diff --git a/electrum/ecc.py b/electrum/ecc.py
index e459512a3..5531309de 100644
--- a/electrum/ecc.py
+++ b/electrum/ecc.py
@@ -65,32 +65,73 @@ def string_to_number(b: bytes) -> int:
     return int.from_bytes(b, byteorder='big', signed=False)
 
 
-def sig_string_from_der_sig(der_sig: bytes, order=CURVE_ORDER) -> bytes:  # TODO use libsecp?
-    r, s = ecdsa.util.sigdecode_der(der_sig, order)
-    return ecdsa.util.sigencode_string(r, s, order)
+def sig_string_from_der_sig(der_sig: bytes, order=CURVE_ORDER) -> bytes:
+    r, s = get_r_and_s_from_der_sig(der_sig)
+    return sig_string_from_r_and_s(r, s)
 
 
 def der_sig_from_sig_string(sig_string: bytes, order=CURVE_ORDER) -> bytes:
-    r, s = ecdsa.util.sigdecode_string(sig_string, order)
-    return ecdsa.util.sigencode_der_canonize(r, s, order)
+    r, s = get_r_and_s_from_sig_string(sig_string)
+    return der_sig_from_r_and_s(r, s)
 
 
 def der_sig_from_r_and_s(r: int, s: int, order=CURVE_ORDER) -> bytes:
-    return ecdsa.util.sigencode_der_canonize(r, s, order)
+    sig_string = (int.to_bytes(r, length=32, byteorder="big") +
+                  int.to_bytes(s, length=32, byteorder="big"))
+    sig = create_string_buffer(64)
+    ret = _libsecp256k1.secp256k1_ecdsa_signature_parse_compact(_libsecp256k1.ctx, sig, sig_string)
+    if not ret:
+        raise Exception("Bad signature")
+    ret = _libsecp256k1.secp256k1_ecdsa_signature_normalize(_libsecp256k1.ctx, sig, sig)
+    der_sig = create_string_buffer(80)  # this much space should be enough
+    der_sig_size = c_size_t(len(der_sig))
+    ret = _libsecp256k1.secp256k1_ecdsa_signature_serialize_der(_libsecp256k1.ctx, der_sig, byref(der_sig_size), sig)
+    if not ret:
+        raise Exception("failed to serialize DER sig")
+    der_sig_size = der_sig_size.value
+    return bytes(der_sig)[:der_sig_size]
 
 
 def get_r_and_s_from_der_sig(der_sig: bytes, order=CURVE_ORDER) -> Tuple[int, int]:
-    r, s = ecdsa.util.sigdecode_der(der_sig, order)
+    assert isinstance(der_sig, bytes)
+    sig = create_string_buffer(64)
+    ret = _libsecp256k1.secp256k1_ecdsa_signature_parse_der(_libsecp256k1.ctx, sig, der_sig, len(der_sig))
+    if not ret:
+        raise Exception("Bad signature")
+    ret = _libsecp256k1.secp256k1_ecdsa_signature_normalize(_libsecp256k1.ctx, sig, sig)
+    compact_signature = create_string_buffer(64)
+    _libsecp256k1.secp256k1_ecdsa_signature_serialize_compact(_libsecp256k1.ctx, compact_signature, sig)
+    r = int.from_bytes(compact_signature[:32], byteorder="big")
+    s = int.from_bytes(compact_signature[32:], byteorder="big")
     return r, s
 
 
 def get_r_and_s_from_sig_string(sig_string: bytes, order=CURVE_ORDER) -> Tuple[int, int]:
-    r, s = ecdsa.util.sigdecode_string(sig_string, order)
+    if not (isinstance(sig_string, bytes) and len(sig_string) == 64):
+        raise Exception("sig_string must be bytes, and 64 bytes exactly")
+    sig = create_string_buffer(64)
+    ret = _libsecp256k1.secp256k1_ecdsa_signature_parse_compact(_libsecp256k1.ctx, sig, sig_string)
+    if not ret:
+        raise Exception("Bad signature")
+    ret = _libsecp256k1.secp256k1_ecdsa_signature_normalize(_libsecp256k1.ctx, sig, sig)
+    compact_signature = create_string_buffer(64)
+    _libsecp256k1.secp256k1_ecdsa_signature_serialize_compact(_libsecp256k1.ctx, compact_signature, sig)
+    r = int.from_bytes(compact_signature[:32], byteorder="big")
+    s = int.from_bytes(compact_signature[32:], byteorder="big")
     return r, s
 
 
 def sig_string_from_r_and_s(r: int, s: int, order=CURVE_ORDER) -> bytes:
-    return ecdsa.util.sigencode_string_canonize(r, s, order)
+    sig_string = (int.to_bytes(r, length=32, byteorder="big") +
+                  int.to_bytes(s, length=32, byteorder="big"))
+    sig = create_string_buffer(64)
+    ret = _libsecp256k1.secp256k1_ecdsa_signature_parse_compact(_libsecp256k1.ctx, sig, sig_string)
+    if not ret:
+        raise Exception("Bad signature")
+    ret = _libsecp256k1.secp256k1_ecdsa_signature_normalize(_libsecp256k1.ctx, sig, sig)
+    compact_signature = create_string_buffer(64)
+    _libsecp256k1.secp256k1_ecdsa_signature_serialize_compact(_libsecp256k1.ctx, compact_signature, sig)
+    return bytes(compact_signature)
 
 
 def point_to_ser(point, compressed=True) -> Optional[bytes]:  # TODO rm?
diff --git a/electrum/ecc_fast.py b/electrum/ecc_fast.py
index 3fb63b3c1..ee7b3d40a 100644
--- a/electrum/ecc_fast.py
+++ b/electrum/ecc_fast.py
@@ -79,6 +79,12 @@ def load_library():
         secp256k1.secp256k1_ecdsa_signature_serialize_compact.argtypes = [c_void_p, c_char_p, c_char_p]
         secp256k1.secp256k1_ecdsa_signature_serialize_compact.restype = c_int
 
+        secp256k1.secp256k1_ecdsa_signature_parse_der.argtypes = [c_void_p, c_char_p, c_char_p, c_size_t]
+        secp256k1.secp256k1_ecdsa_signature_parse_der.restype = c_int
+
+        secp256k1.secp256k1_ecdsa_signature_serialize_der.argtypes = [c_void_p, c_char_p, c_void_p, c_char_p]
+        secp256k1.secp256k1_ecdsa_signature_serialize_der.restype = c_int
+
         secp256k1.secp256k1_ec_pubkey_tweak_mul.argtypes = [c_void_p, c_char_p, c_char_p]
         secp256k1.secp256k1_ec_pubkey_tweak_mul.restype = c_int