diff --git a/Cargo.toml b/Cargo.toml
index 3f4e8a7a..8ca46204 100644
--- a/Cargo.toml
+++ b/Cargo.toml
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ default = ["experimental", "taproot"]
 amplify = "3"
 base58-monero = { version = "0.3", default-features = false, features = ["check"] }
 bitvec = { version = "1.0" }
+clap = { version = "3", features = ["derive"] }
 fixed-hash = { version = "0.7", default-features = false }
 hex = "0.4"
 inet2_addr = { version = "0.6", default-features = false, features = ["tor", "strict_encoding", "serde"] }
diff --git a/src/blockchain.rs b/src/blockchain.rs
index 6e61ebf6..117fa093 100644
--- a/src/blockchain.rs
+++ b/src/blockchain.rs
@@ -10,18 +10,47 @@ use std::fmt::{self, Debug, Display};
 use std::io;
 use std::str::FromStr;
 
+use strict_encoding::{StrictDecode, StrictEncode};
 use thiserror::Error;
 
 use crate::consensus::{self, deserialize, serialize, CanonicalBytes, Decodable, Encodable};
 use crate::transaction::{Buyable, Cancelable, Fundable, Lockable, Punishable, Refundable};
 
-#[derive(Debug, Clone, Copy, Hash, PartialEq, Eq, Display, Serialize, Deserialize)]
+/// The list of supported blockchains (coins) by this library.
+#[derive(
+    Debug,
+    Clone,
+    Copy,
+    Hash,
+    PartialEq,
+    Eq,
+    Parser,
+    Display,
+    Serialize,
+    Deserialize,
+    StrictEncode,
+    StrictDecode,
+)]
 #[display(Debug)]
 pub enum Blockchain {
+    /// The Bitcoin (BTC) blockchain.
     Bitcoin,
+    /// The Monero (XMR) blockchain.
     Monero,
 }
 
+impl FromStr for Blockchain {
+    type Err = consensus::Error;
+
+    fn from_str(s: &str) -> Result<Self, Self::Err> {
+        match s {
+            "Bitcoin" | "bitcoin" | "btc" | "BTC" => Ok(Blockchain::Bitcoin),
+            "Monero" | "monero" | "xmr" | "XMR" => Ok(Blockchain::Monero),
+            _ => Err(consensus::Error::UnknownType),
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 impl Decodable for Blockchain {
     fn consensus_decode<D: io::Read>(d: &mut D) -> Result<Self, consensus::Error> {
         match Decodable::consensus_decode(d)? {
diff --git a/src/lib.rs b/src/lib.rs
index 4707e6d3..ff9eb867 100644
--- a/src/lib.rs
+++ b/src/lib.rs
@@ -60,6 +60,9 @@ extern crate amplify;
 #[macro_use]
 extern crate serde;
 
+#[macro_use]
+extern crate clap;
+
 use thiserror::Error;
 
 #[macro_use]