diff --git a/component.go b/component.go
index e31fe5d..69baf7a 100644
--- a/component.go
+++ b/component.go
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ package multiaddr
 import (
 	"bytes"
 	"encoding/binary"
+	"encoding/json"
 	"fmt"
 	"strings"
 )
@@ -18,6 +19,54 @@ func (c *Component) Bytes() []byte {
 	return c.bytes
 }
 
+func (c *Component) MarshalBinary() ([]byte, error) {
+	return c.Bytes(), nil
+}
+
+func (c *Component) UnmarshalBinary(data []byte) error {
+	_, comp, err := readComponent(data)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	*c = comp
+	return nil
+}
+
+func (c *Component) MarshalText() ([]byte, error) {
+	return []byte(c.String()), nil
+}
+
+func (c *Component) UnmarshalText(data []byte) error {
+	bytes, err := stringToBytes(string(data))
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	_, comp, err := readComponent(bytes)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	*c = comp
+	return nil
+}
+
+func (c *Component) MarshalJSON() ([]byte, error) {
+	txt, err := c.MarshalText()
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	return json.Marshal(string(txt))
+}
+
+func (m *Component) UnmarshalJSON(data []byte) error {
+	var v string
+	if err := json.Unmarshal(data, &v); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	return m.UnmarshalText([]byte(v))
+}
+
 func (c *Component) Equal(o Multiaddr) bool {
 	return bytes.Equal(c.bytes, o.Bytes())
 }
@@ -34,7 +83,7 @@ func (c *Component) Decapsulate(o Multiaddr) Multiaddr {
 }
 
 func (c *Component) Encapsulate(o Multiaddr) Multiaddr {
-	m := multiaddr{bytes: c.bytes}
+	m := &multiaddr{bytes: c.bytes}
 	return m.Encapsulate(o)
 }
 
diff --git a/interface.go b/interface.go
index 34bffd9..82cc764 100644
--- a/interface.go
+++ b/interface.go
@@ -1,5 +1,10 @@
 package multiaddr
 
+import (
+	"encoding"
+	"encoding/json"
+)
+
 /*
 Multiaddr is a cross-protocol, cross-platform format for representing
 internet addresses. It emphasizes explicitness and self-description.
@@ -14,6 +19,13 @@ Multiaddrs have both a binary and string representation.
 
 */
 type Multiaddr interface {
+	json.Marshaler
+	json.Unmarshaler
+	encoding.TextMarshaler
+	encoding.TextUnmarshaler
+	encoding.BinaryMarshaler
+	encoding.BinaryUnmarshaler
+
 	// Equal returns whether two Multiaddrs are exactly equal
 	Equal(Multiaddr) bool
 
diff --git a/multiaddr.go b/multiaddr.go
index 2c07dd3..6794b92 100644
--- a/multiaddr.go
+++ b/multiaddr.go
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package multiaddr
 
 import (
 	"bytes"
+	"encoding/json"
 	"fmt"
 	"log"
 	"strings"
@@ -24,7 +25,7 @@ func NewMultiaddr(s string) (a Multiaddr, err error) {
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
-	return multiaddr{bytes: b}, nil
+	return &multiaddr{bytes: b}, nil
 }
 
 // NewMultiaddrBytes initializes a Multiaddr from a byte representation.
@@ -41,23 +42,23 @@ func NewMultiaddrBytes(b []byte) (a Multiaddr, err error) {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
-	return multiaddr{bytes: b}, nil
+	return &multiaddr{bytes: b}, nil
 }
 
 // Equal tests whether two multiaddrs are equal
-func (m multiaddr) Equal(m2 Multiaddr) bool {
+func (m *multiaddr) Equal(m2 Multiaddr) bool {
 	return bytes.Equal(m.bytes, m2.Bytes())
 }
 
 // Bytes returns the []byte representation of this Multiaddr
 //
 // Do not modify the returned buffer, it may be shared.
-func (m multiaddr) Bytes() []byte {
+func (m *multiaddr) Bytes() []byte {
 	return m.bytes
 }
 
