diff --git a/crates/e2e/Cargo.toml b/crates/e2e/Cargo.toml
index f6e11ca7dc7..2c8ce9c6145 100644
--- a/crates/e2e/Cargo.toml
+++ b/crates/e2e/Cargo.toml
@@ -29,7 +29,8 @@ tokio = { version = "1.18.2", features = ["rt-multi-thread"] }
 log = { version = "0.4" }
 env_logger = { version = "0.10" }
 scale = { package = "parity-scale-codec", version = "3.4", default-features = false, features = ["derive"] }
-subxt = "0.28.0"
+subxt = "0.31.0"
+subxt-signer = { version = "0.31.0", features = ["subxt", "sr25519"] }
 
 # Substrate
 pallet-contracts-primitives = "24.0.0"
diff --git a/crates/e2e/src/client.rs b/crates/e2e/src/client.rs
index 8165f7f6a7a..5c39a66826a 100644
--- a/crates/e2e/src/client.rs
+++ b/crates/e2e/src/client.rs
@@ -25,12 +25,11 @@ use super::{
     ContractExecResult,
     ContractInstantiateResult,
     ContractsApi,
-    Signer,
+    Keypair,
 };
 use ink_env::Environment;
 use ink_primitives::MessageResult;
 use pallet_contracts_primitives::ExecReturnValue;
-use sp_core::Pair;
 #[cfg(feature = "std")]
 use std::{
     collections::BTreeMap,
@@ -52,7 +51,8 @@ use subxt::{
             ValueDef,
         },
     },
-    tx::PairSigner,
+    tx::Signer,
+    Config,
 };
 
 /// Result of a contract instantiation.
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ pub struct InstantiationResult<C: subxt::Config, E: Environment> {
     pub account_id: E::AccountId,
     /// The result of the dry run, contains debug messages
     /// if there were any.
-    pub dry_run: ContractInstantiateResult<C::AccountId, E::Balance>,
+    pub dry_run: ContractInstantiateResult<C::AccountId, E::Balance, ()>,
     /// Events that happened with the contract instantiation.
     pub events: ExtrinsicEvents<C>,
 }
@@ -191,7 +191,7 @@ where
 pub struct CallDryRunResult<E: Environment, V> {
     /// The result of the dry run, contains debug messages
     /// if there were any.
-    pub exec_result: ContractExecResult<E::Balance>,
+    pub exec_result: ContractExecResult<E::Balance, ()>,
     _marker: PhantomData<V>,
 }
 
@@ -271,7 +271,7 @@ where
     /// No contract with the given name found in scope.
     ContractNotFound(String),
     /// The `instantiate_with_code` dry run failed.
-    InstantiateDryRun(ContractInstantiateResult<C::AccountId, E::Balance>),
+    InstantiateDryRun(ContractInstantiateResult<C::AccountId, E::Balance, ()>),
     /// The `instantiate_with_code` extrinsic failed.
     InstantiateExtrinsic(subxt::error::DispatchError),
     /// The `upload` dry run failed.
@@ -279,7 +279,7 @@ where
     /// The `upload` extrinsic failed.
     UploadExtrinsic(subxt::error::DispatchError),
     /// The `call` dry run failed.
-    CallDryRun(ContractExecResult<E::Balance>),
+    CallDryRun(ContractExecResult<E::Balance, ()>),
     /// The `call` extrinsic failed.
     CallExtrinsic(subxt::error::DispatchError),
     /// Error fetching account balance.
@@ -383,12 +383,11 @@ where
 impl<C, E> Client<C, E>
 where
     C: subxt::Config,
-    C::AccountId: From<sp_runtime::AccountId32>
-        + scale::Codec
-        + serde::de::DeserializeOwned
-        + Debug,
+    C::AccountId:
+        From<sr25519::PublicKey> + scale::Codec + serde::de::DeserializeOwned + Debug,
+    C::Address: From<sr25519::PublicKey>,
     C::Signature: From<sr25519::Signature>,
-    <C::ExtrinsicParams as ExtrinsicParams<C::Index, C::Hash>>::OtherParams: Default,
+    <C::ExtrinsicParams as ExtrinsicParams<C::Hash>>::OtherParams: Default,
 
