diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 2c55365cf99d..7f73eaa84cf2 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -29,6 +29,8 @@ FEATURES
   * Supported proposal types: just binary (pass/fail) TextProposals for now
   * Proposals need deposits to be votable; deposits are burned if proposal fails
   * Delegators delegate votes to validator by default but can override (for their stake)
+* Add benchmarks for signing and delivering a block with a single bank transaction
+  * Run with `cd x/bank && go test --bench=.`
 * [tools] make get_tools installs tendermint's linter, and gometalinter
 * [tools] Switch gometalinter to the stable version
 * [tools] Add checking for misspellings and for incorrectly formatted files in circle CI
diff --git a/baseapp/baseapp_test.go b/baseapp/baseapp_test.go
index c939996c76d7..dc46b38d155e 100644
--- a/baseapp/baseapp_test.go
+++ b/baseapp/baseapp_test.go
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@ package baseapp
 import (
 	"encoding/json"
 	"fmt"
-	"github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/x/bank"
 	"os"
 	"testing"
 
@@ -20,6 +19,7 @@ import (
 	sdk "github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/types"
 	"github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/wire"
 	"github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/x/auth"
+	"github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/x/bank"
 )
 
 func defaultLogger() log.Logger {
diff --git a/x/auth/mock/auth_app_test.go b/x/auth/mock/auth_app_test.go
index 4442200f1050..8da93c96702e 100644
--- a/x/auth/mock/auth_app_test.go
+++ b/x/auth/mock/auth_app_test.go
@@ -3,14 +3,38 @@ package mock
 import (
 	"testing"
 
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
 
 	sdk "github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/types"
-	"github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/x/bank"
+	"github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/x/auth"
 
+	abci "github.com/tendermint/abci/types"
 	crypto "github.com/tendermint/go-crypto"
 )
 
+// A mock transaction that has a validation which can fail.
+type testMsg struct {
+	signers     []sdk.Address
+	positiveNum int64
+}
+
+// TODO: Clean this up, make it public
+const msgType = "testMsg"
+
+func (tx testMsg) Type() string                       { return msgType }
+func (tx testMsg) GetMsg() sdk.Msg                    { return tx }
+func (tx testMsg) GetMemo() string                    { return "" }
+func (tx testMsg) GetSignBytes() []byte               { return nil }
+func (tx testMsg) GetSigners() []sdk.Address          { return tx.signers }
+func (tx testMsg) GetSignatures() []auth.StdSignature { return nil }
+func (tx testMsg) ValidateBasic() sdk.Error {
+	if tx.positiveNum >= 0 {
+		return nil
+	}
+	return sdk.ErrTxDecode("positiveNum should be a non-negative integer.")
+}
+
 // test auth module messages
 
 var (
@@ -20,19 +44,50 @@ var (
 	addr2 = priv2.PubKey().Address()
 
 	coins    = sdk.Coins{sdk.NewCoin("foocoin", 10)}
-	sendMsg1 = bank.MsgSend{
-		Inputs:  []bank.Input{bank.NewInput(addr1, coins)},
-		Outputs: []bank.Output{bank.NewOutput(addr2, coins)},
-	}
+	testMsg1 = testMsg{signers: []sdk.Address{addr1}, positiveNum: 1}
 )
 
 // initialize the mock application for this module
 func getMockApp(t *testing.T) *App {
 	mapp := NewApp()
 
-	coinKeeper := bank.NewKeeper(mapp.AccountMapper)
-	mapp.Router().AddRoute("bank", bank.NewHandler(coinKeeper))
-
+	mapp.Router().AddRoute(msgType, func(ctx sdk.Context, msg sdk.Msg) (res sdk.Result) { return })
 	require.NoError(t, mapp.CompleteSetup([]*sdk.KVStoreKey{}))
 	return mapp
 }
+
+func TestMsgPrivKeys(t *testing.T) {
+	mapp := getMockApp(t)
+	mapp.Cdc.RegisterConcrete(testMsg{}, "mock/testMsg", nil)
+
+	// Construct some genesis bytes to reflect basecoin/types/AppAccount
+	// Give 77 foocoin to the first key
+	coins := sdk.Coins{sdk.NewCoin("foocoin", 77)}
+	acc1 := &auth.BaseAccount{
+		Address: addr1,
+		Coins:   coins,
+	}
+	accs := []auth.Account{acc1}
+
+	// Construct genesis state
+	SetGenesis(mapp, accs)
+
+	// A checkTx context (true)
+	ctxCheck := mapp.BaseApp.NewContext(true, abci.Header{})
+	res1 := mapp.AccountMapper.GetAccount(ctxCheck, addr1)
+	assert.Equal(t, acc1, res1.(*auth.BaseAccount))
+
+	// Run a CheckDeliver
+	SignCheckDeliver(t, mapp.BaseApp, []sdk.Msg{testMsg1}, []int64{0}, []int64{0}, true, priv1)
+
+	// signing a SendMsg with the wrong privKey should be an auth error
+	mapp.BeginBlock(abci.RequestBeginBlock{})
+	tx := GenTx([]sdk.Msg{testMsg1}, []int64{0}, []int64{1}, priv2)
+	res := mapp.Deliver(tx)
+	assert.Equal(t, sdk.ToABCICode(sdk.CodespaceRoot, sdk.CodeUnauthorized), res.Code, res.Log)
+
+	// resigning the tx with the correct priv key should still work
+	res = SignCheckDeliver(t, mapp.BaseApp, []sdk.Msg{testMsg1}, []int64{0}, []int64{1}, true, priv1)
+
+	assert.Equal(t, sdk.ToABCICode(sdk.CodespaceRoot, sdk.CodeOK), res.Code, res.Log)
+}
diff --git a/x/auth/mock/simulate_block.go b/x/auth/mock/simulate_block.go
index e2e67b4cf069..7e8f50843355 100644
--- a/x/auth/mock/simulate_block.go
+++ b/x/auth/mock/simulate_block.go
@@ -54,6 +54,23 @@ func GenTx(msgs []sdk.Msg, accnums []int64, seq []int64, priv ...crypto.PrivKeyE
 	return auth.NewStdTx(msgs, fee, sigs, memo)
 }
 
