062..b7318043a 100644
--- a/crypto/ed25519/ed25519.go
+++ b/crypto/ed25519/ed25519.go
@@ -145,7 +145,7 @@ func (pubKey PubKey) Bytes() []byte {
 	return []byte(pubKey)
 }
 
-func (pubKey PubKey) VerifyBytes(msg []byte, sig []byte) bool {
+func (pubKey PubKey) VerifySignature(msg []byte, sig []byte) bool {
 	// make sure we use the same algorithm to sign
 	if len(sig) != SignatureSize {
 		return false
diff --git a/crypto/ed25519/ed25519_test.go b/crypto/ed25519/ed25519_test.go
index 6fe2c0946..8c48847c0 100644
--- a/crypto/ed25519/ed25519_test.go
+++ b/crypto/ed25519/ed25519_test.go
@@ -20,11 +20,11 @@ func TestSignAndValidateEd25519(t *testing.T) {
 	require.Nil(t, err)
 
 	// Test the signature
-	assert.True(t, pubKey.VerifyBytes(msg, sig))
+	assert.True(t, pubKey.VerifySignature(msg, sig))
 
 	// Mutate the signature, just one bit.
 	// TODO: Replace this with a much better fuzzer, tendermint/ed25519/issues/10
 	sig[7] ^= byte(0x01)
 
-	assert.False(t, pubKey.VerifyBytes(msg, sig))
+	assert.False(t, pubKey.VerifySignature(msg, sig))
 }
diff --git a/crypto/internal/benchmarking/bench.go b/crypto/internal/benchmarking/bench.go
index c325462a1..b74b901db 100644
--- a/crypto/internal/benchmarking/bench.go
+++ b/crypto/internal/benchmarking/bench.go
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ func BenchmarkVerification(b *testing.B, priv crypto.PrivKey) {
 	}
 	b.ResetTimer()
 	for i := 0; i < b.N; i++ {
-		pub.VerifyBytes(message, signature)
+		pub.VerifySignature(message, signature)
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/crypto/secp256k1/secp256k1_cgo.go b/crypto/secp256k1/secp256k1_cgo.go
index 844e40e84..e44899fb5 100644
--- a/crypto/secp256k1/secp256k1_cgo.go
+++ b/crypto/secp256k1/secp256k1_cgo.go
@@ -18,6 +18,6 @@ func (privKey PrivKey) Sign(msg []byte) ([]byte, error) {
 	return rs, nil
 }
 
-func (pubKey PubKey) VerifyBytes(msg []byte, sig []byte) bool {
+func (pubKey PubKey) VerifySignature(msg []byte, sig []byte) bool {
 	return secp256k1.VerifySignature(pubKey[:], crypto.Sha256(msg), sig)
 }
diff --git a/crypto/secp256k1/secp256k1_nocgo.go b/crypto/secp256k1/secp256k1_nocgo.go
index 06f8db9e3..29e5d36b7 100644
--- a/crypto/secp256k1/secp256k1_nocgo.go
+++ b/crypto/secp256k1/secp256k1_nocgo.go
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ func (privKey PrivKey) Sign(msg []byte) ([]byte, error) {
 
 // VerifyBytes verifies a signature of the form R || S.
 // It rejects signatures which are not in lower-S form.
-func (pubKey PubKey) VerifyBytes(msg []byte, sigStr []byte) bool {
+func (pubKey PubKey) VerifySignature(msg []byte, sigStr []byte) bool {
 	if len(sigStr) != 64 {
 		return false
 	}
diff --git a/crypto/secp256k1/secp256k1_nocgo_test.go b/crypto/secp256k1/secp256k1_nocgo_test.go
index 17cb75815..4c2c856e1 100644
--- a/crypto/secp256k1/secp256k1_nocgo_test.go
+++ b/crypto/secp256k1/secp256k1_nocgo_test.go
@@ -22,14 +22,14 @@ func TestSignatureVerificationAndRejectUpperS(t *testing.T) {
 		require.False(t, sig.S.Cmp(secp256k1halfN) > 0)
 
 		pub := priv.PubKey()
-		require.True(t, pub.VerifyBytes(msg, sigStr))
+		require.True(t, pub.VerifySignature(msg, sigStr))
 
