diff --git a/ec/src/models/short_weierstrass/affine.rs b/ec/src/models/short_weierstrass/affine.rs
index b1340de3a..78cc834a0 100644
--- a/ec/src/models/short_weierstrass/affine.rs
+++ b/ec/src/models/short_weierstrass/affine.rs
@@ -343,7 +343,7 @@ impl<P: SWCurveConfig> From<Projective<P>> for Affine<P> {
     }
 }
 
-impl<P: SWCurveConfig> CanonicalSerialize for Affine<P> {
+impl<P: SWCurveConfig> CanonicalSerializeInner for Affine<P> {
     #[inline]
     fn serialize_with_mode<W: Write>(
         &self,
@@ -359,6 +359,8 @@ impl<P: SWCurveConfig> CanonicalSerialize for Affine<P> {
     }
 }
 
+impl<P: SWCurveConfig> CanonicalSerialize for Affine<P> {}
+
 impl<P: SWCurveConfig> Valid for Affine<P> {
     fn check(&self) -> Result<(), SerializationError> {
         if self.is_on_curve() && self.is_in_correct_subgroup_assuming_on_curve() {
diff --git a/ec/src/models/short_weierstrass/group.rs b/ec/src/models/short_weierstrass/group.rs
index 84dfc71d3..d8f771122 100644
--- a/ec/src/models/short_weierstrass/group.rs
+++ b/ec/src/models/short_weierstrass/group.rs
@@ -571,7 +571,7 @@ impl<P: SWCurveConfig> From<Affine<P>> for Projective<P> {
     }
 }
 
-impl<P: SWCurveConfig> CanonicalSerialize for Projective<P> {
+impl<P: SWCurveConfig> CanonicalSerializeInner for Projective<P> {
     #[inline]
     fn serialize_with_mode<W: Write>(
         &self,
@@ -588,6 +588,8 @@ impl<P: SWCurveConfig> CanonicalSerialize for Projective<P> {
     }
 }
 
+impl<P: SWCurveConfig> CanonicalSerialize for Projective<P> {}
+
 impl<P: SWCurveConfig> Valid for Projective<P> {
     fn check(&self) -> Result<(), SerializationError> {
         self.into_affine().check()
diff --git a/ec/src/models/twisted_edwards/affine.rs b/ec/src/models/twisted_edwards/affine.rs
index a6c908e31..ce270b728 100644
--- a/ec/src/models/twisted_edwards/affine.rs
+++ b/ec/src/models/twisted_edwards/affine.rs
@@ -300,7 +300,7 @@ impl<P: TECurveConfig> From<Projective<P>> for Affine<P> {
         }
     }
 }
-impl<P: TECurveConfig> CanonicalSerialize for Affine<P> {
+impl<P: TECurveConfig> CanonicalSerializeInner for Affine<P> {
     #[inline]
     fn serialize_with_mode<W: Write>(
         &self,
@@ -316,6 +316,8 @@ impl<P: TECurveConfig> CanonicalSerialize for Affine<P> {
     }
 }
 
+impl<P: TECurveConfig> CanonicalSerialize for Affine<P> {}
+
 impl<P: TECurveConfig> Valid for Affine<P> {
     fn check(&self) -> Result<(), SerializationError> {
         if self.is_on_curve() && self.is_in_correct_subgroup_assuming_on_curve() {
diff --git a/ec/src/models/twisted_edwards/group.rs b/ec/src/models/twisted_edwards/group.rs
index 14eab0ffe..38d7e96fe 100644
--- a/ec/src/models/twisted_edwards/group.rs
+++ b/ec/src/models/twisted_edwards/group.rs
@@ -422,7 +422,7 @@ impl<P: MontCurveConfig> MontgomeryAffine<P> {
     }
 }
 
