diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 065c77b180..d350ddd452 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -85,6 +85,10 @@ The parameter was erroneously passed twice.  Now it is passed only once.
 
 Removed this warning: "Project-specific networks are deprecated and will be removed after February 2023." While we may remove project-specific networks in the future, it is not imminent.  One key requirement is the ability to run more than one subnet type at one time.
 
+### feat: added `cycles balance` command
+
+This won't work on mainnet yet, but it can work locally after installing the cycles ledger.
+
 ## Dependencies
 
 ### icx-proxy
diff --git a/Cargo.lock b/Cargo.lock
index 36caf124d2..10af87e4af 100644
--- a/Cargo.lock
+++ b/Cargo.lock
@@ -1364,6 +1364,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "ic-identity-hsm",
  "ic-utils 0.29.0",
  "ic-wasm",
+ "icrc-ledger-types",
  "indicatif",
  "itertools 0.10.5",
  "json-patch",
@@ -2988,6 +2989,20 @@ dependencies = [
  "zeroize",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "icrc-ledger-types"
+version = "0.1.1"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "69ee120bab077a71cf85fcc6b0e88674edfeca7fe18240bee9afa947d8e08865"
+dependencies = [
+ "candid 0.9.6",
+ "hex",
+ "num-traits",
+ "serde",
+ "serde_bytes",
+ "sha2 0.10.7",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "icx-asset"
 version = "0.20.0"
diff --git a/Cargo.toml b/Cargo.toml
index 4cae352f04..18a85414e4 100644
--- a/Cargo.toml
+++ b/Cargo.toml
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ aes-gcm = "0.9.4"
 anyhow = "1.0.56"
 anstyle = "1.0.0"
 argon2 = "0.4.0"
-backoff = "0.4.0"
+backoff = { version = "0.4.0", features = [ "futures", "tokio" ] }
 base64 = "0.13.0"
 byte-unit = "4.0.14"
 bytes = "1.2.1"
diff --git a/docs/cli-reference/dfx-cycles.md b/docs/cli-reference/dfx-cycles.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..c027ecb7dc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/cli-reference/dfx-cycles.md
@@ -0,0 +1,67 @@
+# dfx cycles
+
+> **NOTE**: The cycles ledger is in development and the dfx cycles command is not expected to work on mainnet at this time.
+
+Use the `dfx cycles` command to manage cycles associated with an identity's principal.
+
+The basic syntax for running `dfx cycles` commands is:
+
+``` bash
+dfx cycles [subcommand] [options]
+```
+
+The following subcommands are available:
+
+| Command                               | Description                                                                          |
+|---------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
+| [`balance`](#dfx-ledger-balance)                 | Prints the account balance of the user.                                              |
+| `help`                                | Displays usage information message for a specified subcommand.                       |
+
+To view usage information for a specific subcommand, specify the subcommand and the `--help` flag. For example, to see usage information for `dfx cycles balance`, you can run the following command:
+
+`dfx cycles balance --help`
+
+## dfx cycles balance
+
+Use the `dfx cycles balance` command to print your account balance or that of another user.
+
+### Basic usage
+
+``` bash
+dfx cycles balance [flag] --network ic
+```
+
+### Options
+
+You can specify the following arguments for the `dfx cycles balance` command.
+
+| Option                                      | Description                                                         |
+|---------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------|
+| `--owner <principal>`                       | Display the balance of this principal                               |
+| `--subaccount <subaccount>`                 | Display the balance of this subaccount                              |
+| `--precise`                                 | Displays the exact balance, without scaling to trillions of cycles. |
+| `--cycles-ledger-canister-id <canister id>` | Specify the ID of the cycles ledger canister.                       |
+
+### Examples
+
+> **NOTE**: None of the examples below specify the `--cycles-ledger-canister-id` option, but it is required until the cycles ledger canister ID is known.
+
+Check the cycles balance of the selected identity.
+
+```
+$ dfx cycles balance --network ic
+89.000 TC (trillion cycles).
+```
+
+To see the exact amount of cycles, you can use the `--precise` option:
+```
+$ dfx cycles balance --network ic --precise
+89000000000000 cycles.
+```
+
+You can use the `dfx cycles balance` command to check the balance of another principal:
+
+``` bash
+dfx cycles balance --owner raxcz-bidhr-evrzj-qyivt-nht5a-eltcc-24qfc-o6cvi-hfw7j-dcecz-kae --network ic
+```
+
diff --git a/docs/cli-reference/index.md b/docs/cli-reference/index.md
index c4290ce2cd..d05b68d23a 100644
--- a/docs/cli-reference/index.md
+++ b/docs/cli-reference/index.md
@@ -24,6 +24,8 @@ When you have the SDK installed, you can use the following commands to specify t
 