     E: Environment,
     E::AccountId: Debug,
@@ -424,17 +423,21 @@ where
     /// number of times.
     pub async fn create_and_fund_account(
         &self,
-        origin: &Signer<C>,
+        origin: &Keypair,
         amount: E::Balance,
-    ) -> Signer<C>
+    ) -> Keypair
     where
         E::Balance: Clone,
         C::AccountId: Clone + core::fmt::Display + Debug,
         C::AccountId: From<sp_core::crypto::AccountId32>,
     {
-        let (pair, _, _) = <sr25519::Pair as Pair>::generate_with_phrase(None);
-        let pair_signer = PairSigner::<C, _>::new(pair);
-        let account_id = pair_signer.account_id().to_owned();
+        let (_, phrase, _) =
+            <sp_core::sr25519::Pair as sp_core::Pair>::generate_with_phrase(None);
+        let phrase =
+            subxt_signer::bip39::Mnemonic::parse(phrase).expect("valid phrase expected");
+        let keypair = Keypair::from_phrase(&phrase, None).expect("valid phrase expected");
+        let account_id = <Keypair as Signer<C>>::account_id(&keypair);
+        let origin_account_id = origin.public_key().to_account_id();
 
         self.api
             .try_transfer_balance(origin, account_id.clone(), amount)
@@ -442,19 +445,16 @@ where
             .unwrap_or_else(|err| {
                 panic!(
                     "transfer from {} to {} failed with {:?}",
-                    origin.account_id(),
-                    account_id,
-                    err
+                    origin_account_id, account_id, err
                 )
             });
 
         log_info(&format!(
             "transfer from {} to {} succeeded",
-            origin.account_id(),
-            account_id,
+            origin_account_id, account_id,
         ));
 
-        pair_signer
+        keypair
     }
 
     /// This function extracts the metadata of the contract at the file path
@@ -468,7 +468,7 @@ where
     pub async fn instantiate<ContractRef, Args, R>(
         &mut self,
         contract_name: &str,
-        signer: &Signer<C>,
+        signer: &Keypair,
         constructor: CreateBuilderPartial<E, ContractRef, Args, R>,
         value: E::Balance,
         storage_deposit_limit: Option<E::Balance>,
@@ -488,11 +488,11 @@ where
     pub async fn instantiate_dry_run<ContractRef, Args, R>(
         &mut self,
         contract_name: &str,
-        signer: &Signer<C>,
+        signer: &Keypair,
         constructor: CreateBuilderPartial<E, ContractRef, Args, R>,
         value: E::Balance,
         storage_deposit_limit: Option<E::Balance>,
-    ) -> ContractInstantiateResult<C::AccountId, E::Balance>
+    ) -> ContractInstantiateResult<C::AccountId, E::Balance, ()>
     where
         Args: scale::Encode,
     {
@@ -535,7 +535,7 @@ where
     /// Executes an `instantiate_with_code` call and captures the resulting events.
     async fn exec_instantiate<ContractRef, Args, R>(
         &mut self,
-        signer: &Signer<C>,
+        signer: &Keypair,
         code: Vec<u8>,
         constructor: CreateBuilderPartial<E, ContractRef, Args, R>,
         value: E::Balance,
@@ -646,7 +646,7 @@ where
     pub async fn upload(
         &mut self,
         contract_name: &str,
-        signer: &Signer<C>,
+        signer: &Keypair,
         storage_deposit_limit: Option<E::Balance>,
     ) -> Result<UploadResult<C, E>, Error<C, E>> {
         let code = self.load_code(contract_name);
@@ -660,7 +660,7 @@ where
     /// Executes an `upload` call and captures the resulting events.
     pub async fn exec_upload(
         &mut self,
-        signer: &Signer<C>,
+        signer: &Keypair,
         code: Vec<u8>,
         storage_deposit_limit: Option<E::Balance>,
     ) -> Result<UploadResult<C, E>, Error<C, E>> {
@@ -731,7 +731,7 @@ where
     /// contains all events that are associated with this transaction.
     pub async fn call<RetType>(
         &mut self,
-        signer: &Signer<C>,
+        signer: &Keypair,
         message: Message<E, RetType>,
         value: E::Balance,
         storage_deposit_limit: Option<E::Balance>,
@@ -793,7 +793,7 @@ where
     /// contains all events that are associated with this transaction.
     pub async fn runtime_call<'a>(
         &mut self,
-        signer: &Signer<C>,
+        signer: &Keypair,
         pallet_name: &'a str,
         call_name: &'a str,
         call_data: Vec<Value>,
@@ -828,7 +828,7 @@ where
     /// invoked message.
     pub async fn call_dry_run<RetType>(
         &mut self,
-        signer: &Signer<C>,
+        signer: &Keypair,
         message: &Message<E, RetType>,
         value: E::Balance,
         storage_deposit_limit: Option<E::Balance>,
@@ -839,7 +839,7 @@ where
         let exec_result = self
             .api
             .call_dry_run(
-                Signer::account_id(signer).clone(),
+                Signer::<C>::account_id(signer),
                 message,
                 value,
                 storage_deposit_limit,
@@ -940,6 +940,6 @@ where
 }
 