 		// malleate:
 		sig.S.Sub(secp256k1.S256().CurveParams.N, sig.S)
 		require.True(t, sig.S.Cmp(secp256k1halfN) > 0)
 		malSigStr := serializeSig(sig)
 
-		require.False(t, pub.VerifyBytes(msg, malSigStr),
+		require.False(t, pub.VerifySignature(msg, malSigStr),
 			"VerifyBytes incorrect with malleated & invalid S. sig=%v, key=%v",
 			sig,
 			priv,
diff --git a/crypto/secp256k1/secp256k1_test.go b/crypto/secp256k1/secp256k1_test.go
index c6316eb25..869773a19 100644
--- a/crypto/secp256k1/secp256k1_test.go
+++ b/crypto/secp256k1/secp256k1_test.go
@@ -55,12 +55,12 @@ func TestSignAndValidateSecp256k1(t *testing.T) {
 	sig, err := privKey.Sign(msg)
 	require.Nil(t, err)
 
-	assert.True(t, pubKey.VerifyBytes(msg, sig))
+	assert.True(t, pubKey.VerifySignature(msg, sig))
 
 	// Mutate the signature, just one bit.
 	sig[3] ^= byte(0x01)
 
-	assert.False(t, pubKey.VerifyBytes(msg, sig))
+	assert.False(t, pubKey.VerifySignature(msg, sig))
 }
 
 // This test is intended to justify the removal of calls to the underlying library
diff --git a/crypto/sr25519/pubkey.go b/crypto/sr25519/pubkey.go
index 89b9cdcc7..87805cacb 100644
--- a/crypto/sr25519/pubkey.go
+++ b/crypto/sr25519/pubkey.go
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ func (pubKey PubKey) Bytes() []byte {
 	return []byte(pubKey)
 }
 
-func (pubKey PubKey) VerifyBytes(msg []byte, sig []byte) bool {
+func (pubKey PubKey) VerifySignature(msg []byte, sig []byte) bool {
 	// make sure we use the same algorithm to sign
 	if len(sig) != SignatureSize {
 		return false
diff --git a/crypto/sr25519/sr25519_test.go b/crypto/sr25519/sr25519_test.go
index 62cf564a9..1efe31cad 100644
--- a/crypto/sr25519/sr25519_test.go
+++ b/crypto/sr25519/sr25519_test.go
@@ -20,12 +20,12 @@ func TestSignAndValidateSr25519(t *testing.T) {
 	require.Nil(t, err)
 
 	// Test the signature
-	assert.True(t, pubKey.VerifyBytes(msg, sig))
-	assert.True(t, pubKey.VerifyBytes(msg, sig))
+	assert.True(t, pubKey.VerifySignature(msg, sig))
+	assert.True(t, pubKey.VerifySignature(msg, sig))
 
 	// Mutate the signature, just one bit.
 	// TODO: Replace this with a much better fuzzer, tendermint/ed25519/issues/10
 	sig[7] ^= byte(0x01)
 
-	assert.False(t, pubKey.VerifyBytes(msg, sig))
+	assert.False(t, pubKey.VerifySignature(msg, sig))
 }
diff --git a/p2p/conn/secret_connection.go b/p2p/conn/secret_connection.go
index d53cf0635..041224772 100644
--- a/p2p/conn/secret_connection.go
+++ b/p2p/conn/secret_connection.go
@@ -170,7 +170,7 @@ func MakeSecretConnection(conn io.ReadWriteCloser, locPrivKey crypto.PrivKey) (*
 	if _, ok := remPubKey.(ed25519.PubKey); !ok {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("expected ed25519 pubkey, got %T", remPubKey)
 	}
-	if !remPubKey.VerifyBytes(challenge[:], remSignature) {
+	if !remPubKey.VerifySignature(challenge[:], remSignature) {
 		return nil, errors.New("challenge verification failed")
 	}
 