 // String returns the string representation of a Multiaddr
-func (m multiaddr) String() string {
+func (m *multiaddr) String() string {
 	s, err := bytesToString(m.bytes)
 	if err != nil {
 		panic(fmt.Errorf("multiaddr failed to convert back to string. corrupted? %s", err))
@@ -65,9 +66,49 @@ func (m multiaddr) String() string {
 	return s
 }
 
+func (m *multiaddr) MarshalBinary() ([]byte, error) {
+	return m.Bytes(), nil
+}
+
+func (m *multiaddr) UnmarshalBinary(data []byte) error {
+	new, err := NewMultiaddrBytes(data)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	*m = *(new.(*multiaddr))
+	return nil
+}
+
+func (m *multiaddr) MarshalText() ([]byte, error) {
+	return []byte(m.String()), nil
+}
+
+func (m *multiaddr) UnmarshalText(data []byte) error {
+	new, err := NewMultiaddr(string(data))
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	*m = *(new.(*multiaddr))
+	return nil
+}
+
+func (m *multiaddr) MarshalJSON() ([]byte, error) {
+	return json.Marshal(m.String())
+}
+
+func (m *multiaddr) UnmarshalJSON(data []byte) error {
+	var v string
+	if err := json.Unmarshal(data, &v); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	new, err := NewMultiaddr(v)
+	*m = *(new.(*multiaddr))
+	return err
+}
+
 // Protocols returns the list of protocols this Multiaddr has.
 // will panic in case we access bytes incorrectly.
-func (m multiaddr) Protocols() []Protocol {
+func (m *multiaddr) Protocols() []Protocol {
 	ps := make([]Protocol, 0, 8)
 	b := m.bytes
 	for len(b) > 0 {
@@ -96,18 +137,18 @@ func (m multiaddr) Protocols() []Protocol {
 }
 
 // Encapsulate wraps a given Multiaddr, returning the resulting joined Multiaddr
-func (m multiaddr) Encapsulate(o Multiaddr) Multiaddr {
+func (m *multiaddr) Encapsulate(o Multiaddr) Multiaddr {
 	mb := m.bytes
 	ob := o.Bytes()
 
 	b := make([]byte, len(mb)+len(ob))
 	copy(b, mb)
 	copy(b[len(mb):], ob)
-	return multiaddr{bytes: b}
+	return &multiaddr{bytes: b}
 }
 
 // Decapsulate unwraps Multiaddr up until the given Multiaddr is found.
-func (m multiaddr) Decapsulate(o Multiaddr) Multiaddr {
+func (m *multiaddr) Decapsulate(o Multiaddr) Multiaddr {
 	s1 := m.String()
 	s2 := o.String()
 	i := strings.LastIndex(s1, s2)
@@ -115,7 +156,7 @@ func (m multiaddr) Decapsulate(o Multiaddr) Multiaddr {
 		// if multiaddr not contained, returns a copy.
 		cpy := make([]byte, len(m.bytes))
 		copy(cpy, m.bytes)
-		return multiaddr{bytes: cpy}
+		return &multiaddr{bytes: cpy}
 	}
 
 	ma, err := NewMultiaddr(s1[:i])
@@ -127,7 +168,7 @@ func (m multiaddr) Decapsulate(o Multiaddr) Multiaddr {
 
 var ErrProtocolNotFound = fmt.Errorf("protocol not found in multiaddr")
 
