diff --git a/common/eth2/src/types.rs b/common/eth2/src/types.rs
index 83c97b36719..43bd0419c9c 100644
--- a/common/eth2/src/types.rs
+++ b/common/eth2/src/types.rs
@@ -144,13 +144,13 @@ impl FromStr for ValidatorId {
 
     fn from_str(s: &str) -> Result<Self, Self::Err> {
         if s.starts_with("0x") {
-            serde_json::from_str(&format!("\"{}\"", s))
+            PublicKeyBytes::from_str(s)
                 .map(ValidatorId::PublicKey)
-                .map_err(|_| format!("{} cannot be parsed as a public key", s))
+                .map_err(|e| format!("{} cannot be parsed as a public key: {}", s, e))
         } else {
             u64::from_str(s)
                 .map(ValidatorId::Index)
-                .map_err(|_| format!("{} cannot be parsed as a slot", s))
+                .map_err(|e| format!("{} cannot be parsed as a slot: {}", s, e))
         }
     }
 }
diff --git a/crypto/bls/src/generic_aggregate_signature.rs b/crypto/bls/src/generic_aggregate_signature.rs
index d0bcd38d2bd..417f5a264bc 100644
--- a/crypto/bls/src/generic_aggregate_signature.rs
+++ b/crypto/bls/src/generic_aggregate_signature.rs
@@ -245,6 +245,23 @@ where
     impl_tree_hash!(SIGNATURE_BYTES_LEN);
 }
 
+impl<Pub, AggPub, Sig, AggSig> fmt::Display for GenericAggregateSignature<Pub, AggPub, Sig, AggSig>
+where
+    Sig: TSignature<Pub>,
+    AggSig: TAggregateSignature<Pub, AggPub, Sig>,
+{
+    impl_display!();
+}
+
+impl<Pub, AggPub, Sig, AggSig> std::str::FromStr
+    for GenericAggregateSignature<Pub, AggPub, Sig, AggSig>
+where
+    Sig: TSignature<Pub>,
+    AggSig: TAggregateSignature<Pub, AggPub, Sig>,
+{
+    impl_from_str!();
+}
+
 impl<Pub, AggPub, Sig, AggSig> Serialize for GenericAggregateSignature<Pub, AggPub, Sig, AggSig>
 where
     Sig: TSignature<Pub>,
diff --git a/crypto/bls/src/generic_public_key.rs b/crypto/bls/src/generic_public_key.rs
index fe3c573f7e5..4c97b88b940 100644
--- a/crypto/bls/src/generic_public_key.rs
+++ b/crypto/bls/src/generic_public_key.rs
@@ -97,6 +97,14 @@ impl<Pub: TPublicKey> TreeHash for GenericPublicKey<Pub> {
     impl_tree_hash!(PUBLIC_KEY_BYTES_LEN);
 }
 
+impl<Pub: TPublicKey> fmt::Display for GenericPublicKey<Pub> {
+    impl_display!();
+}
+
+impl<Pub: TPublicKey> std::str::FromStr for GenericPublicKey<Pub> {
+    impl_from_str!();
+}
+
 impl<Pub: TPublicKey> Serialize for GenericPublicKey<Pub> {
     impl_serde_serialize!();
 }
diff --git a/crypto/bls/src/generic_public_key_bytes.rs b/crypto/bls/src/generic_public_key_bytes.rs
index 824eafb4d6c..d3e68b7f17f 100644
--- a/crypto/bls/src/generic_public_key_bytes.rs
+++ b/crypto/bls/src/generic_public_key_bytes.rs
@@ -132,6 +132,14 @@ impl<Pub> TreeHash for GenericPublicKeyBytes<Pub> {
     impl_tree_hash!(PUBLIC_KEY_BYTES_LEN);
 }
 