-impl<P: TECurveConfig> CanonicalSerialize for Projective<P> {
+impl<P: TECurveConfig> CanonicalSerializeInner for Projective<P> {
     #[allow(unused_qualifications)]
     #[inline]
     fn serialize_with_mode<W: Write>(
@@ -440,6 +440,8 @@ impl<P: TECurveConfig> CanonicalSerialize for Projective<P> {
     }
 }
 
+impl<P: TECurveConfig> CanonicalSerialize for Projective<P> {}
+
 impl<P: TECurveConfig> Valid for Projective<P> {
     fn check(&self) -> Result<(), SerializationError> {
         self.into_affine().check()
diff --git a/ec/src/pairing.rs b/ec/src/pairing.rs
index 8b2623b3f..3b96b9a2f 100644
--- a/ec/src/pairing.rs
+++ b/ec/src/pairing.rs
@@ -133,7 +133,7 @@ pub trait Pairing: Sized + 'static + Copy + Debug + Sync + Send + Eq {
 #[must_use]
 pub struct PairingOutput<P: Pairing>(pub P::TargetField);
 
-impl<P: Pairing> CanonicalSerialize for PairingOutput<P> {
+impl<P: Pairing> CanonicalSerializeInner for PairingOutput<P> {
     #[allow(unused_qualifications)]
     #[inline]
     fn serialize_with_mode<W: Write>(
@@ -150,6 +150,8 @@ impl<P: Pairing> CanonicalSerialize for PairingOutput<P> {
     }
 }
 
+impl<P: Pairing> CanonicalSerialize for PairingOutput<P> {}
+
 impl<P: Pairing> Valid for PairingOutput<P> {
     fn check(&self) -> Result<(), SerializationError> {
         if self.0.pow(&P::ScalarField::characteristic()).is_one() {
diff --git a/ff/Cargo.toml b/ff/Cargo.toml
index ad54c81fa..4114b1c27 100644
--- a/ff/Cargo.toml
+++ b/ff/Cargo.toml
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ derivative = { version = "2", features = ["use_core"] }
 num-traits = { version = "0.2", default-features = false }
 paste = "1.0"
 rayon = { version = "1", optional = true }
+serde = { version = "1.0", optional = true, features = ["derive"] }
 zeroize = { version = "1", default-features = false, features = ["zeroize_derive"] }
 num-bigint = { version = "0.4", default-features = false }
 digest = { version = "0.10", default-features = false, features = ["alloc"] }
@@ -46,7 +47,7 @@ default = []
 std = [ "ark-std/std", "ark-serialize/std", "itertools/use_std" ]
 parallel = [ "std", "rayon", "ark-std/parallel" ]
 asm = []
-
+serde = [ "dep:serde", "ark-serialize/serde" ]
 
 [package.metadata.docs.rs]
 rustdoc-args = ["--html-in-header", "../doc/katex-header.html"]
diff --git a/ff/src/biginteger/mod.rs b/ff/src/biginteger/mod.rs
index 19aa582e2..0de0d285f 100644
--- a/ff/src/biginteger/mod.rs
+++ b/ff/src/biginteger/mod.rs
@@ -5,7 +5,8 @@ use crate::{
 #[allow(unused)]
 use ark_ff_macros::unroll_for_loops;
 use ark_serialize::{
-    CanonicalDeserialize, CanonicalSerialize, Compress, SerializationError, Valid, Validate,
+    CanonicalDeserialize, CanonicalSerialize, CanonicalSerializeInner, Compress,
+    SerializationError, Valid, Validate,
 };
 use ark_std::{
     convert::TryFrom,
@@ -23,8 +24,73 @@ use zeroize::Zeroize;
 #[macro_use]
 pub mod arithmetic;
 
