diff --git a/bigchaindb/common/crypto.py b/bigchaindb/common/crypto.py
index acce02d9..99663fe9 100644
--- a/bigchaindb/common/crypto.py
+++ b/bigchaindb/common/crypto.py
@@ -1,18 +1,31 @@
 # Separate all crypto code so that we can easily test several implementations
+from collections import namedtuple
 
 import sha3
 from cryptoconditions import crypto
 
 
+CryptoKeypair = namedtuple('CryptoKeypair', ('private_key', 'public_key'))
+
+
 def hash_data(data):
     """Hash the provided data using SHA3-256"""
     return sha3.sha3_256(data.encode()).hexdigest()
 
 
 def generate_key_pair():
+    """Generates a cryptographic key pair.
+
+    Returns:
+        :class:`~bigchaindb.common.crypto.CryptoKeypair`: A
+        :obj:`collections.namedtuple` with named fields
+        :attr:`~bigchaindb.common.crypto.CryptoKeypair.private_key` and
+        :attr:`~bigchaindb.common.crypto.CryptoKeypair.public_key`.
+
+    """
     # TODO FOR CC: Adjust interface so that this function becomes unnecessary
-    private_key, public_key = crypto.ed25519_generate_key_pair()
-    return private_key.decode(), public_key.decode()
+    return CryptoKeypair(
+        *(k.decode() for k in crypto.ed25519_generate_key_pair()))
 
 
 PrivateKey = crypto.Ed25519SigningKey