diff --git a/.pending/features/sdk/Implement-coin-conversion-and-denomination-registration-utilities b/.pending/features/sdk/Implement-coin-conversion-and-denomination-registration-utilities
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..4bd7e51e2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.pending/features/sdk/Implement-coin-conversion-and-denomination-registration-utilities
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Implement coin conversion and denomination registration utilities
diff --git a/types/coin.go b/types/coin.go
index 5a8292a8f..d2e76d750 100644
--- a/types/coin.go
+++ b/types/coin.go
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 package types
 
 import (
-	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"regexp"
 	"sort"
@@ -552,7 +551,7 @@ var (
 
 func validateDenom(denom string) error {
 	if !reDnm.MatchString(denom) {
-		return errors.New("illegal characters")
+		return fmt.Errorf("invalid denom: %s", denom)
 	}
 	return nil
 }
diff --git a/types/denom.go b/types/denom.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..73d396644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/types/denom.go
@@ -0,0 +1,64 @@
+package types
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+)
+
+// denomUnits contains a mapping of denomination mapped to their respective unit
+// multipliers (e.g. 1atom = 10^-6uatom).
+var denomUnits = map[string]Dec{}
+
+// RegisterDenom registers a denomination with a corresponding unit. If the
+// denomination is already registered, an error will be returned.
+func RegisterDenom(denom string, unit Dec) error {
+	if err := validateDenom(denom); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	if _, ok := denomUnits[denom]; ok {
+		return fmt.Errorf("denom %s already registered", denom)
+	}
+
+	denomUnits[denom] = unit
+	return nil
+}
+
+// GetDenomUnit returns a unit for a given denomination if it exists. A boolean
+// is returned if the denomination is registered.
+func GetDenomUnit(denom string) (Dec, bool) {
+	if err := validateDenom(denom); err != nil {
+		return ZeroDec(), false
+	}
+
+	unit, ok := denomUnits[denom]
+	if !ok {
+		return ZeroDec(), false
+	}
+
+	return unit, true
+}
+
+// ConvertCoin attempts to convert a coin to a given denomination. If the given
+// denomination is invalid or if neither denomination is registered, an error
+// is returned.
+func ConvertCoin(coin Coin, denom string) (Coin, error) {
+	if err := validateDenom(denom); err != nil {
+		return Coin{}, err
+	}
+
+	srcUnit, ok := GetDenomUnit(coin.Denom)
+	if !ok {
+		return Coin{}, fmt.Errorf("source denom not registered: %s", coin.Denom)
+	}
+
+	dstUnit, ok := GetDenomUnit(denom)
+	if !ok {
+		return Coin{}, fmt.Errorf("destination denom not registered: %s", denom)
+	}
+
+	if srcUnit.Equal(dstUnit) {
+		return NewCoin(denom, coin.Amount), nil
+	}
+
+	return NewCoin(denom, coin.Amount.ToDec().Mul(srcUnit.Quo(dstUnit)).TruncateInt()), nil
+}
diff --git a/types/denom_test.go b/types/denom_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..de6437994
--- /dev/null
+++ b/types/denom_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,83 @@
+package types
+
+import (
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
+)
+
+var (
+	atom  = "atom"  // 1 (base denom unit)
+	matom = "matom" // 10^-3 (milli)
+	uatom = "uatom" // 10^-6 (micro)
+	natom = "natom" // 10^-9 (nano)
+)
+
+func TestRegisterDenom(t *testing.T) {
+	atomUnit := OneDec() // 1 (base denom unit)
+
+	require.NoError(t, RegisterDenom(atom, atomUnit))
+	require.Error(t, RegisterDenom(atom, atomUnit))
+
+	res, ok := GetDenomUnit(atom)
+	require.True(t, ok)
+	require.Equal(t, atomUnit, res)
+
+	res, ok = GetDenomUnit(matom)
+	require.False(t, ok)
+	require.Equal(t, ZeroDec(), res)
+
+	// reset registration
+	denomUnits = map[string]Dec{}
+}
+
+func TestConvertCoins(t *testing.T) {
+	atomUnit := OneDec() // 1 (base denom unit)
+	require.NoError(t, RegisterDenom(atom, atomUnit))
+
+	matomUnit := NewDecWithPrec(1, 3) // 10^-3 (milli)
+	require.NoError(t, RegisterDenom(matom, matomUnit))
+
+	uatomUnit := NewDecWithPrec(1, 6) // 10^-6 (micro)
+	require.NoError(t, RegisterDenom(uatom, uatomUnit))
+
+	natomUnit := NewDecWithPrec(1, 9) // 10^-9 (nano)
+	require.NoError(t, RegisterDenom(natom, natomUnit))
+
+	testCases := []struct {
+		input  Coin
+		denom  string
+		result Coin
+		expErr bool
+	}{
+		{NewCoin("foo", ZeroInt()), atom, Coin{}, true},
+		{NewCoin(atom, ZeroInt()), "foo", Coin{}, true},
+		{NewCoin(atom, ZeroInt()), "FOO", Coin{}, true},
+
+		{NewCoin(atom, NewInt(5)), matom, NewCoin(matom, NewInt(5000)), false},       // atom => matom
+		{NewCoin(atom, NewInt(5)), uatom, NewCoin(uatom, NewInt(5000000)), false},    // atom => uatom
+		{NewCoin(atom, NewInt(5)), natom, NewCoin(natom, NewInt(5000000000)), false}, // atom => natom
+
+		{NewCoin(uatom, NewInt(5000000)), matom, NewCoin(matom, NewInt(5000)), false},       // uatom => matom
+		{NewCoin(uatom, NewInt(5000000)), natom, NewCoin(natom, NewInt(5000000000)), false}, // uatom => natom
+		{NewCoin(uatom, NewInt(5000000)), atom, NewCoin(atom, NewInt(5)), false},            // uatom => atom
+
+		{NewCoin(matom, NewInt(5000)), natom, NewCoin(natom, NewInt(5000000000)), false}, // matom => natom
+		{NewCoin(matom, NewInt(5000)), uatom, NewCoin(uatom, NewInt(5000000)), false},    // matom => uatom
+	}
+
+	for i, tc := range testCases {
+		res, err := ConvertCoin(tc.input, tc.denom)
+		require.Equal(
+			t, tc.expErr, err != nil,
+			"unexpected error; tc: #%d, input: %s, denom: %s", i+1, tc.input, tc.denom,
+		)
+		require.Equal(
+			t, tc.result, res,
+			"invalid result; tc: #%d, input: %s, denom: %s", i+1, tc.input, tc.denom,
+		)
+	}
+
+	// reset registration
+	denomUnits = map[string]Dec{}
+}