+/// This is a hack to make serialization of BigInt work below.
+#[cfg(feature = "serde")]
+mod arrays {
+    use ark_std::vec::Vec;
+    use ark_std::{convert::TryInto, marker::PhantomData};
+
+    use serde::{
+        de::{SeqAccess, Visitor},
+        ser::SerializeTuple,
+        Deserialize, Deserializer, Serialize, Serializer,
+    };
+    pub fn serialize<S: Serializer, T: Serialize, const N: usize>(
+        data: &[T; N],
+        ser: S,
+    ) -> Result<S::Ok, S::Error> {
+        let mut s = ser.serialize_tuple(N)?;
+        for item in data {
+            s.serialize_element(item)?;
+        }
+        s.end()
+    }
+
+    struct ArrayVisitor<T, const N: usize>(PhantomData<T>);
+
+    impl<'de, T, const N: usize> Visitor<'de> for ArrayVisitor<T, N>
+    where
+        T: Deserialize<'de>,
+    {
+        type Value = [T; N];
+
+        fn expecting(&self, formatter: &mut ark_std::fmt::Formatter<'_>) -> ark_std::fmt::Result {
+            formatter.write_str(&format!("an array of length {}", N))
+        }
+
+        #[inline]
+        fn visit_seq<A>(self, mut seq: A) -> Result<Self::Value, A::Error>
+        where
+            A: SeqAccess<'de>,
+        {
+            // can be optimized using MaybeUninit
+            let mut data = Vec::with_capacity(N);
+            for _ in 0..N {
+                match (seq.next_element())? {
+                    Some(val) => data.push(val),
+                    None => return Err(serde::de::Error::invalid_length(N, &self)),
+                }
+            }
+            match data.try_into() {
+                Ok(arr) => Ok(arr),
+                Err(_) => unreachable!(),
+            }
+        }
+    }
+    pub fn deserialize<'de, D, T, const N: usize>(deserializer: D) -> Result<[T; N], D::Error>
+    where
+        D: Deserializer<'de>,
+        T: Deserialize<'de>,
+    {
+        deserializer.deserialize_tuple(N, ArrayVisitor::<T, N>(PhantomData))
+    }
+}
+
 #[derive(Copy, Clone, PartialEq, Eq, Debug, Hash, Zeroize)]
-pub struct BigInt<const N: usize>(pub [u64; N]);
+#[cfg_attr(feature = "serde", derive(serde::Serialize, serde::Deserialize))]
+pub struct BigInt<const N: usize>(
+    #[cfg_attr(feature = "serde", serde(with = "arrays"))] pub [u64; N],
+);
 
 impl<const N: usize> Default for BigInt<N> {
     fn default() -> Self {
@@ -32,7 +98,7 @@ impl<const N: usize> Default for BigInt<N> {
     }
 }
 
-impl<const N: usize> CanonicalSerialize for BigInt<N> {
+impl<const N: usize> CanonicalSerializeInner for BigInt<N> {
     fn serialize_with_mode<W: Write>(
         &self,
         writer: W,
@@ -46,6 +112,8 @@ impl<const N: usize> CanonicalSerialize for BigInt<N> {
     }
 }
 
+impl<const N: usize> CanonicalSerialize for BigInt<N> {}
+
 impl<const N: usize> Valid for BigInt<N> {
     fn check(&self) -> Result<(), SerializationError> {
         self.0.check()
diff --git a/ff/src/fields/models/cubic_extension.rs b/ff/src/fields/models/cubic_extension.rs
index 3f9a3f669..6db4d5385 100644
--- a/ff/src/fields/models/cubic_extension.rs
+++ b/ff/src/fields/models/cubic_extension.rs
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 use ark_serialize::{
     CanonicalDeserialize, CanonicalDeserializeWithFlags, CanonicalSerialize,
-    CanonicalSerializeWithFlags, Compress, EmptyFlags, Flags, SerializationError, Valid, Validate,
+    CanonicalSerializeInner, CanonicalSerializeWithFlags, Compress, EmptyFlags, Flags,
+    SerializationError, Valid, Validate,
 };
 use ark_std::{
     cmp::{Ord, Ordering, PartialOrd},
@@ -78,6 +79,7 @@ pub trait CubicExtConfig: 'static + Send + Sync + Sized {
 
