diff --git a/.circleci/config.yml b/.circleci/config.yml
index c3f9f96500..4744bed7b2 100644
--- a/.circleci/config.yml
+++ b/.circleci/config.yml
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ version: 2.1
 executors:
   golang:
     docker:
-      - image: circleci/golang:1.15
+      - image: circleci/golang:1.16
     working_directory: /go/src/github.com/cosmwasm/wasmd
 
 commands:
diff --git a/Dockerfile b/Dockerfile
index 320e59f933..dba0877c38 100644
--- a/Dockerfile
+++ b/Dockerfile
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 # docker build . -t cosmwasm/wasmd:latest
 # docker run --rm -it cosmwasm/wasmd:latest /bin/sh
-FROM golang:1.15-alpine3.12 AS go-builder
+FROM golang:1.16.8-alpine3.13 AS go-builder
 
 # this comes from standard alpine nightly file
 #  https://github.com/rust-lang/docker-rust-nightly/blob/master/alpine3.12/Dockerfile
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ RUN sha256sum /lib/libwasmvm_muslc.a | grep 0e62296b9f24cf3a05f8513f99cee536c708
 RUN LEDGER_ENABLED=false BUILD_TAGS=muslc make build
 
 # --------------------------------------------------------
-FROM alpine:3.12
+FROM alpine:3.13
 
 COPY --from=go-builder /code/build/wasmd /usr/bin/wasmd
 
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 88674a453d..d6f682bcd6 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ This code was forked from the `cosmos/gaia` repository as a basis and then we ad
 many gaia-specific files. However, the `wasmd` binary should function just like `gaiad` except for the
 addition of the `x/wasm` module.
 
-**Note**: Requires [Go 1.15+](https://golang.org/dl/)
+**Note**: Requires [Go 1.16.8+](https://golang.org/dl/)
 
 ## Compatibility with CosmWasm contracts
 
diff --git a/contrib/prototools-docker/Dockerfile b/contrib/prototools-docker/Dockerfile
index 37ee08d8f8..8731cd8c47 100644
--- a/contrib/prototools-docker/Dockerfile
+++ b/contrib/prototools-docker/Dockerfile
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-FROM golang:1.15.3-alpine3.12 AS build
+FROM golang:1.16.8-alpine3.13 AS build
 
 #ARG PROTOTOOL_VERSION=1.10.0
 ARG PROTODOC_VERSION=1.3.2
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ RUN GO111MODULE=on go get \
 
 RUN upx --lzma /usr/local/bin/*
 
-FROM golang:1.15.3-alpine3.12
+FROM golang:1.16.8-alpine3.13
 ENV LD_LIBRARY_PATH=/lib64:/lib
 
 WORKDIR /work
diff --git a/go.mod b/go.mod
index 5da2762e24..23a4916867 100644
--- a/go.mod
+++ b/go.mod
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 module github.com/CosmWasm/wasmd
 
-go 1.15
+go 1.16
 
 require (
 	github.com/CosmWasm/wasmvm v0.16.1
diff --git a/go.sum b/go.sum
index 58a28326d5..1972ada81b 100644
--- a/go.sum
+++ b/go.sum
@@ -478,10 +478,8 @@ github.com/openzipkin/zipkin-go v0.2.2/go.mod h1:NaW6tEwdmWMaCDZzg8sh+IBNOxHMPnh
 github.com/otiai10/copy v1.6.0 h1:IinKAryFFuPONZ7cm6T6E2QX/vcJwSnlaA5lfoaXIiQ=
 github.com/otiai10/copy v1.6.0/go.mod h1:XWfuS3CrI0R6IE0FbgHsEazaXO8G0LpMp9o8tos0x4E=
 github.com/otiai10/curr v0.0.0-20150429015615-9b4961190c95/go.mod h1:9qAhocn7zKJG+0mI8eUu6xqkFDYS2kb2saOteoSB3cE=
-github.com/otiai10/curr v1.0.0 h1:TJIWdbX0B+kpNagQrjgq8bCMrbhiuX73M2XwgtDMoOI=
 github.com/otiai10/curr v1.0.0/go.mod h1:LskTG5wDwr8Rs+nNQ+1LlxRjAtTZZjtJW4rMXl6j4vs=
 github.com/otiai10/mint v1.3.0/go.mod h1:F5AjcsTsWUqX+Na9fpHb52P8pcRX2CI6A3ctIT91xUo=
-github.com/otiai10/mint v1.3.2 h1:VYWnrP5fXmz1MXvjuUvcBrXSjGE6xjON+axB/UrpO3E=
 github.com/otiai10/mint v1.3.2/go.mod h1:/yxELlJQ0ufhjUwhshSj+wFjZ78CnZ48/1wtmBH1OTc=
 github.com/pact-foundation/pact-go v1.0.4/go.mod h1:uExwJY4kCzNPcHRj+hCR/HBbOOIwwtUjcrb0b5/5kLM=
 github.com/pascaldekloe/goe v0.0.0-20180627143212-57f6aae5913c/go.mod h1:lzWF7FIEvWOWxwDKqyGYQf6ZUaNfKdP144TG7ZOy1lc=