diff --git a/rpc/client/evidence_test.go b/rpc/client/evidence_test.go
index 9924fe5db..d2fe0b645 100644
--- a/rpc/client/evidence_test.go
+++ b/rpc/client/evidence_test.go
@@ -145,7 +145,7 @@ func TestBroadcastEvidence_DuplicateVoteEvidence(t *testing.T) {
 		pk, err := cryptoenc.PubKeyFromProto(v.PubKey)
 		require.NoError(t, err)
 
-		require.EqualValues(t, rawpub, pk.Bytes(), "Stored PubKey not equal with expected, value %v", string(qres.Value))
+		require.EqualValues(t, rawpub, pk, "Stored PubKey not equal with expected, value %v", string(qres.Value))
 		require.Equal(t, int64(9), v.Power, "Stored Power not equal with expected, value %v", string(qres.Value))
 
 		for _, fake := range fakes {
diff --git a/tools/tm-signer-harness/internal/test_harness.go b/tools/tm-signer-harness/internal/test_harness.go
index ab8d197b1..54b04bdad 100644
--- a/tools/tm-signer-harness/internal/test_harness.go
+++ b/tools/tm-signer-harness/internal/test_harness.go
@@ -247,7 +247,7 @@ func (th *TestHarness) TestSignProposal() error {
 		return err
 	}
 	// now validate the signature on the proposal
-	if sck.VerifyBytes(propBytes, prop.Signature) {
+	if sck.VerifySignature(propBytes, prop.Signature) {
 		th.logger.Info("Successfully validated proposal signature")
 	} else {
 		th.logger.Error("FAILED: Proposal signature validation failed")
@@ -298,7 +298,7 @@ func (th *TestHarness) TestSignVote() error {
 		}
 
 		// now validate the signature on the proposal
-		if sck.VerifyBytes(voteBytes, vote.Signature) {
+		if sck.VerifySignature(voteBytes, vote.Signature) {
 			th.logger.Info("Successfully validated vote signature", "type", voteType)
 		} else {
 			th.logger.Error("FAILED: Vote signature validation failed", "type", voteType)
diff --git a/types/evidence.go b/types/evidence.go
index d54195daa..c250d4c3a 100644
--- a/types/evidence.go
+++ b/types/evidence.go
@@ -290,10 +290,10 @@ func (dve *DuplicateVoteEvidence) Verify(chainID string, pubKey crypto.PubKey) e
 	va := dve.VoteA.ToProto()
 	vb := dve.VoteB.ToProto()
 	// Signatures must be valid
-	if !pubKey.VerifyBytes(VoteSignBytes(chainID, va), dve.VoteA.Signature) {
+	if !pubKey.VerifySignature(VoteSignBytes(chainID, va), dve.VoteA.Signature) {
 		return fmt.Errorf("verifying VoteA: %w", ErrVoteInvalidSignature)
 	}
-	if !pubKey.VerifyBytes(VoteSignBytes(chainID, vb), dve.VoteB.Signature) {
+	if !pubKey.VerifySignature(VoteSignBytes(chainID, vb), dve.VoteB.Signature) {
 		return fmt.Errorf("verifying VoteB: %w", ErrVoteInvalidSignature)
 	}
 
@@ -724,7 +724,7 @@ func (e *LunaticValidatorEvidence) Verify(chainID string, pubKey crypto.PubKey)
 	}
 
 	v := e.Vote.ToProto()
-	if !pubKey.VerifyBytes(VoteSignBytes(chainID, v), e.Vote.Signature) {
+	if !pubKey.VerifySignature(VoteSignBytes(chainID, v), e.Vote.Signature) {
 		return errors.New("invalid signature")
 	}
 