 /// An element of a cubic extension field F_p\[X\]/(X^3 - P::NONRESIDUE) is
 /// represented as c0 + c1 * X + c2 * X^2, for c0, c1, c2 in `P::BaseField`.
+#[cfg_attr(feature = "serde", serde::Serialize, serde::Deserialize)]
 #[derive(Derivative)]
 #[derivative(
     Default(bound = "P: CubicExtConfig"),
@@ -624,7 +626,7 @@ impl<P: CubicExtConfig> CanonicalSerializeWithFlags for CubicExtField<P> {
     }
 }
 
-impl<P: CubicExtConfig> CanonicalSerialize for CubicExtField<P> {
+impl<P: CubicExtConfig> CanonicalSerializeInner for CubicExtField<P> {
     #[inline]
     fn serialize_with_mode<W: Write>(
         &self,
@@ -640,6 +642,8 @@ impl<P: CubicExtConfig> CanonicalSerialize for CubicExtField<P> {
     }
 }
 
+impl<P: CubicExtConfig> CanonicalSerialize for CubicExtField<P> {}
+
 impl<P: CubicExtConfig> CanonicalDeserializeWithFlags for CubicExtField<P> {
     #[inline]
     fn deserialize_with_flags<R: Read, F: Flags>(
diff --git a/ff/src/fields/models/fp/mod.rs b/ff/src/fields/models/fp/mod.rs
index bd776a212..f614c5dbf 100644
--- a/ff/src/fields/models/fp/mod.rs
+++ b/ff/src/fields/models/fp/mod.rs
@@ -2,7 +2,8 @@ use core::iter;
 
 use ark_serialize::{
     buffer_byte_size, CanonicalDeserialize, CanonicalDeserializeWithFlags, CanonicalSerialize,
-    CanonicalSerializeWithFlags, Compress, EmptyFlags, Flags, SerializationError, Valid, Validate,
+    CanonicalSerializeInner, CanonicalSerializeWithFlags, Compress, EmptyFlags, Flags,
+    SerializationError, Valid, Validate,
 };
 use ark_std::{
     cmp::{Ord, Ordering, PartialOrd},
@@ -100,6 +101,7 @@ pub trait FpConfig<const N: usize>: Send + Sync + 'static + Sized {
 
 /// Represents an element of the prime field F_p, where `p == P::MODULUS`.
 /// This type can represent elements in any field of size at most N * 64 bits.
+#[cfg_attr(feature = "serde", serde::Serialize, serde::Deserialize)]
 #[derive(Derivative)]
 #[derivative(
     Default(bound = ""),
@@ -567,7 +569,7 @@ impl<P: FpConfig<N>, const N: usize> CanonicalSerializeWithFlags for Fp<P, N> {
     }
 }
 
-impl<P: FpConfig<N>, const N: usize> CanonicalSerialize for Fp<P, N> {
+impl<P: FpConfig<N>, const N: usize> CanonicalSerializeInner for Fp<P, N> {
     #[inline]
     fn serialize_with_mode<W: ark_std::io::Write>(
         &self,
@@ -583,6 +585,8 @@ impl<P: FpConfig<N>, const N: usize> CanonicalSerialize for Fp<P, N> {
     }
 }
 