 /// Returns true if the give event is System::Extrinsic failed.
-fn is_extrinsic_failed_event(event: &EventDetails) -> bool {
+fn is_extrinsic_failed_event<C: Config>(event: &EventDetails<C>) -> bool {
     event.pallet_name() == "System" && event.variant_name() == "ExtrinsicFailed"
 }
diff --git a/crates/e2e/src/lib.rs b/crates/e2e/src/lib.rs
index 445286cbf9c..0310cd0305f 100644
--- a/crates/e2e/src/lib.rs
+++ b/crates/e2e/src/lib.rs
@@ -21,7 +21,6 @@
 
 mod builders;
 mod client;
-mod default_accounts;
 mod node_proc;
 mod xts;
 
@@ -37,7 +36,6 @@ pub use client::{
     InstantiationResult,
     UploadResult,
 };
-pub use default_accounts::*;
 pub use env_logger;
 pub use ink_e2e_macro::test;
 pub use node_proc::{
@@ -46,9 +44,11 @@ pub use node_proc::{
 };
 pub use sp_core::H256;
 pub use sp_keyring::AccountKeyring;
-pub use subxt::{
+pub use subxt;
+pub use subxt_signer::sr25519::{
     self,
-    tx::PairSigner,
+    dev::*,
+    Keypair,
 };
 pub use tokio;
 
@@ -57,44 +57,13 @@ use pallet_contracts_primitives::{
     ContractExecResult,
     ContractInstantiateResult,
 };
-use sp_core::sr25519;
 use std::{
     cell::RefCell,
     sync::Once,
 };
 use xts::ContractsApi;
 
-/// Default set of commonly used types by Substrate runtimes.
-#[cfg(feature = "std")]
-pub enum SubstrateConfig {}
-
-#[cfg(feature = "std")]
-impl subxt::Config for SubstrateConfig {
-    type Index = u32;
-    type Hash = sp_core::H256;
-    type Hasher = subxt::config::substrate::BlakeTwo256;
-    type AccountId = subxt::config::substrate::AccountId32;
-    type Address = sp_runtime::MultiAddress<Self::AccountId, u32>;
-    type Header = subxt::config::substrate::SubstrateHeader<
-        u32,
-        subxt::config::substrate::BlakeTwo256,
-    >;
-    type Signature = sp_runtime::MultiSignature;
-    type ExtrinsicParams = subxt::config::substrate::SubstrateExtrinsicParams<Self>;
-}
-
-/// Default set of commonly used types by Polkadot nodes.
-#[cfg(feature = "std")]
-pub type PolkadotConfig = subxt::config::WithExtrinsicParams<
-    SubstrateConfig,
-    subxt::config::polkadot::PolkadotExtrinsicParams<SubstrateConfig>,
->;
-
-/// Signer that is used throughout the E2E testing.
-///
-/// The E2E testing can only be used with nodes that support `sr25519`
-/// cryptography.
-pub type Signer<C> = PairSigner<C, sr25519::Pair>;
+pub use subxt::PolkadotConfig;
 