@@ -948,10 +948,10 @@ func (e *PotentialAmnesiaEvidence) Verify(chainID string, pubKey crypto.PubKey)
 	vb := e.VoteB.ToProto()
 
 	// Signatures must be valid
-	if !pubKey.VerifyBytes(VoteSignBytes(chainID, va), e.VoteA.Signature) {
+	if !pubKey.VerifySignature(VoteSignBytes(chainID, va), e.VoteA.Signature) {
 		return fmt.Errorf("verifying VoteA: %w", ErrVoteInvalidSignature)
 	}
-	if !pubKey.VerifyBytes(VoteSignBytes(chainID, vb), e.VoteB.Signature) {
+	if !pubKey.VerifySignature(VoteSignBytes(chainID, vb), e.VoteB.Signature) {
 		return fmt.Errorf("verifying VoteB: %w", ErrVoteInvalidSignature)
 	}
 
@@ -1145,7 +1145,7 @@ func (e *ProofOfLockChange) ValidateVotes(valSet *ValidatorSet, chainID string)
 			if bytes.Equal(validator.Address, vote.ValidatorAddress) {
 				exists = true
 				v := vote.ToProto()
-				if !validator.PubKey.VerifyBytes(VoteSignBytes(chainID, v), vote.Signature) {
+				if !validator.PubKey.VerifySignature(VoteSignBytes(chainID, v), vote.Signature) {
 					return fmt.Errorf("cannot verify vote (from validator: %d) against signature: %v",
 						vote.ValidatorIndex, vote.Signature)
 				}
diff --git a/types/proposal_test.go b/types/proposal_test.go
index 10b6bd192..71d4d62cc 100644
--- a/types/proposal_test.go
+++ b/types/proposal_test.go
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ func TestProposalVerifySignature(t *testing.T) {
 	prop.Signature = p.Signature
 
 	// verify the same proposal
-	valid := pubKey.VerifyBytes(signBytes, prop.Signature)
+	valid := pubKey.VerifySignature(signBytes, prop.Signature)
 	require.True(t, valid)
 
 	// serialize, deserialize and verify again....
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ func TestProposalVerifySignature(t *testing.T) {
 	// verify the transmitted proposal
 	newSignBytes := ProposalSignBytes("test_chain_id", pb)
 	require.Equal(t, string(signBytes), string(newSignBytes))
-	valid = pubKey.VerifyBytes(newSignBytes, np.Signature)
+	valid = pubKey.VerifySignature(newSignBytes, np.Signature)
 	require.True(t, valid)
 }
 
@@ -118,7 +118,7 @@ func BenchmarkProposalVerifySignature(b *testing.B) {
 	require.NoError(b, err)
 
 	for i := 0; i < b.N; i++ {
-		pubKey.VerifyBytes(ProposalSignBytes("test_chain_id", pbp), testProposal.Signature)
+		pubKey.VerifySignature(ProposalSignBytes("test_chain_id", pbp), testProposal.Signature)
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/types/protobuf_test.go b/types/protobuf_test.go
index f845e99b4..fa8889b89 100644
--- a/types/protobuf_test.go
+++ b/types/protobuf_test.go
@@ -84,12 +84,12 @@ func TestABCIEvidence(t *testing.T) {
 
 type pubKeyEddie struct{}
 
-func (pubKeyEddie) Address() Address                        { return []byte{} }
-func (pubKeyEddie) Bytes() []byte                           { return []byte{} }
-func (pubKeyEddie) VerifyBytes(msg []byte, sig []byte) bool { return false }
-func (pubKeyEddie) Equals(crypto.PubKey) bool               { return false }
-func (pubKeyEddie) String() string                          { return "" }
-func (pubKeyEddie) Type() string                            { return "pubKeyEddie" }
+func (pubKeyEddie) Address() Address                            { return []byte{} }
+func (pubKeyEddie) Bytes() []byte                               { return []byte{} }
+func (pubKeyEddie) VerifySignature(msg []byte, sig []byte) bool { return false }
+func (pubKeyEddie) Equals(crypto.PubKey) bool                   { return false }
+func (pubKeyEddie) String() string                              { return "" }
+func (pubKeyEddie) Type() string                                { return "pubKeyEddie" }
 
