diff --git a/substrate/Cargo.lock b/substrate/Cargo.lock
index f886c60be5..7d5f50ddc4 100644
--- a/substrate/Cargo.lock
+++ b/substrate/Cargo.lock
@@ -532,6 +532,7 @@ name = "native-runtime"
 version = "0.1.0"
 dependencies = [
  "runtime-support 0.1.0",
+ "rustc-hex 1.0.0 (registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index)",
 ]
 
 [[package]]
diff --git a/substrate/native-runtime/Cargo.toml b/substrate/native-runtime/Cargo.toml
index c971a6d694..eb5eb82408 100644
--- a/substrate/native-runtime/Cargo.toml
+++ b/substrate/native-runtime/Cargo.toml
@@ -10,3 +10,4 @@ without-std = []
 
 [dependencies]
 runtime-support = { path = "./support", version = "0.1" }
+rustc-hex = "1.0"
diff --git a/substrate/primitives/src/ed25519.rs b/substrate/primitives/src/ed25519.rs
index f6a02a735b..2630f858d2 100644
--- a/substrate/primitives/src/ed25519.rs
+++ b/substrate/primitives/src/ed25519.rs
@@ -4,17 +4,6 @@ use untrusted;
 use ring::{rand, signature};
 use rustc_hex::FromHex;
 
-struct HexDisplay<'a>(&'a [u8]);
-
-impl<'a> ::std::fmt::Display for HexDisplay<'a> {
-	fn fmt(&self, fmtr: &mut ::std::fmt::Formatter) -> Result<(), ::std::fmt::Error> {
-		for byte in self.0 {
-			try!( fmtr.write_fmt(format_args!("{:02x}", byte)));
-		}
-		Ok(())
-	}
-}
-
 pub fn verify(sig: &[u8], message: &[u8], public: &[u8]) -> bool {
 	let public_key = untrusted::Input::from(public);
 	let msg = untrusted::Input::from(message);
@@ -181,6 +170,41 @@ impl PartialEq for Signature {
 mod test {
 	use super::*;
 
+pub struct HexDisplay<'a>(&'a [u8]);
+
+impl<'a> HexDisplay<'a> {
+	pub fn from(d: &'a AsBytesRef) -> Self { HexDisplay(d.as_bytes_ref()) }
+}
+
+impl<'a> ::std::fmt::Display for HexDisplay<'a> {
+	fn fmt(&self, fmtr: &mut ::std::fmt::Formatter) -> Result<(), ::std::fmt::Error> {
+		for byte in self.0 {
+			try!( fmtr.write_fmt(format_args!("{:02x}", byte)));
+		}
+		Ok(())
+	}
+}
+
+pub trait AsBytesRef {
+	fn as_bytes_ref(&self) -> &[u8];
+}
+
+impl AsBytesRef for [u8] {
+	fn as_bytes_ref(&self) -> &[u8] { &self }
+}
+
+macro_rules! impl_non_endians {
+	( $( $t:ty ),* ) => { $(
+		impl AsBytesRef for $t {
+			fn as_bytes_ref(&self) -> &[u8] { &self[..] }
+		}
+	)* }
+}
+
+impl_non_endians!([u8; 1], [u8; 2], [u8; 3], [u8; 4], [u8; 5], [u8; 6], [u8; 7], [u8; 8],
+	[u8; 10], [u8; 12], [u8; 14], [u8; 16], [u8; 20], [u8; 24], [u8; 28], [u8; 32], [u8; 40],
+	[u8; 48], [u8; 56], [u8; 64], [u8; 80], [u8; 96], [u8; 112], [u8; 128]);
+
 	#[test]
 	fn test_vector_should_work() {
 		let pair: Pair = "9d61b19deffd5a60ba844af492ec2cc44449c5697b326919703bac031cae7f60".into();
@@ -205,8 +229,22 @@ mod test {
 	fn seeded_pair_should_work() {
 		let pair = Pair::from_seed(b"12345678901234567890123456789012");
 		let public = pair.public();
+		println!("{}", HexDisplay::from(&public.0));
+		assert_eq!(public, "2f8c6129d816cf51c374bc7f08c3e63ed156cf78aefb4a6550d97b87997977ee".into());
 		let message = b"Something important";
 		let signature = pair.sign(&message[..]);
 		assert!(signature.verify(&message[..], &public));
 	}
+
+	#[test]
+	fn can_sign_transaction() {
+		let pair = Pair::from_seed(b"12345678901234567890123456789012");
+		let public = pair.public();
+		assert_eq!(public, "2f8c6129d816cf51c374bc7f08c3e63ed156cf78aefb4a6550d97b87997977ee".into());
+		let message = FromHex::from_hex("2f8c6129d816cf51c374bc7f08c3e63ed156cf78aefb4a6550d97b87997977ee00000000000000000228000000d75a980182b10ab7d54bfed3c964073a0ee172f3daa62325af021a68f707511a4500000000000000").unwrap();
+		let signature = pair.sign(&message[..]);
+		println!("pub: {}", HexDisplay::from(&public.0));
+		println!("sig: {}", HexDisplay::from(&signature.0));
+		assert!(signature.verify(&message[..], &public));
+	}
 }
diff --git a/substrate/wasm-runtime/polkadot/src/lib.rs b/substrate/wasm-runtime/polkadot/src/lib.rs
index 7653aaff9b..6a6201945d 100644
--- a/substrate/wasm-runtime/polkadot/src/lib.rs
+++ b/substrate/wasm-runtime/polkadot/src/lib.rs
@@ -4,13 +4,16 @@
 #[macro_use]
 extern crate runtime_support;
 
