diff --git a/app/app.go b/app/app.go
index 300e1b9b6469..3f190463b89d 100644
--- a/app/app.go
+++ b/app/app.go
@@ -261,6 +261,8 @@ func (app *App) runTx(isCheckTx bool, txBytes []byte) (result sdk.Result) {
 		}
 	}
 
+	// TODO: override default ante handler w/ custom ante handler.
+
 	// Run the ante handler.
 	ctx, result, abort := app.defaultAnteHandler(ctx, tx)
 	if isCheckTx || abort {
diff --git a/examples/basecoin/app/basecoin_app.go b/examples/basecoin/app/basecoin_app.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..a56e184662e1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/basecoin/app/basecoin_app.go
@@ -0,0 +1,97 @@
+package app
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"os"
+
+	apm "github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/app"
+	sdk "github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/types"
+	"github.com/tendermint/abci/server"
+	"github.com/tendermint/go-wire"
+	cmn "github.com/tendermint/tmlibs/common"
+)
+
+const appName = "BasecoinApp"
+
+type BasecoinApp struct {
+	*apm.App
+	cdc        *wire.Codec
+	multiStore sdk.CommitMultiStore
+
+	// The key to access the substores.
+	mainStoreKey *sdk.KVStoreKey
+	ibcStoreKey  *sdk.KVStoreKey
+
+	// Additional stores:
+	accStore sdk.AccountStore
+}
+
+// TODO: This should take in more configuration options.
+func NewBasecoinApp() *BasecoinApp {
+
+	// Create and configure app.
+	var app = &BasecoinApp{}
+	app.initKeys()
+	app.initMultiStore()
+	app.initAppStore()
+	app.initSDKApp()
+	app.initCodec()
+	app.initTxDecoder()
+	app.initAnteHandler()
+	app.initRoutes()
+
+	// TODO: Load genesis
+	// TODO: InitChain with validators
+	// TODO: Set the genesis accounts
+	app.loadStores()
+
+	return app
+}
+
+func (app *BasecoinApp) RunForever() {
+
+	// Start the ABCI server
+	srv, err := server.NewServer("0.0.0.0:46658", "socket", app)
+	if err != nil {
+		fmt.Println(err)
+		os.Exit(1)
+	}
+	srv.Start()
+
+	// Wait forever
+	cmn.TrapSignal(func() {
+		// Cleanup
+		srv.Stop()
+	})
+
+}
+
+func (app *BasecoinApp) initKeys() {
+	app.mainStoreKey = sdk.NewKVStoreKey("main")
+	app.ibcStoreKey = sdk.NewKVStoreKey("ibc")
+}
+
+// depends on initMultiStore()
+func (app *BasecoinApp) initSDKApp() {
+	app.App = apm.NewApp(appName, app.multiStore)
+}
+
+func (app *BasecoinApp) initCodec() {
+	app.cdc = wire.NewCodec()
+}
+
+// depends on initSDKApp()
+func (app *BasecoinApp) initTxDecoder() {
+	app.App.SetTxDecoder(app.decodeTx)
+}
+
+// initAnteHandler defined in app/routes.go
+// initRoutes defined in app/routes.go
+
+// Load the stores.
+func (app *BasecoinApp) loadStores() {
+	if err := app.LoadLatestVersion(app.mainStoreKey); err != nil {
+		fmt.Println(err)
+		os.Exit(1)
+	}
+}
diff --git a/examples/basecoin/app/msgs.go b/examples/basecoin/app/msgs.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..43fd04539df0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/basecoin/app/msgs.go
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+package app
+
+import (
+	sdk "github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/types"
+	"github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/x/bank"
+)
+
+// Set via `app.App.SetTxDecoder(app.decodeTx)`
+func (app *BasecoinApp) decodeTx(txBytes []byte) (sdk.Tx, error) {
+	var tx = sdk.StdTx{}
+	err := app.cdc.UnmarshalBinary(txBytes, &tx)
+	return tx, err
+}
+
+// Wire requires registration of interfaces & concrete types.
+func (app *BasecoinApp) registerMsgs() {
+	cdc := app.cdc
+
+	// Register the Msg interface.
+	cdc.RegisterInterface((*sdk.Msg)(nil), nil)
+	cdc.RegisterConcrete(bank.SendMsg{}, "cosmos-sdk/SendMsg", nil)   // XXX refactor out
+	cdc.RegisterConcrete(bank.IssueMsg{}, "cosmos-sdk/IssueMsg", nil) // XXX refactor out to bank/msgs.go
+	// more msgs here...
+
+	// All interfaces to be encoded/decoded in a Msg must be
+	// registered here, along with all the concrete types that
+	// implement them.
+}
diff --git a/examples/basecoin/app/routes.go b/examples/basecoin/app/routes.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..b045daef5f03
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/basecoin/app/routes.go
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+package app
+
+import (
+	"github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/x/auth"
+	"github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/x/bank"
+)
+
+// Handle charging tx fees and checking signatures.
+func (app *BasecoinApp) initAnteHandler() {
+	var authAnteHandler = auth.NewAnteHandler(app.accStore)
+	app.App.SetDefaultAnteHandler(authAnteHandler)
+}
+
+// Constructs router to route handling of msgs.
+func (app *BasecoinApp) initRoutes() {
+	var router = app.App.Router()
+	// var multiStore = app.multiStore
+	var accStore = app.accStore
+
+	router.AddRoute("bank", bank.NewHandler(accStore))