 -   [dfx canister](./dfx-canister.md)
 
+-   [dfx cycles](./dfx-cycles.md)
+
 -   [dfx deploy](./dfx-deploy.md)
 
 -   [dfx deps](./dfx-deps.md)
diff --git a/e2e/tests-dfx/cycles-ledger.bash b/e2e/tests-dfx/cycles-ledger.bash
index d942ee5032..a0ee937b4f 100644
--- a/e2e/tests-dfx/cycles-ledger.bash
+++ b/e2e/tests-dfx/cycles-ledger.bash
@@ -25,6 +25,80 @@ teardown() {
     standard_teardown
 }
 
+@test "cycles ledger balance" {
+    ALICE=$(dfx identity get-principal --identity alice)
+    ALICE_SUBACCT1="000102030405060708090a0b0c0d0e0f101112131415161718191a1b1c1d1e1f"
+    ALICE_SUBACCT1_CANDID="\00\01\02\03\04\05\06\07\08\09\0a\0b\0c\0d\0e\0f\10\11\12\13\14\15\16\17\18\19\1a\1b\1c\1d\1e\1f"
+    ALICE_SUBACCT2="9C9B9A030405060708090a0b0c0d0e0f101112131415161718191a1b1c1d1e1f"
+    ALICE_SUBACCT2_CANDID="\9C\9B\9A\03\04\05\06\07\08\09\0a\0b\0c\0d\0e\0f\10\11\12\13\14\15\16\17\18\19\1a\1b\1c\1d\1e\1f"
+    BOB=$(dfx identity get-principal --identity bob)
+
+    assert_command dfx deploy cycles-ledger
+    assert_command dfx deploy cycles-depositor --argument "(record {ledger_id = principal \"$(dfx canister id cycles-ledger)\"})" --with-cycles 10000000000000
+
+    assert_command dfx cycles balance --cycles-ledger-canister-id "$(dfx canister id cycles-ledger)" --identity alice --precise
+    assert_eq "0 cycles."
+
+    assert_command dfx cycles balance --cycles-ledger-canister-id "$(dfx canister id cycles-ledger)" --identity alice
+    assert_eq "0.000 TC (trillion cycles)."
+
+    assert_command dfx cycles balance --cycles-ledger-canister-id "$(dfx canister id cycles-ledger)" --identity bob --precise
+    assert_eq "0 cycles."
+
+    assert_command dfx cycles balance --cycles-ledger-canister-id "$(dfx canister id cycles-ledger)" --identity bob
+    assert_eq "0.000 TC (trillion cycles)."
+
+
+    assert_command dfx canister call cycles-depositor deposit "(record {to = record{owner = principal \"$ALICE\";};cycles = 1_700_400_200_150;})" --identity cycle-giver
+    assert_eq "(record { balance = 1_700_400_200_150 : nat; txid = 0 : nat })"
+
+    assert_command dfx canister call cycles-depositor deposit "(record {to = record{owner = principal \"$ALICE\"; subaccount = opt blob \"$ALICE_SUBACCT1_CANDID\"};cycles = 3_750_000_000_000;})" --identity cycle-giver
+    assert_eq "(record { balance = 3_750_000_000_000 : nat; txid = 1 : nat })"
+
+    assert_command dfx canister call cycles-depositor deposit "(record {to = record{owner = principal \"$ALICE\"; subaccount = opt blob \"$ALICE_SUBACCT2_CANDID\"};cycles = 760_500_000_000;})" --identity cycle-giver
+    assert_eq "(record { balance = 760_500_000_000 : nat; txid = 2 : nat })"
+
+    assert_command dfx canister call cycles-depositor deposit "(record {to = record{owner = principal \"$BOB\";};cycles = 2_900_000_000_000;})" --identity cycle-giver
+    assert_eq "(record { balance = 2_900_000_000_000 : nat; txid = 3 : nat })"
+
+
+    assert_command dfx cycles balance --cycles-ledger-canister-id "$(dfx canister id cycles-ledger)" --precise --identity alice
+    assert_eq "1700400200150 cycles."
+
+    assert_command dfx cycles balance --cycles-ledger-canister-id "$(dfx canister id cycles-ledger)"  --precise --identity alice --subaccount "$ALICE_SUBACCT1"
+    assert_eq "3750000000000 cycles."
+
+    assert_command dfx cycles balance --cycles-ledger-canister-id "$(dfx canister id cycles-ledger)"  --precise --identity alice --subaccount "$ALICE_SUBACCT2"
+    assert_eq "760500000000 cycles."
+
+    assert_command dfx cycles balance --cycles-ledger-canister-id "$(dfx canister id cycles-ledger)"  --precise --identity bob
+    assert_eq "2900000000000 cycles."
+
+
+    assert_command dfx cycles balance --cycles-ledger-canister-id "$(dfx canister id cycles-ledger)" --identity alice
+    assert_eq "1.700 TC (trillion cycles)."
+
+    assert_command dfx cycles balance --cycles-ledger-canister-id "$(dfx canister id cycles-ledger)"  --identity alice --subaccount "$ALICE_SUBACCT1"
+    assert_eq "3.750 TC (trillion cycles)."
+
+    assert_command dfx cycles balance --cycles-ledger-canister-id "$(dfx canister id cycles-ledger)"  --identity alice --subaccount "$ALICE_SUBACCT2"
+    assert_eq "0.760 TC (trillion cycles)."
+
+    assert_command dfx cycles balance --cycles-ledger-canister-id "$(dfx canister id cycles-ledger)" --identity bob
+    assert_eq "2.900 TC (trillion cycles)."
+
+
+    # can see cycles balance of other accounts
+    assert_command dfx cycles balance --owner "$ALICE" --cycles-ledger-canister-id "$(dfx canister id cycles-ledger)" --identity bob
+    assert_eq "1.700 TC (trillion cycles)."
+
+    assert_command dfx cycles balance --owner "$ALICE" --subaccount "$ALICE_SUBACCT1" --cycles-ledger-canister-id "$(dfx canister id cycles-ledger)" --identity bob
+    assert_eq "3.750 TC (trillion cycles)."
+
+    assert_command dfx cycles balance --owner "$BOB" --cycles-ledger-canister-id "$(dfx canister id cycles-ledger)"  --identity anonymous
+    assert_eq "2.900 TC (trillion cycles)."
+}
+
 @test "cycles ledger howto" {
     # This is the equivalent of https://www.notion.so/dfinityorg/How-to-install-and-test-the-cycles-ledger-521c9f3c410f4a438514a03e35464299
     ALICE=$(dfx identity get-principal --identity alice)
@@ -41,11 +115,12 @@ teardown() {
 
