diff --git a/packages/math/src/decimal.spec.ts b/packages/math/src/decimal.spec.ts
index 52b876f7d5..a37783913b 100644
--- a/packages/math/src/decimal.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/math/src/decimal.spec.ts
@@ -31,6 +31,12 @@ describe("Decimal", () => {
       expect(Decimal.fromAtomics("44", 3).toString()).toEqual("0.044");
       expect(Decimal.fromAtomics("44", 4).toString()).toEqual("0.0044");
     });
+
+    it("throws for atomics that are not non-negative integers", () => {
+      expect(() => Decimal.fromAtomics("-1", 0)).toThrowError(
+        "Invalid string format. Only non-negative integers in decimal representation supported.",
+      );
+    });
   });
 
   describe("fromUserInput", () => {
diff --git a/packages/math/src/decimal.ts b/packages/math/src/decimal.ts
index 91ec2cc181..0a6a798b2a 100644
--- a/packages/math/src/decimal.ts
+++ b/packages/math/src/decimal.ts
@@ -107,6 +107,12 @@ export class Decimal {
   };
 
   private constructor(atomics: string, fractionalDigits: number) {
+    if (!atomics.match(/^[0-9]+$/)) {
+      throw new Error(
+        "Invalid string format. Only non-negative integers in decimal representation supported.",
+      );
+    }
+
     this.data = {
       atomics: new BN(atomics),
       fractionalDigits: fractionalDigits,