+impl<P: FpConfig<N>, const N: usize> CanonicalSerialize for Fp<P, N> {}
+
 impl<P: FpConfig<N>, const N: usize> CanonicalDeserializeWithFlags for Fp<P, N> {
     fn deserialize_with_flags<R: ark_std::io::Read, F: Flags>(
         reader: R,
diff --git a/ff/src/fields/models/quadratic_extension.rs b/ff/src/fields/models/quadratic_extension.rs
index 49e1eaa69..338d03da5 100644
--- a/ff/src/fields/models/quadratic_extension.rs
+++ b/ff/src/fields/models/quadratic_extension.rs
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 use ark_serialize::{
     CanonicalDeserialize, CanonicalDeserializeWithFlags, CanonicalSerialize,
-    CanonicalSerializeWithFlags, Compress, EmptyFlags, Flags, SerializationError, Valid, Validate,
+    CanonicalSerializeInner, CanonicalSerializeWithFlags, Compress, EmptyFlags, Flags,
+    SerializationError, Valid, Validate,
 };
 use ark_std::{
     cmp::{Ord, Ordering, PartialOrd},
@@ -93,6 +94,7 @@ pub trait QuadExtConfig: 'static + Send + Sync + Sized {
 
 /// An element of a quadratic extension field F_p\[X\]/(X^2 - P::NONRESIDUE) is
 /// represented as c0 + c1 * X, for c0, c1 in `P::BaseField`.
+#[cfg_attr(feature = "serde", serde::Serialize, serde::Deserialize)]
 #[derive(Derivative)]
 #[derivative(
     Default(bound = "P: QuadExtConfig"),
@@ -702,7 +704,7 @@ impl<P: QuadExtConfig> CanonicalSerializeWithFlags for QuadExtField<P> {
     }
 }
 
-impl<P: QuadExtConfig> CanonicalSerialize for QuadExtField<P> {
+impl<P: QuadExtConfig> CanonicalSerializeInner for QuadExtField<P> {
     #[inline]
     fn serialize_with_mode<W: Write>(
         &self,
@@ -718,6 +720,8 @@ impl<P: QuadExtConfig> CanonicalSerialize for QuadExtField<P> {
     }
 }
 
+impl<P: QuadExtConfig> CanonicalSerialize for QuadExtField<P> {}
+
 impl<P: QuadExtConfig> CanonicalDeserializeWithFlags for QuadExtField<P> {
     #[inline]
     fn deserialize_with_flags<R: Read, F: Flags>(
diff --git a/poly/src/domain/general.rs b/poly/src/domain/general.rs
index b58aefd5e..970a52cb6 100644
--- a/poly/src/domain/general.rs
+++ b/poly/src/domain/general.rs
@@ -12,7 +12,8 @@ use crate::domain::{
 };
 use ark_ff::FftField;
 use ark_serialize::{
-    CanonicalDeserialize, CanonicalSerialize, Compress, SerializationError, Valid, Validate,
+    CanonicalDeserialize, CanonicalSerialize, CanonicalSerializeInner, Compress,
+    SerializationError, Valid, Validate,
 };
 use ark_std::{
     io::{Read, Write},
@@ -39,7 +40,7 @@ macro_rules! map {
     }
 }
 
-impl<F: FftField> CanonicalSerialize for GeneralEvaluationDomain<F> {
+impl<F: FftField> CanonicalSerializeInner for GeneralEvaluationDomain<F> {
     fn serialize_with_mode<W: Write>(
         &self,
         mut writer: W,
@@ -75,6 +76,8 @@ impl<F: FftField> CanonicalSerialize for GeneralEvaluationDomain<F> {
     }
 }
 
+impl<F: FftField> CanonicalSerialize for GeneralEvaluationDomain<F> {}
+
 impl<F: FftField> Valid for GeneralEvaluationDomain<F> {
     fn check(&self) -> Result<(), SerializationError> {
         Ok(())
diff --git a/serialize-derive/src/serialize.rs b/serialize-derive/src/serialize.rs
index bb82e16fe..7494fc697 100644
--- a/serialize-derive/src/serialize.rs
+++ b/serialize-derive/src/serialize.rs
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ pub(super) fn impl_canonical_serialize(ast: &syn::DeriveInput) -> TokenStream {
         data_struct.fields.len()
     } else {
         panic!(
-            "`CanonicalSerialize` can only be derived for structs, {} is not a struct",
+            "`CanonicalSerializeInner` can only be derived for structs, {} is not a struct",
             name
         );
     };
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ pub(super) fn impl_canonical_serialize(ast: &syn::DeriveInput) -> TokenStream {
     };
 