+// generate a set of signed transactions a msg, that differ only by having the
+// sequence numbers incremented between every transaction.
+func GenSequenceOfTxs(msgs []sdk.Msg, accnums []int64, initSeqNums []int64, numToGenerate int, priv ...crypto.PrivKeyEd25519) []auth.StdTx {
+	txs := make([]auth.StdTx, numToGenerate, numToGenerate)
+	for i := 0; i < numToGenerate; i++ {
+		txs[i] = GenTx(msgs, accnums, initSeqNums, priv...)
+		incrementAllSequenceNumbers(initSeqNums)
+	}
+	return txs
+}
+
+func incrementAllSequenceNumbers(initSeqNums []int64) {
+	for i := 0; i < len(initSeqNums); i++ {
+		initSeqNums[i]++
+	}
+}
+
 // check a transaction result
 func SignCheck(t *testing.T, app *baseapp.BaseApp, msgs []sdk.Msg, accnums []int64, seq []int64, priv ...crypto.PrivKeyEd25519) sdk.Result {
 	tx := GenTx(msgs, accnums, seq, priv...)
@@ -62,7 +79,7 @@ func SignCheck(t *testing.T, app *baseapp.BaseApp, msgs []sdk.Msg, accnums []int
 }
 
 // simulate a block
-func SignCheckDeliver(t *testing.T, app *baseapp.BaseApp, msgs []sdk.Msg, accnums []int64, seq []int64, expPass bool, priv ...crypto.PrivKeyEd25519) {
+func SignCheckDeliver(t *testing.T, app *baseapp.BaseApp, msgs []sdk.Msg, accnums []int64, seq []int64, expPass bool, priv ...crypto.PrivKeyEd25519) sdk.Result {
 
 	// Sign the tx
 	tx := GenTx(msgs, accnums, seq, priv...)
@@ -86,4 +103,5 @@ func SignCheckDeliver(t *testing.T, app *baseapp.BaseApp, msgs []sdk.Msg, accnum
 	app.EndBlock(abci.RequestEndBlock{})
 
 	app.Commit()
+	return res
 }
diff --git a/x/bank/app_test.go b/x/bank/app_test.go
index 6107126b47c3..b38ef4a45d05 100644
--- a/x/bank/app_test.go
+++ b/x/bank/app_test.go
@@ -77,14 +77,22 @@ var (
 
 // initialize the mock application for this module
 func getMockApp(t *testing.T) *mock.App {
+	mapp, err := getBenchmarkMockApp()
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	return mapp
+}
+
+// getBenchmarkMockApp initializes a mock application for this module, for purposes of benchmarking
+// Any long term API support commitments do not apply to this function.
+func getBenchmarkMockApp() (*mock.App, error) {
 	mapp := mock.NewApp()
 
 	RegisterWire(mapp.Cdc)
 	coinKeeper := NewKeeper(mapp.AccountMapper)
 	mapp.Router().AddRoute("bank", NewHandler(coinKeeper))
 
-	require.NoError(t, mapp.CompleteSetup([]*sdk.KVStoreKey{}))
-	return mapp
+	err := mapp.CompleteSetup([]*sdk.KVStoreKey{})
+	return mapp, err
 }
 
 func TestMsgSendWithAccounts(t *testing.T) {
diff --git a/x/bank/bench_test.go b/x/bank/bench_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..97a5c452623e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/x/bank/bench_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+package bank
+
+import (
+	"testing"
+
+	sdk "github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/types"
+	"github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/x/auth"
+	"github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/x/auth/mock"
+
+	abci "github.com/tendermint/abci/types"
+)
+
+func BenchmarkOneBankSendTxPerBlock(b *testing.B) {
+	benchmarkApp, _ := getBenchmarkMockApp()
+
+	// Add an account at genesis
+	acc := &auth.BaseAccount{
+		Address: addr1,
+		// Some value conceivably higher than the benchmarks would ever go
+		Coins: sdk.Coins{sdk.NewCoin("foocoin", 100000000000)},
+	}
+	accs := []auth.Account{acc}
+
+	// Construct genesis state
+	mock.SetGenesis(benchmarkApp, accs)
+	// Precompute all txs
+	txs := mock.GenSequenceOfTxs([]sdk.Msg{sendMsg1}, []int64{0}, []int64{int64(0)}, b.N, priv1)
+	b.ResetTimer()
+	// Run this with a profiler, so its easy to distinguish what time comes from
+	// Committing, and what time comes from Check/Deliver Tx.
+	for i := 0; i < b.N; i++ {
+		benchmarkApp.BeginBlock(abci.RequestBeginBlock{})
+		x := benchmarkApp.Check(txs[i])
+		if !x.IsOK() {
+			panic("something is broken in checking transaction")
+		}
+		benchmarkApp.Deliver(txs[i])
+		benchmarkApp.EndBlock(abci.RequestEndBlock{})
+		benchmarkApp.Commit()
+	}
+}