 func TestABCIValidatorFromPubKeyAndPower(t *testing.T) {
 	pubkey := ed25519.GenPrivKey().PubKey()
diff --git a/types/validator_set.go b/types/validator_set.go
index 1d8c0b756..533d0e1ed 100644
--- a/types/validator_set.go
+++ b/types/validator_set.go
@@ -688,7 +688,7 @@ func (vals *ValidatorSet) VerifyCommit(chainID string, blockID BlockID,
 
 		// Validate signature.
 		voteSignBytes := commit.VoteSignBytes(chainID, int32(idx))
-		if !val.PubKey.VerifyBytes(voteSignBytes, commitSig.Signature) {
+		if !val.PubKey.VerifySignature(voteSignBytes, commitSig.Signature) {
 			return fmt.Errorf("wrong signature (#%d): %X", idx, commitSig.Signature)
 		}
 		// Good!
@@ -746,7 +746,7 @@ func (vals *ValidatorSet) VerifyCommitLight(chainID string, blockID BlockID,
 
 		// Validate signature.
 		voteSignBytes := commit.VoteSignBytes(chainID, int32(idx))
-		if !val.PubKey.VerifyBytes(voteSignBytes, commitSig.Signature) {
+		if !val.PubKey.VerifySignature(voteSignBytes, commitSig.Signature) {
 			return fmt.Errorf("wrong signature (#%d): %X", idx, commitSig.Signature)
 		}
 
@@ -807,7 +807,7 @@ func (vals *ValidatorSet) VerifyCommitLightTrusting(chainID string, commit *Comm
 
 			// Validate signature.
 			voteSignBytes := commit.VoteSignBytes(chainID, int32(idx))
-			if !val.PubKey.VerifyBytes(voteSignBytes, commitSig.Signature) {
+			if !val.PubKey.VerifySignature(voteSignBytes, commitSig.Signature) {
 				return fmt.Errorf("wrong signature (#%d): %X", idx, commitSig.Signature)
 			}
 
diff --git a/types/vote.go b/types/vote.go
index 0f8ea9a18..aff0b1730 100644
--- a/types/vote.go
+++ b/types/vote.go
@@ -149,7 +149,7 @@ func (vote *Vote) Verify(chainID string, pubKey crypto.PubKey) error {
 		return ErrVoteInvalidValidatorAddress
 	}
 	v := vote.ToProto()
-	if !pubKey.VerifyBytes(VoteSignBytes(chainID, v), vote.Signature) {
+	if !pubKey.VerifySignature(VoteSignBytes(chainID, v), vote.Signature) {
 		return ErrVoteInvalidSignature
 	}
 	return nil
diff --git a/types/vote_test.go b/types/vote_test.go
index f0fdd2edd..64e6f20fa 100644
--- a/types/vote_test.go
+++ b/types/vote_test.go
@@ -161,7 +161,7 @@ func TestVoteVerifySignature(t *testing.T) {
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 
 	// verify the same vote
-	valid := pubkey.VerifyBytes(VoteSignBytes("test_chain_id", v), v.Signature)
+	valid := pubkey.VerifySignature(VoteSignBytes("test_chain_id", v), v.Signature)
 	require.True(t, valid)
 
 	// serialize, deserialize and verify again....
@@ -174,7 +174,7 @@ func TestVoteVerifySignature(t *testing.T) {
 	// verify the transmitted vote
 	newSignBytes := VoteSignBytes("test_chain_id", precommit)
 	require.Equal(t, string(signBytes), string(newSignBytes))
-	valid = pubkey.VerifyBytes(newSignBytes, precommit.Signature)
+	valid = pubkey.VerifySignature(newSignBytes, precommit.Signature)
 	require.True(t, valid)
 }