     let gen = quote! {
-        impl #impl_generics ark_serialize::CanonicalSerialize for #name #ty_generics #where_clause {
+        impl #impl_generics ark_serialize::CanonicalSerializeInner for #name #ty_generics #where_clause {
             #[allow(unused_mut, unused_variables)]
             fn serialize_with_mode<W: ark_serialize::Write>(&self, mut writer: W, compress: ark_serialize::Compress) -> Result<(), ark_serialize::SerializationError> {
                 #(#serialize_body)*
@@ -104,5 +104,8 @@ pub(super) fn impl_canonical_serialize(ast: &syn::DeriveInput) -> TokenStream {
             }
         }
     };
-    gen
+
+    let gen2 = quote! { impl #impl_generics ark_serialize::CanonicalSerialize for #name #ty_generics #where_clause {} };
+
+    quote! { #gen #gen2 }
 }
diff --git a/serialize/Cargo.toml b/serialize/Cargo.toml
index d57aac57a..2a275a1b4 100644
--- a/serialize/Cargo.toml
+++ b/serialize/Cargo.toml
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ rust-version = "1.56"
 ark-serialize-derive = { version = "^0.3.0", path = "../serialize-derive", optional = true }
 ark-std = { version = "^0.3.0", default-features = false }
 digest = { version = "0.10", default-features = false }
+serde = { version = "1.0", optional = true, features = ["derive"] }
 
 [dev-dependencies]
 sha2 = { version = "0.10", default-features = false}
@@ -27,3 +28,4 @@ blake2 = { version = "0.10", default-features = false}
 default = []
 std = [ "ark-std/std", ]
 derive = [ "ark-serialize-derive" ]
+serde = [ "dep:serde" ]
diff --git a/serialize/src/impls.rs b/serialize/src/impls.rs
index 1457097d4..ee55343ef 100644
--- a/serialize/src/impls.rs
+++ b/serialize/src/impls.rs
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ impl Valid for bool {
     }
 }
 
-impl CanonicalSerialize for bool {
+impl CanonicalSerializeInner for bool {
     #[inline]
     fn serialize_with_mode<W: Write>(
         &self,
@@ -33,6 +33,8 @@ impl CanonicalSerialize for bool {
     }
 }
 
+impl CanonicalSerialize for bool {}
+
 impl CanonicalDeserialize for bool {
     #[inline]
     fn deserialize_with_mode<R: Read>(
@@ -50,7 +52,7 @@ impl CanonicalDeserialize for bool {
 
 macro_rules! impl_uint {
     ($type:ty) => {
-        impl CanonicalSerialize for $type {
+        impl CanonicalSerializeInner for $type {
             #[inline]
             fn serialize_with_mode<W: Write>(
                 &self,
@@ -66,6 +68,8 @@ macro_rules! impl_uint {
             }
         }
 
+        impl CanonicalSerialize for $type {}
+
         impl Valid for $type {
             #[inline]
             fn check(&self) -> Result<(), SerializationError> {
@@ -103,7 +107,7 @@ impl_uint!(u16);
 impl_uint!(u32);
 impl_uint!(u64);
 
-impl CanonicalSerialize for usize {
+impl CanonicalSerializeInner for usize {
     #[inline]
     fn serialize_with_mode<W: Write>(
         &self,
@@ -119,6 +123,8 @@ impl CanonicalSerialize for usize {
     }
 }
 
+impl CanonicalSerialize for usize {}
+
 impl Valid for usize {
     #[inline]
     fn check(&self) -> Result<(), SerializationError> {
@@ -147,7 +153,7 @@ impl CanonicalDeserialize for usize {
     }
 }
 