+impl<Pub> fmt::Display for GenericPublicKeyBytes<Pub> {
+    impl_display!();
+}
+
+impl<Pub> std::str::FromStr for GenericPublicKeyBytes<Pub> {
+    impl_from_str!();
+}
+
 impl<Pub> Serialize for GenericPublicKeyBytes<Pub> {
     impl_serde_serialize!();
 }
diff --git a/crypto/bls/src/generic_signature.rs b/crypto/bls/src/generic_signature.rs
index 159b69d0c94..a658190c1e3 100644
--- a/crypto/bls/src/generic_signature.rs
+++ b/crypto/bls/src/generic_signature.rs
@@ -149,6 +149,14 @@ impl<PublicKey, T: TSignature<PublicKey>> TreeHash for GenericSignature<PublicKe
     impl_tree_hash!(SIGNATURE_BYTES_LEN);
 }
 
+impl<PublicKey, T: TSignature<PublicKey>> fmt::Display for GenericSignature<PublicKey, T> {
+    impl_display!();
+}
+
+impl<PublicKey, T: TSignature<PublicKey>> std::str::FromStr for GenericSignature<PublicKey, T> {
+    impl_from_str!();
+}
+
 impl<PublicKey, T: TSignature<PublicKey>> Serialize for GenericSignature<PublicKey, T> {
     impl_serde_serialize!();
 }
diff --git a/crypto/bls/src/generic_signature_bytes.rs b/crypto/bls/src/generic_signature_bytes.rs
index ee4299320e5..21162fcada8 100644
--- a/crypto/bls/src/generic_signature_bytes.rs
+++ b/crypto/bls/src/generic_signature_bytes.rs
@@ -124,6 +124,14 @@ impl<Pub, Sig> TreeHash for GenericSignatureBytes<Pub, Sig> {
     impl_tree_hash!(SIGNATURE_BYTES_LEN);
 }
 
+impl<Pub, Sig> fmt::Display for GenericSignatureBytes<Pub, Sig> {
+    impl_display!();
+}
+
+impl<Pub, Sig> std::str::FromStr for GenericSignatureBytes<Pub, Sig> {
+    impl_from_str!();
+}
+
 impl<Pub, Sig> Serialize for GenericSignatureBytes<Pub, Sig> {
     impl_serde_serialize!();
 }
diff --git a/crypto/bls/src/macros.rs b/crypto/bls/src/macros.rs
index ca103da6da4..915cfe4c6db 100644
--- a/crypto/bls/src/macros.rs
+++ b/crypto/bls/src/macros.rs
@@ -76,6 +76,35 @@ macro_rules! impl_ssz_decode {
     };
 }
 
+/// Contains the functions required for a `fmt::Display` implementation.
+///
+/// Does not include the `Impl` section since it gets very complicated when it comes to generics.
+macro_rules! impl_display {
+    () => {
+        fn fmt(&self, f: &mut fmt::Formatter<'_>) -> fmt::Result {
+            write!(f, "{}", hex_encode(self.serialize().to_vec()))
+        }
+    };
+}
+
+/// Contains the functions required for a `fmt::Display` implementation.
+///
+/// Does not include the `Impl` section since it gets very complicated when it comes to generics.
+macro_rules! impl_from_str {
+    () => {
+        type Err = String;
+
+        fn from_str(s: &str) -> Result<Self, Self::Err> {
+            if s.starts_with("0x") {
+                let bytes = hex::decode(&s[2..]).map_err(|e| e.to_string())?;
+                Self::deserialize(&bytes[..]).map_err(|e| format!("{:?}", e))
+            } else {
+                Err("must start with 0x".to_string())
+            }
+        }
+    };
+}
+
 /// Contains the functions required for a `serde::Serialize` implementation.
 ///
 /// Does not include the `Impl` section since it gets very complicated when it comes to generics.
@@ -85,7 +114,7 @@ macro_rules! impl_serde_serialize {
         where
             S: Serializer,
         {
-            serializer.serialize_str(&hex_encode(self.serialize().to_vec()))
+            serializer.serialize_str(&self.to_string())
         }
     };
 }