     dfx canister status cycles-depositor
 
-    assert_command dfx canister call cycles-ledger icrc1_balance_of "(record {owner = principal \"$ALICE\"})"
-    assert_eq "(0 : nat)"
+    assert_command dfx cycles balance --cycles-ledger-canister-id "$(dfx canister id cycles-ledger)" --identity alice --precise
+    assert_eq "0 cycles."
+
+    assert_command dfx cycles balance --cycles-ledger-canister-id "$(dfx canister id cycles-ledger)" --identity bob --precise
+    assert_eq "0 cycles."
 
-    assert_command dfx canister call cycles-ledger icrc1_balance_of "(record {owner = principal \"$BOB\"})"
-    assert_eq "(0 : nat)"
 
     assert_command dfx canister call cycles-depositor deposit "(record {to = record{owner = principal \"$ALICE\";};cycles = 500_000_000;})" --identity cycle-giver
     assert_eq "(record { balance = 500_000_000 : nat; txid = 0 : nat })"
@@ -53,23 +128,23 @@ teardown() {
     assert_command dfx canister status cycles-depositor
     assert_contains "Balance: 9_999_500_000_000 Cycles"
 
-    assert_command dfx canister call cycles-ledger icrc1_balance_of "(record {owner = principal \"$ALICE\"})"
-    assert_eq "(500_000_000 : nat)"
+    assert_command dfx cycles balance --cycles-ledger-canister-id "$(dfx canister id cycles-ledger)" --identity alice --precise
+    assert_eq "500000000 cycles."
 
     assert_command dfx canister call cycles-ledger icrc1_transfer "(record {to = record{owner = principal \"$BOB\"}; amount = 100_000;})" --identity alice
     assert_eq "(variant { Ok = 1 : nat })"
 
-    assert_command dfx canister call cycles-ledger icrc1_balance_of "(record {owner = principal \"$ALICE\"})"
-    assert_eq "(399_900_000 : nat)"
+    assert_command dfx cycles balance --cycles-ledger-canister-id "$(dfx canister id cycles-ledger)" --identity alice --precise
+    assert_eq "399900000 cycles."
 