-impl<T: CanonicalSerialize> CanonicalSerialize for Option<T> {
+impl<T: CanonicalSerialize> CanonicalSerializeInner for Option<T> {
     #[inline]
     fn serialize_with_mode<W: Write>(
         &self,
@@ -210,7 +216,7 @@ impl<T: CanonicalDeserialize> CanonicalDeserialize for Option<T> {
 }
 
 // No-op
-impl<T> CanonicalSerialize for PhantomData<T> {
+impl<T> CanonicalSerializeInner for PhantomData<T> {
     #[inline]
     fn serialize_with_mode<W: Write>(
         &self,
@@ -244,7 +250,7 @@ impl<T: Send + Sync> CanonicalDeserialize for PhantomData<T> {
     }
 }
 
-impl<T: CanonicalSerialize + ToOwned> CanonicalSerialize for Rc<T> {
+impl<T: CanonicalSerialize + ToOwned> CanonicalSerializeInner for Rc<T> {
     #[inline]
     fn serialize_with_mode<W: Write>(
         &self,
@@ -261,7 +267,7 @@ impl<T: CanonicalSerialize + ToOwned> CanonicalSerialize for Rc<T> {
 }
 
 #[cfg(feature = "std")]
-impl<T: CanonicalSerialize + ToOwned> CanonicalSerialize for ark_std::sync::Arc<T> {
+impl<T: CanonicalSerialize + ToOwned> CanonicalSerializeInner for ark_std::sync::Arc<T> {
     #[inline]
     fn serialize_with_mode<W: Write>(
         &self,
@@ -312,7 +318,7 @@ impl<T: CanonicalDeserialize + ToOwned + Sync + Send> CanonicalDeserialize
     }
 }
 
-impl<'a, T: CanonicalSerialize + ToOwned> CanonicalSerialize for Cow<'a, T> {
+impl<'a, T: CanonicalSerialize + ToOwned> CanonicalSerializeInner for Cow<'a, T> {
     #[inline]
     fn serialize_with_mode<W: Write>(
         &self,
@@ -368,7 +374,7 @@ where
     }
 }
 
-impl<T: CanonicalSerialize, const N: usize> CanonicalSerialize for [T; N] {
+impl<T: CanonicalSerialize, const N: usize> CanonicalSerializeInner for [T; N] {
     #[inline]
     fn serialize_with_mode<W: Write>(
         &self,
@@ -422,7 +428,7 @@ impl<T: CanonicalDeserialize, const N: usize> CanonicalDeserialize for [T; N] {
     }
 }
 
-impl<T: CanonicalSerialize> CanonicalSerialize for Vec<T> {
+impl<T: CanonicalSerialize> CanonicalSerializeInner for Vec<T> {
     #[inline]
     fn serialize_with_mode<W: Write>(
         &self,
@@ -479,7 +485,7 @@ impl<T: CanonicalDeserialize> CanonicalDeserialize for Vec<T> {
     }
 }
 
-impl<T: CanonicalSerialize> CanonicalSerialize for [T] {
+impl<T: CanonicalSerialize> CanonicalSerializeInner for [T] {
     #[inline]
     fn serialize_with_mode<W: Write>(
         &self,
@@ -503,7 +509,7 @@ impl<T: CanonicalSerialize> CanonicalSerialize for [T] {
     }
 }
 
-impl<'a, T: CanonicalSerialize> CanonicalSerialize for &'a [T] {
+impl<'a, T: CanonicalSerializeInner> CanonicalSerializeInner for &'a [T] {
     #[inline]
     fn serialize_with_mode<W: Write>(
         &self,
@@ -519,7 +525,7 @@ impl<'a, T: CanonicalSerialize> CanonicalSerialize for &'a [T] {
     }
 }
 
-impl CanonicalSerialize for String {
+impl CanonicalSerializeInner for String {
     #[inline]
     fn serialize_with_mode<W: Write>(
         &self,
@@ -535,6 +541,8 @@ impl CanonicalSerialize for String {
     }
 }
 