+	// more routes here... (order matters)
+}
diff --git a/examples/basecoin/app/stores.go b/examples/basecoin/app/stores.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..acd35d69f812
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/basecoin/app/stores.go
@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+package app
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"os"
+
+	"github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/examples/basecoin/types"
+	"github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/store"
+	"github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/x/auth"
+	dbm "github.com/tendermint/tmlibs/db"
+)
+
+// depends on initKeys()
+func (app *BasecoinApp) initMultiStore() {
+
+	// Create the underlying leveldb datastore which will
+	// persist the Merkle tree inner & leaf nodes.
+	db, err := dbm.NewGoLevelDB("basecoin", "basecoin-data")
+	if err != nil {
+		fmt.Println(err)
+		os.Exit(1)
+	}
+
+	// Create CommitStoreLoader.
+	cacheSize := 10000
+	numHistory := int64(100)
+	mainLoader := store.NewIAVLStoreLoader(db, cacheSize, numHistory)
+	ibcLoader := store.NewIAVLStoreLoader(db, cacheSize, numHistory)
+
+	// Create MultiStore
+	multiStore := store.NewCommitMultiStore(db)
+	multiStore.SetSubstoreLoader(app.mainStoreKey, mainLoader)
+	multiStore.SetSubstoreLoader(app.ibcStoreKey, ibcLoader)
+
+	// Finally,
+	app.multiStore = multiStore
+}
+
+// depends on initKeys()
+func (app *BasecoinApp) initAppStore() {
+	app.accStore = auth.NewAccountStore(
+		app.mainStoreKey,
+		types.AppAccountCodec{},
+	)
+}
diff --git a/examples/basecoin/main.go b/examples/basecoin/main.go
deleted file mode 100644
index 5c7c219e4483..000000000000
--- a/examples/basecoin/main.go
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,99 +0,0 @@
-package main
-
-import (
-	"fmt"
-	"os"
-
-	"github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/app"
-	"github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/store"
-	sdk "github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/types"
-	"github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/x/auth"
-	"github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/x/bank"
-	"github.com/tendermint/abci/server"
-	"github.com/tendermint/go-wire"
-	cmn "github.com/tendermint/tmlibs/common"
-	dbm "github.com/tendermint/tmlibs/db"
-
-	bcm "github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/examples/basecoin/types"
-)
-
-func main() {
-
-	// Create the underlying leveldb datastore which will
-	// persist the Merkle tree inner & leaf nodes.
-	db, err := dbm.NewGoLevelDB("basecoin", "basecoin-data")
-	if err != nil {
-		fmt.Println(err)
-		os.Exit(1)
-	}
-
-	// Create CommitStoreLoader.
-	cacheSize := 10000
-	numHistory := int64(100)
-	mainLoader := store.NewIAVLStoreLoader(db, cacheSize, numHistory)
-	ibcLoader := store.NewIAVLStoreLoader(db, cacheSize, numHistory)
-
-	// The key to access the main KVStore.
-	var mainStoreKey = sdk.NewKVStoreKey("main")
-	var ibcStoreKey = sdk.NewKVStoreKey("ibc")
-
-	// Create MultiStore
-	multiStore := store.NewCommitMultiStore(db)
-	multiStore.SetSubstoreLoader(mainStoreKey, mainLoader)
-	multiStore.SetSubstoreLoader(ibcStoreKey, ibcLoader)
-
-	// Create the Application.
-	app := app.NewApp("basecoin", multiStore)
-
-	// Set Tx decoder
-	app.SetTxDecoder(decodeTx)
-
-	var accStore = auth.NewAccountStore(mainStoreKey, bcm.AppAccountCodec{})
-	var authAnteHandler = auth.NewAnteHandler(accStore)
-
-	// Handle charging fees and checking signatures.
-	app.SetDefaultAnteHandler(authAnteHandler)
-
-	// Add routes to App.
-	app.Router().AddRoute("bank", bank.NewHandler(accStore))
-
-	// TODO: load genesis
-	// TODO: InitChain with validators
-	// accounts := auth.NewAccountStore(multiStore.GetKVStore("main"))
-	// TODO: set the genesis accounts
-
-	// Load the stores.
-	if err := app.LoadLatestVersion(mainStoreKey); err != nil {
-		fmt.Println(err)
-		os.Exit(1)
-	}
-
-	// Start the ABCI server
-	srv, err := server.NewServer("0.0.0.0:46658", "socket", app)
-	if err != nil {
-		fmt.Println(err)
-		os.Exit(1)
-	}
-	srv.Start()
-
-	// Wait forever
-	cmn.TrapSignal(func() {
-		// Cleanup
-		srv.Stop()
-	})
-	return
-}
-
-//----------------------------------------
-// Misc.
-
-func registerMsgs() {
-	wire.RegisterInterface((*sdk.Msg)(nil), nil)
-	wire.RegisterConcrete(&bank.SendMsg{}, "com.cosmos.basecoin.send_msg", nil)
-}
-
-func decodeTx(txBytes []byte) (sdk.Tx, error) {
-	var tx = sdk.StdTx{}
-	err := wire.UnmarshalBinary(txBytes, &tx)
-	return tx, err
-}
diff --git a/store/rootmultistore.go b/store/rootmultistore.go
index 944cea4a0054..0fb8993f0124 100644
--- a/store/rootmultistore.go
+++ b/store/rootmultistore.go
@@ -39,6 +39,9 @@ func NewCommitMultiStore(db dbm.DB) *rootMultiStore {
 