 /// We use this to only initialize `env_logger` once.
 pub static INIT: Once = Once::new();
diff --git a/crates/e2e/src/xts.rs b/crates/e2e/src/xts.rs
index ffccdb344c1..7c28360bafa 100644
--- a/crates/e2e/src/xts.rs
+++ b/crates/e2e/src/xts.rs
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ use super::{
     sr25519,
     ContractExecResult,
     ContractInstantiateResult,
-    Signer,
+    Keypair,
 };
 use ink_env::Environment;
 
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ use subxt::{
     config::ExtrinsicParams,
     ext::scale_encode,
     rpc_params,
+    tx::Signer,
     utils::MultiAddress,
     OnlineClient,
 };
@@ -210,10 +211,10 @@ pub struct ContractsApi<C: subxt::Config, E: Environment> {
 impl<C, E> ContractsApi<C, E>
 where
     C: subxt::Config,
-    C::AccountId: serde::de::DeserializeOwned,
-    C::AccountId: scale::Codec,
+    C::AccountId: From<sr25519::PublicKey> + serde::de::DeserializeOwned + scale::Codec,
+    C::Address: From<sr25519::PublicKey>,
     C::Signature: From<sr25519::Signature>,
-    <C::ExtrinsicParams as ExtrinsicParams<C::Index, C::Hash>>::OtherParams: Default,
+    <C::ExtrinsicParams as ExtrinsicParams<C::Hash>>::OtherParams: Default,
 