+#[cfg(test)]
+extern crate rustc_hex;
+
 mod codec;
 mod support;
 mod runtime;
 pub use codec::{endiansensitive, streamreader, joiner, slicable, keyedvec};
 pub use support::{primitives, function, environment, storage};
 #[cfg(test)]
-pub use support::testing;
+pub use support::{testing, statichex};
 
 
 #[allow(unused_imports)]		// TODO: remove in due course
diff --git a/substrate/wasm-runtime/polkadot/src/runtime/system.rs b/substrate/wasm-runtime/polkadot/src/runtime/system.rs
index 2ddc83bdb2..fe0e835608 100644
--- a/substrate/wasm-runtime/polkadot/src/runtime/system.rs
+++ b/substrate/wasm-runtime/polkadot/src/runtime/system.rs
@@ -90,11 +90,14 @@ pub fn set_code(new: &[u8]) {
 mod tests {
 	use joiner::Joiner;
 	use function::Function;
-	use codec::keyedvec::KeyedVec;
+	use keyedvec::KeyedVec;
+	use slicable::Slicable;
 	use std::collections::HashMap;
 	use runtime_support::{NoError, with_externalities, Externalities};
-	use primitives::{AccountID, UncheckedTransaction, Transaction};
+	use primitives::{AccountID, UncheckedTransaction, Transaction, Hashable};
+	use statichex::StaticHexInto;
 	use runtime::{system, staking};
+	use testing::HexDisplay;
 
 	#[derive(Debug, Default)]
 	struct TestExternalities {
@@ -120,10 +123,13 @@ mod tests {
 		)
 	}
 
+	fn one() -> AccountID { "2f8c6129d816cf51c374bc7f08c3e63ed156cf78aefb4a6550d97b87997977ee".convert() }
+	fn two() -> AccountID { "d75a980182b10ab7d54bfed3c964073a0ee172f3daa62325af021a68f707511a".convert() }
+
 	#[test]
 	fn staking_balance_transfer_dispatch_works() {
-		let one: AccountID = [1u8; 32];
-		let two: AccountID = [2u8; 32];
+		let one = one();
+		let two = two();
 
 		let mut t = TestExternalities { storage: map![
 			one.to_keyed_vec(b"sta\0bal\0") => vec![111u8, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0]
@@ -136,8 +142,12 @@ mod tests {
 				function: Function::StakingTransferStake,
 				input_data: vec![].join(&two).join(&69u64),
 			},
-			signature: [1u8; 64],
+			signature: "679fcf0a846b4224c84ecad7d91a26241c46d00cb53d6480a363274e8965ee34b0b80b4b2e3836d3d8f8f12c0c1aef7350af587d9aee3883561d11726068ac0a".convert(),
 		};
+		// tx: 2f8c6129d816cf51c374bc7f08c3e63ed156cf78aefb4a6550d97b87997977ee00000000000000000228000000d75a980182b10ab7d54bfed3c964073a0ee172f3daa62325af021a68f707511a4500000000000000
+		// sig: 679fcf0a846b4224c84ecad7d91a26241c46d00cb53d6480a363274e8965ee34b0b80b4b2e3836d3d8f8f12c0c1aef7350af587d9aee3883561d11726068ac0a
+
+		println!("tx is {}", HexDisplay::from(&tx.transaction.to_vec()));
 