 // Implements CommitMultiStore.
 func (rs *rootMultiStore) SetSubstoreLoader(key SubstoreKey, loader CommitStoreLoader) {
+	if key == nil {
+		panic("SetSubstoreLoader() key cannot be nil")
+	}
 	if _, ok := rs.storeLoaders[key]; ok {
 		panic(fmt.Sprintf("rootMultiStore duplicate substore key", key))
 	}
diff --git a/types/store.go b/types/store.go
index 8e6d9bf4665a..a17f703b6c3d 100644
--- a/types/store.go
+++ b/types/store.go
@@ -54,9 +54,11 @@ type CommitMultiStore interface {
 	MultiStore
 
 	// Add a substore loader.
+	// Panics on a nil key.
 	SetSubstoreLoader(key SubstoreKey, loader CommitStoreLoader)
 
 	// Gets the substore, which is a CommitSubstore.
+	// Panics on a nil key.
 	GetSubstore(key SubstoreKey) CommitStore
 
 	// Load the latest persisted version.
diff --git a/x/auth/ante.go b/x/auth/ante.go
index 9a9ff92ddbe4..312f20470820 100644
--- a/x/auth/ante.go
+++ b/x/auth/ante.go
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ func NewAnteHandler(store sdk.AccountStore) sdk.AnteHandler {
 				}
 			}
 
-			// Check and incremenet sequence number.
+			// Check and increment sequence number.
 			seq := signerAcc.GetSequence()
 			if seq != sig.Sequence {
 				return ctx, sdk.Result{
diff --git a/x/bank/handler.go b/x/bank/handler.go
index 825dd8570313..63198cb6e10e 100644
--- a/x/bank/handler.go
+++ b/x/bank/handler.go
@@ -2,38 +2,56 @@ package bank
 
 import (
 	sdk "github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/types"
+	"reflect"
 )
 