     E: Environment,
     E::Balance: scale::HasCompact + serde::Serialize,
@@ -232,7 +233,7 @@ where
     /// invalid (e.g. out of date nonce)
     pub async fn try_transfer_balance(
         &self,
-        origin: &Signer<C>,
+        origin: &Keypair,
         dest: C::AccountId,
         value: E::Balance,
     ) -> Result<(), subxt::Error> {
@@ -267,11 +268,11 @@ where
         code: Vec<u8>,
         data: Vec<u8>,
         salt: Vec<u8>,
-        signer: &Signer<C>,
-    ) -> ContractInstantiateResult<C::AccountId, E::Balance> {
+        signer: &Keypair,
+    ) -> ContractInstantiateResult<C::AccountId, E::Balance, ()> {
         let code = Code::Upload(code);
         let call_request = RpcInstantiateRequest::<C, E> {
-            origin: subxt::tx::Signer::account_id(signer).clone(),
+            origin: Signer::<C>::account_id(signer),
             value,
             gas_limit: None,
             storage_deposit_limit,
@@ -298,7 +299,7 @@ where
     pub async fn submit_extrinsic<Call>(
         &self,
         call: &Call,
-        signer: &Signer<C>,
+        signer: &Keypair,
     ) -> ExtrinsicEvents<C>
     where
         Call: subxt::tx::TxPayload,
@@ -342,7 +343,7 @@ where
         code: Vec<u8>,
         data: Vec<u8>,
         salt: Vec<u8>,
-        signer: &Signer<C>,
+        signer: &Keypair,
     ) -> ExtrinsicEvents<C> {
         let call = subxt::tx::Payload::new(
             "Contracts",
@@ -364,12 +365,12 @@ where
     /// Dry runs the upload of the given `code`.
     pub async fn upload_dry_run(
         &self,
-        signer: &Signer<C>,
+        signer: &Keypair,
         code: Vec<u8>,
         storage_deposit_limit: Option<E::Balance>,
     ) -> CodeUploadResult<E::Hash, E::Balance> {
         let call_request = RpcCodeUploadRequest::<C, E> {
-            origin: subxt::tx::Signer::account_id(signer).clone(),
+            origin: Signer::<C>::account_id(signer),
             code,
             storage_deposit_limit,
             determinism: Determinism::Deterministic,
@@ -394,7 +395,7 @@ where
     /// contains all events that are associated with this transaction.
     pub async fn upload(
         &self,
-        signer: &Signer<C>,
+        signer: &Keypair,
         code: Vec<u8>,
         storage_deposit_limit: Option<E::Balance>,
     ) -> ExtrinsicEvents<C> {
@@ -419,7 +420,7 @@ where
         message: &Message<E, RetType>,
         value: E::Balance,
         storage_deposit_limit: Option<E::Balance>,
-    ) -> ContractExecResult<E::Balance> {
+    ) -> ContractExecResult<E::Balance, ()> {
         let call_request = RpcCallRequest::<C, E> {
             origin,
             dest: message.account_id().clone(),
@@ -453,7 +454,7 @@ where
         gas_limit: Weight,
         storage_deposit_limit: Option<E::Balance>,
         data: Vec<u8>,
-        signer: &Signer<C>,
+        signer: &Keypair,
     ) -> ExtrinsicEvents<C> {
         let call = subxt::tx::Payload::new(
             "Contracts",
@@ -479,7 +480,7 @@ where
     /// contains all events that are associated with this transaction.
     pub async fn runtime_call<'a>(
         &self,
-        signer: &Signer<C>,
+        signer: &Keypair,
         pallet_name: &'a str,
         call_name: &'a str,
         call_data: Vec<subxt::dynamic::Value>,
diff --git a/crates/env/Cargo.toml b/crates/env/Cargo.toml
index c1676ede5ec..8757e749152 100644
--- a/crates/env/Cargo.toml
+++ b/crates/env/Cargo.toml
@@ -47,8 +47,8 @@ secp256k1 = { version = "0.27.0", features = ["recovery", "global-context"], opt
 #
 # Sadly couldn't be marked as dev-dependency.
 # Never use this crate outside the off-chain environment!
-scale-decode = { version = "0.5.0", default-features = false, optional = true }
-scale-encode = { version = "0.1.0", default-features = false, optional = true }
+scale-decode = { version = "0.9.0", default-features = false, optional = true }
+scale-encode = { version = "0.5.0", default-features = false, optional = true }
 scale-info = { version = "2.5", default-features = false, features = ["derive"], optional = true }
 
 [dev-dependencies]
diff --git a/crates/primitives/Cargo.toml b/crates/primitives/Cargo.toml
index 3ad1c251bc3..5ad52bd57a9 100644
--- a/crates/primitives/Cargo.toml
+++ b/crates/primitives/Cargo.toml
@@ -18,8 +18,8 @@ include = ["/Cargo.toml", "src/**/*.rs", "/README.md", "/LICENSE"]
 derive_more = { version = "0.99", default-features = false, features = ["from", "display"] }
 ink_prelude = { version = "4.2.1", path = "../prelude/", default-features = false }
 scale = { package = "parity-scale-codec", version = "3.4", default-features = false, features = ["derive"] }
-scale-decode = { version = "0.5.0", default-features = false, features = ["derive"], optional = true }
-scale-encode = { version = "0.1.0", default-features = false, features = ["derive"], optional = true }
+scale-decode = { version = "0.9.0", default-features = false, features = ["derive"], optional = true }
+scale-encode = { version = "0.5.0", default-features = false, features = ["derive"], optional = true }
 scale-info = { version = "2.5", default-features = false, features = ["derive"], optional = true }
 xxhash-rust = { version = "0.8", features = ["const_xxh32"] }