 		with_externalities(&mut t, || {
 			system::execute_transaction(&tx);
diff --git a/substrate/wasm-runtime/polkadot/src/support/mod.rs b/substrate/wasm-runtime/polkadot/src/support/mod.rs
index aa14ad2f5d..732552effd 100644
--- a/substrate/wasm-runtime/polkadot/src/support/mod.rs
+++ b/substrate/wasm-runtime/polkadot/src/support/mod.rs
@@ -3,5 +3,7 @@ pub mod function;
 pub mod environment;
 pub mod storage;
 
+#[cfg(test)]
+pub mod statichex;
 #[cfg(test)]
 pub mod testing;
diff --git a/substrate/wasm-runtime/polkadot/src/support/statichex.rs b/substrate/wasm-runtime/polkadot/src/support/statichex.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..774cb82538
--- /dev/null
+++ b/substrate/wasm-runtime/polkadot/src/support/statichex.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+use rustc_hex::FromHex;
+
+pub trait StaticHexConversion: Sized {
+	fn from_static_hex(hex: &'static str) -> Self;
+}
+
+macro_rules! impl_sizes {
+	( $( $t:expr ),* ) => { $(
+		impl StaticHexConversion for [u8; $t] {
+			fn from_static_hex(hex: &'static str) -> Self {
+				let mut r = [0u8; $t];
+				r.copy_from_slice(&FromHex::from_hex(hex).unwrap());
+				r
+			}
+		}
+	)* }
+}
+
+impl_sizes!(1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 20, 24, 28, 32, 40, 48, 56, 64, 80, 96, 112, 128);
+
+pub trait StaticHexInto {
+	fn convert<T: StaticHexConversion>(self) -> T;
+}
+
+impl StaticHexInto for &'static str {
+	fn convert<T: StaticHexConversion>(self) -> T {
+		T::from_static_hex(self)
+	}
+}
diff --git a/substrate/wasm-runtime/polkadot/src/support/testing.rs b/substrate/wasm-runtime/polkadot/src/support/testing.rs
index ec7fac6d6d..5338add635 100644
--- a/substrate/wasm-runtime/polkadot/src/support/testing.rs
+++ b/substrate/wasm-runtime/polkadot/src/support/testing.rs
@@ -19,3 +19,46 @@ impl Externalities for TestExternalities {
 
 	fn chain_id(&self) -> u64 { 42 }
 }
+
+pub struct HexDisplay<'a>(&'a [u8]);
+
+impl<'a> HexDisplay<'a> {
+	pub fn from(d: &'a AsBytesRef) -> Self { HexDisplay(d.as_bytes_ref()) }
+}
+
+impl<'a> ::std::fmt::Display for HexDisplay<'a> {
+	fn fmt(&self, fmtr: &mut ::std::fmt::Formatter) -> Result<(), ::std::fmt::Error> {
+		for byte in self.0 {
+			try!( fmtr.write_fmt(format_args!("{:02x}", byte)));
+		}
+		Ok(())
+	}
+}
+
+pub trait AsBytesRef {
+	fn as_bytes_ref(&self) -> &[u8];
+}
+
+impl AsBytesRef for [u8] {
+	fn as_bytes_ref(&self) -> &[u8] { &self }
+}
+
+impl<'a> AsBytesRef for &'a[u8] {
+	fn as_bytes_ref(&self) -> &[u8] { self }
+}
+
+impl AsBytesRef for Vec<u8> {
+	fn as_bytes_ref(&self) -> &[u8] { &self[..] }
+}
+
+macro_rules! impl_non_endians {
+	( $( $t:ty ),* ) => { $(
+		impl AsBytesRef for $t {
+			fn as_bytes_ref(&self) -> &[u8] { &self[..] }
+		}
+	)* }
+}
+
+impl_non_endians!([u8; 1], [u8; 2], [u8; 3], [u8; 4], [u8; 5], [u8; 6], [u8; 7], [u8; 8],
+	[u8; 10], [u8; 12], [u8; 14], [u8; 16], [u8; 20], [u8; 24], [u8; 28], [u8; 32], [u8; 40],
+	[u8; 48], [u8; 56], [u8; 64], [u8; 80], [u8; 96], [u8; 112], [u8; 128]);