+// Handle all "bank" type messages.
 func NewHandler(accStore sdk.AccountStore) sdk.Handler {
 
 	return func(ctx sdk.Context, tx sdk.Tx) sdk.Result {
 		cs := CoinStore{accStore}
-
-		sendTx, ok := tx.(sdk.Msg).(SendMsg)
-		if !ok {
-			panic("tx is not SendTx") // ?
+		msg := tx.(sdk.Msg)
+		switch msg := msg.(type) {
+		case SendMsg:
+			return handleSendMsg(ctx, cs, msg)
+		case IssueMsg:
+			return handleIssueMsg(ctx, cs, msg)
+		default:
+			return sdk.Result{
+				Code: 1, // TODO
+				Log:  "Unrecognized bank Tx type: " + reflect.TypeOf(tx).Name(),
+			}
 		}
+	}
+
+}
 
-		// NOTE: totalIn == totalOut should already have been checked
+// Handle SendMsg.
+func handleSendMsg(ctx sdk.Context, cs CoinStore, msg SendMsg) sdk.Result {
+	// NOTE: totalIn == totalOut should already have been checked
 
-		for _, in := range sendTx.Inputs {
-			_, err := cs.SubtractCoins(ctx, in.Address, in.Coins)
-			if err != nil {
-				return sdk.Result{
-					Code: 1, // TODO
-				}
+	for _, in := range msg.Inputs {
+		_, err := cs.SubtractCoins(ctx, in.Address, in.Coins)
+		if err != nil {
+			return sdk.Result{
+				Code: 1, // TODO
 			}
 		}
+	}
 
-		for _, out := range sendTx.Outputs {
-			_, err := cs.AddCoins(ctx, out.Address, out.Coins)
-			if err != nil {
-				return sdk.Result{
-					Code: 1, // TODO
-				}
+	for _, out := range msg.Outputs {
+		_, err := cs.AddCoins(ctx, out.Address, out.Coins)
+		if err != nil {
+			return sdk.Result{
+				Code: 1, // TODO
 			}
 		}
-
-		return sdk.Result{} // TODO
 	}
+
+	return sdk.Result{} // TODO
+}
+
+// Handle IssueMsg.
+func handleIssueMsg(ctx sdk.Context, cs CoinStore, msg IssueMsg) sdk.Result {
+	panic("not implemented yet")
 }
diff --git a/x/bank/tx.go b/x/bank/tx.go
index 150b9b9bf1aa..eed7f57e705c 100644
--- a/x/bank/tx.go
+++ b/x/bank/tx.go
@@ -81,6 +81,60 @@ func (msg SendMsg) GetSigners() []crypto.Address {
 	return addrs
 }
 
+//----------------------------------------
+// IssueMsg
+
+// IssueMsg - high level transaction of the coin module
+type IssueMsg struct {
+	Banker  crypto.Address `json:"banker"`
+	Outputs []Output       `json:"outputs"`
+}
+
+// NewIssueMsg - construct arbitrary multi-in, multi-out send msg.
+func NewIssueMsg(banker crypto.Address, out []Output) IssueMsg {
+	return IssueMsg{Banker: banker, Outputs: out}
+}
+
+// Implements Msg.
+func (msg IssueMsg) Type() string { return "bank" } // TODO: "bank/send"
+
+// Implements Msg.
+func (msg IssueMsg) ValidateBasic() error {
+	// XXX
+	if len(msg.Outputs) == 0 {
+		return ErrNoOutputs()
+	}
+	for _, out := range msg.Outputs {
+		if err := out.ValidateBasic(); err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
+func (msg IssueMsg) String() string {
+	return fmt.Sprintf("IssueMsg{%v#%v}", msg.Banker, msg.Outputs)
+}
+
+// Implements Msg.
+func (msg IssueMsg) Get(key interface{}) (value interface{}) {
+	return nil
+}
+
+// Implements Msg.
+func (msg IssueMsg) GetSignBytes() []byte {
+	b, err := json.Marshal(msg) // XXX: ensure some canonical form
+	if err != nil {
+		panic(err)
+	}
+	return b
+}
+
+// Implements Msg.
+func (msg IssueMsg) GetSigners() []crypto.Address {
+	return []crypto.Address{msg.Banker}
+}
+
 //----------------------------------------
 // Input