-func (m multiaddr) ValueForProtocol(code int) (value string, err error) {
+func (m *multiaddr) ValueForProtocol(code int) (value string, err error) {
 	err = ErrProtocolNotFound
 	ForEach(m, func(c Component) bool {
 		if c.Protocol().Code == code {
diff --git a/multiaddr_test.go b/multiaddr_test.go
index 138fcd7..f97f92c 100644
--- a/multiaddr_test.go
+++ b/multiaddr_test.go
@@ -555,3 +555,108 @@ func TestZone(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Errorf("expected %s, got %s", ip6String, ma2.String())
 	}
 }
+
+func TestBinaryMarshaler(t *testing.T) {
+	addr := newMultiaddr(t, "/ip4/0.0.0.0/tcp/4001")
+	b, err := addr.MarshalBinary()
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	addr2 := newMultiaddr(t, "")
+	if err = addr2.UnmarshalBinary(b); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if !addr.Equal(addr2) {
+		t.Error("expected equal addresses in circular marshaling test")
+	}
+}
+
+func TestTextMarshaler(t *testing.T) {
+	addr := newMultiaddr(t, "/ip4/0.0.0.0/tcp/4001")
+	b, err := addr.MarshalText()
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	addr2 := newMultiaddr(t, "")
+	if err = addr2.UnmarshalText(b); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if !addr.Equal(addr2) {
+		t.Error("expected equal addresses in circular marshaling test")
+	}
+}
+
+func TestJSONMarshaler(t *testing.T) {
+	addr := newMultiaddr(t, "/ip4/0.0.0.0/tcp/4001")
+	b, err := addr.MarshalJSON()
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	addr2 := newMultiaddr(t, "")
+	if err = addr2.UnmarshalJSON(b); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if !addr.Equal(addr2) {
+		t.Error("expected equal addresses in circular marshaling test")
+	}
+}
+
+func TestComponentBinaryMarshaler(t *testing.T) {
+	comp, err := NewComponent("ip4", "0.0.0.0")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	b, err := comp.MarshalBinary()
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	comp2 := &Component{}
+	if err = comp2.UnmarshalBinary(b); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if !comp.Equal(comp2) {
+		t.Error("expected equal components in circular marshaling test")
+	}
+}
+
+func TestComponentTextMarshaler(t *testing.T) {
+	comp, err := NewComponent("ip4", "0.0.0.0")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	b, err := comp.MarshalText()
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	comp2 := &Component{}
+	if err = comp2.UnmarshalText(b); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if !comp.Equal(comp2) {
+		t.Error("expected equal components in circular marshaling test")
+	}
+}
+
+func TestComponentJSONMarshaler(t *testing.T) {
+	comp, err := NewComponent("ip4", "0.0.0.0")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	b, err := comp.MarshalJSON()
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	comp2 := &Component{}
+	if err = comp2.UnmarshalJSON(b); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if !comp.Equal(comp2) {
+		t.Error("expected equal components in circular marshaling test")
+	}
+}
diff --git a/util.go b/util.go
index d1044da..cf4469a 100644
--- a/util.go
+++ b/util.go
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ func Join(ms ...Multiaddr) Multiaddr {
 	case 0:
 		// empty multiaddr, unfortunately, we have callers that rely on
 		// this contract.
-		return multiaddr{}
+		return &multiaddr{}
 	case 1:
 		return ms[0]
 	}
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ func Join(ms ...Multiaddr) Multiaddr {
 	for _, mb := range bs {
 		bidx += copy(b[bidx:], mb)
 	}
-	return multiaddr{bytes: b}
+	return &multiaddr{bytes: b}
 }
 
 // Cast re-casts a byte slice as a multiaddr. will panic if it fails to parse.
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ func SplitFirst(m Multiaddr) (*Component, Multiaddr) {
 	if len(b) == n {
 		return &c, nil
 	}
-	return &c, multiaddr{b[n:]}
+	return &c, &multiaddr{b[n:]}
 }
 
 // SplitLast returns the rest of the multiaddr and the last component.
@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@ func SplitLast(m Multiaddr) (Multiaddr, *Component) {
 				// Only one component
 				return nil, &c
 			}
-			return multiaddr{b[:offset]}, &c
+			return &multiaddr{b[:offset]}, &c
 		}
 		offset += n
 	}
@@ -152,7 +152,7 @@ func SplitFunc(m Multiaddr, cb func(Component) bool) (Multiaddr, Multiaddr) {
 	case len(b):
 		return m, nil
 	default:
-		return multiaddr{b[:offset]}, multiaddr{b[offset:]}
+		return &multiaddr{b[:offset]}, &multiaddr{b[offset:]}
 	}
 }