+impl CanonicalSerialize for String {}
+
 impl Valid for String {
     #[inline]
     fn check(&self) -> Result<(), SerializationError> {
@@ -568,7 +576,7 @@ macro_rules! impl_tuple {
         }
 
         #[allow(unused)]
-        impl<$($ty, )*> CanonicalSerialize for ($($ty,)*) where
+        impl<$($ty, )*> CanonicalSerializeInner for ($($ty,)*) where
             $($ty: CanonicalSerialize,)*
         {
             #[inline]
@@ -605,7 +613,7 @@ impl_tuple!(A:0, B:1,);
 impl_tuple!(A:0, B:1, C:2,);
 impl_tuple!(A:0, B:1, C:2, D:3,);
 
-impl<K, V> CanonicalSerialize for BTreeMap<K, V>
+impl<K, V> CanonicalSerializeInner for BTreeMap<K, V>
 where
     K: CanonicalSerialize,
     V: CanonicalSerialize,
@@ -674,7 +682,7 @@ where
     }
 }
 
-impl<V: CanonicalSerialize> CanonicalSerialize for BTreeSet<V> {
+impl<V: CanonicalSerialize> CanonicalSerializeInner for BTreeSet<V> {
     /// Serializes a `BTreeSet` as `len(set) || value 1 || value 2 || ... || value n`.
     fn serialize_with_mode<W: Write>(
         &self,
diff --git a/serialize/src/lib.rs b/serialize/src/lib.rs
index d69f43411..83eb527fb 100644
--- a/serialize/src/lib.rs
+++ b/serialize/src/lib.rs
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ pub trait Valid: Sized + Sync {
 ///     b: (u64, (u64, u64)),
 /// }
 /// ```
-pub trait CanonicalSerialize {
+pub trait CanonicalSerializeInner {
     /// The general serialize method that takes in customization flags.
     fn serialize_with_mode<W: Write>(
         &self,
@@ -147,8 +147,14 @@ pub trait CanonicalDeserialize: Valid {
     }
 }
 
+#[cfg(feature = "serde")]
+pub trait CanonicalSerialize: CanonicalSerializeInner + serde::Serialize {}
+
+#[cfg(not(feature = "serde"))]
+pub trait CanonicalSerialize: CanonicalSerializeInner {}
+
 /// Serializer in little endian format allowing to encode flags.
-pub trait CanonicalSerializeWithFlags: CanonicalSerialize {
+pub trait CanonicalSerializeWithFlags: CanonicalSerializeInner {
     /// Serializes `self` and `flags` into `writer`.
     fn serialize_with_flags<W: Write, F: Flags>(
         &self,
@@ -188,7 +194,7 @@ impl<'a, H: Digest> ark_std::io::Write for HashMarshaller<'a, H> {
 
 /// The CanonicalSerialize induces a natural way to hash the
 /// corresponding value, of which this is the convenience trait.
-pub trait CanonicalSerializeHashExt: CanonicalSerialize {
+pub trait CanonicalSerializeHashExt: CanonicalSerializeInner {
     fn hash<H: Digest>(&self) -> GenericArray<u8, <H as OutputSizeUser>::OutputSize> {
         let mut hasher = H::new();
         self.serialize_compressed(HashMarshaller(&mut hasher))
@@ -235,7 +241,7 @@ mod test {
     #[derive(Copy, Clone, Ord, PartialOrd, Eq, PartialEq, Debug)]
     struct Dummy;
 
-    impl CanonicalSerialize for Dummy {
+    impl CanonicalSerializeInner for Dummy {
         #[inline]
         fn serialize_with_mode<W: Write>(
             &self,
@@ -256,6 +262,8 @@ mod test {
         }
     }
 
+    impl CanonicalSerialize for Dummy {}
+
     impl Valid for Dummy {
         fn check(&self) -> Result<(), SerializationError> {
             Ok(())