diff --git a/tests/chain_tests/transfer_tests.cpp b/tests/chain_tests/transfer_tests.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..fcf596180a078eed9c1b6987780ab78b3d755682
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/chain_tests/transfer_tests.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,173 @@
+#include <boost/test/unit_test.hpp>
+#include <eosio/testing/tester.hpp>
+
+#include <eosio/chain/contracts/balance_object.hpp>
+#include <eosio/chain/contracts/staked_balance_objects.hpp>
+
+
+using namespace eosio;
+using namespace eosio::chain;
+using namespace eosio::chain::contracts;
+using namespace eosio::testing;
+
+
+BOOST_AUTO_TEST_SUITE(transfer_tests)
+
+
+
+BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE( transfer_test ) { try {
+  tester test;
+  test.produce_blocks(2);
+
+  test.create_accounts( {N(dan), N(bart)} );
+  test.transfer( N(inita), N(dan), "10.0000 EOS", "memo" );
+
+  {
+     const auto& dans_balance = test.get<balance_object,by_owner_name>( N(dan) );
+     FC_ASSERT( dans_balance.balance == asset::from_string("10.0000 EOS") );
+  }
+
+  test.produce_block();
+
+  {
+     const auto& dans_balance = test.get<balance_object,by_owner_name>( N(dan) );
+     FC_ASSERT( dans_balance.balance == asset::from_string("10.0000 EOS") );
+  }
+
+  /// insufficient funds
+  BOOST_REQUIRE_THROW(test.transfer(N(dan),N(bart), "11.0000 EOS", "memo"), action_validate_exception);
+
+  /// this should succeed because dan has sufficient balance
+  test.transfer(N(dan),N(bart), "10.0000 EOS", "memo");
+
+
+  /// verify that bart now has 10.000
+  const auto& barts_balance = test.get<balance_object,by_owner_name>( N(bart) );
+  FC_ASSERT( barts_balance.balance == asset::from_string("10.0000 EOS") );
+
+  {
+     /// verify that dan now has 0.000
+     const auto& dans_balance = test.get<balance_object,by_owner_name>( N(dan) );
+     FC_ASSERT( dans_balance.balance == asset::from_string("0.0000 EOS") );
+  }
+
+
+  /// should throw because -1 becomes uint64 max which is greater than balance
+  BOOST_REQUIRE_THROW(test.transfer(N(bart),N(dan), asset(-1), "memo"), action_validate_exception);
+
+
+
+  {
+      auto from = N(bart);
+      auto to   = N(dan);
+      asset amount(1);
+      signed_transaction trx;
+      trx.write_scope = {from,to};
+      trx.actions.emplace_back( vector<permission_level>{{from,config::active_name}},
+                                contracts::transfer{
+                                   .from   = from,
+                                   .to     = to,
+                                   .amount = amount.amount,
+                                   .memo   = "memo" 
+                                } );
+
+      test.set_tapos( trx );
+      BOOST_REQUIRE_THROW( test.control->push_transaction( trx ), tx_missing_sigs );
+      trx.sign( test.get_private_key( from, "active" ), chain_id_type()  ); 
+      test.control->push_transaction( trx );
+  }
+
+  {
+      auto from = N(bart);
+      auto to   = N(dan);
+      asset amount(1);
+      signed_transaction trx;
+      trx.write_scope = {from,to};
+      trx.actions.emplace_back( vector<permission_level>{{to,config::active_name}},
+                                contracts::transfer{
+                                   .from   = from,
+                                   .to     = to,
+                                   .amount = amount.amount,
+                                   .memo   = "memo" 
+                                } );
+
+      test.set_tapos( trx );
+      trx.sign( test.get_private_key( to, "active" ), chain_id_type()  ); 
+      /// action not provided from authority
+      BOOST_REQUIRE_THROW( test.control->push_transaction( trx ), tx_missing_auth);
+  }
+
+  {
+      auto from = N(bart);
+      auto to   = N(dan);
+      asset amount(1);
+      signed_transaction trx;
+     // trx.write_scope = {from,to};
+      trx.actions.emplace_back( vector<permission_level>{{from,config::active_name}},
+                                contracts::transfer{
+                                   .from   = from,
+                                   .to     = to,
+                                   .amount = amount.amount,
+                                   .memo   = "memo" 
+                                } );
+
+      test.set_tapos( trx );
+      trx.sign( test.get_private_key( from, "active" ), chain_id_type()  ); 
+      BOOST_REQUIRE_THROW( test.control->push_transaction( trx ), tx_missing_write_scope);
+  }
+
+} FC_LOG_AND_RETHROW() } /// transfer_test
+
+
+/**
+ *  This test case will attempt to allow one account to transfer on behalf
+ *  of another account by updating the active authority.
+ */
+BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE( transfer_delegation ) { try {
+   tester test;
+   test.produce_blocks(2);
+   test.create_accounts( {N(dan),N(bart),N(trust)} );
+   test.transfer( N(inita), N(dan), "10.0000 EOS" );
+   test.transfer( N(inita), N(trust), "10.0000 EOS" );
+   test.transfer( N(trust), N(dan), "1.0000 EOS" );
+
+   test.produce_block();
+
+   auto dans_active_auth = authority( 1, {}, 
+                          {
+                            { .permission = {N(trust),config::active_name}, .weight = 1}
+                          });
+
+   test.set_authority( N(dan), config::active_name,  dans_active_auth );
+   idump((dans_active_auth));
+
+   test.produce_block();
+
+  /// execute a transfer from dan to bart signed by trust
+  {
+      auto from = N(dan);
+      auto to   = N(bart);
+      asset amount(1);
+
+      signed_transaction trx;
+      trx.write_scope = {from,to};
+      trx.actions.emplace_back( vector<permission_level>{{from,config::active_name}},
+                                contracts::transfer{
+                                   .from   = from,
+                                   .to     = to,
+                                   .amount = amount.amount,
+                                   .memo   = "memo" 
+                                } );
+
+      test.set_tapos( trx );
+      trx.sign( test.get_private_key( N(trust), "active" ), chain_id_type()  ); 
+      /// action not provided from authority
+      test.control->push_transaction( trx );
+  }
+
+
+} FC_LOG_AND_RETHROW() }
+
+
+
+BOOST_AUTO_TEST_SUITE_END()