-    assert_command dfx canister call cycles-ledger icrc1_balance_of "(record {owner = principal \"$BOB\"})"
-    assert_eq "(100_000 : nat)"
+    assert_command dfx cycles balance --cycles-ledger-canister-id "$(dfx canister id cycles-ledger)" --identity bob --precise
+    assert_eq "100000 cycles."
 
     assert_command dfx canister call cycles-ledger send "(record {amount = 100_000;to = principal \"$(dfx canister id cycles-depositor)\"})" --identity alice
     assert_eq "(variant { Ok = 2 : nat })"
 
-    assert_command dfx canister call cycles-ledger icrc1_balance_of "(record {owner = principal \"$ALICE\"})"
-    assert_eq "(299_800_000 : nat)"
+    assert_command dfx cycles balance --cycles-ledger-canister-id "$(dfx canister id cycles-ledger)" --identity alice --precise
+    assert_eq "299800000 cycles."
 
     assert_command dfx canister status cycles-depositor
     assert_contains "Balance: 9_999_500_100_000 Cycles"
diff --git a/src/dfx/Cargo.toml b/src/dfx/Cargo.toml
index 4f6f1ae8a2..011e596b88 100644
--- a/src/dfx/Cargo.toml
+++ b/src/dfx/Cargo.toml
@@ -66,6 +66,7 @@ ic-asset.workspace = true
 ic-identity-hsm = { workspace = true }
 ic-utils = { workspace = true }
 ic-wasm = "0.4.0"
+icrc-ledger-types = "0.1.1"
 indicatif = "0.16.0"
 itertools.workspace = true
 json-patch = "1.0.0"
diff --git a/src/dfx/src/commands/cycles/balance.rs b/src/dfx/src/commands/cycles/balance.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..1cdbe78e1b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/dfx/src/commands/cycles/balance.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,54 @@
+use crate::lib::environment::Environment;
+use crate::lib::error::DfxResult;
+use crate::lib::nns_types::account_identifier::Subaccount;
+use crate::lib::operations::cycles_ledger;
+use crate::util::{format_as_trillions, pretty_thousand_separators};
+use candid::Principal;
+use clap::Parser;
+
+/// Get the cycle balance of the selected Identity's cycles wallet.
+#[derive(Parser)]
+pub struct CyclesBalanceOpts {
+    /// Specifies a Principal to get the balance of
+    #[arg(long)]
+    owner: Option<Principal>,
+
+    /// Subaccount of the selected identity to get the balance of
+    #[arg(long)]
+    subaccount: Option<Subaccount>,
+
+    /// Get balance raw value (without upscaling to trillions of cycles).
+    #[arg(long)]
+    precise: bool,
+
+    /// Canister ID of the cycles ledger canister.
+    /// If not specified, the default cycles ledger canister ID will be used.
+    // todo: remove this.  See https://dfinity.atlassian.net/browse/SDK-1262
+    #[arg(long)]
+    cycles_ledger_canister_id: Principal,
+}
+
+pub async fn exec(env: &dyn Environment, opts: CyclesBalanceOpts) -> DfxResult {
+    let agent = env.get_agent();
+
+    let owner = opts.owner.unwrap_or_else(|| {
+        env.get_selected_identity_principal()
+            .expect("Selected identity not instantiated.")
+    });
+
+    let subaccount = opts.subaccount.map(|x| x.0);
+
+    let balance =
+        cycles_ledger::balance(agent, owner, subaccount, opts.cycles_ledger_canister_id).await?;
+
+    if opts.precise {
+        println!("{} cycles.", balance);
+    } else {
+        println!(
+            "{} TC (trillion cycles).",
+            pretty_thousand_separators(format_as_trillions(balance))
+        );
+    }
+
+    Ok(())
+}
diff --git a/src/dfx/src/commands/cycles/mod.rs b/src/dfx/src/commands/cycles/mod.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..36a269a713
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/dfx/src/commands/cycles/mod.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+use crate::lib::agent::create_agent_environment;
+use crate::lib::environment::Environment;
+use crate::lib::error::DfxResult;
+use crate::lib::network::network_opt::NetworkOpt;
+use clap::Parser;
+use tokio::runtime::Runtime;
+
+mod balance;
+
+/// Helper commands to manage the user's cycles.
+#[derive(Parser)]
+#[command(name = "wallet")]
+pub struct CyclesOpts {
+    #[command(flatten)]
+    network: NetworkOpt,
+
+    #[command(subcommand)]
+    subcmd: SubCommand,
+}
+
+#[derive(Parser)]
+enum SubCommand {
+    Balance(balance::CyclesBalanceOpts),
+}
+
+pub fn exec(env: &dyn Environment, opts: CyclesOpts) -> DfxResult {
+    let agent_env = create_agent_environment(env, opts.network.to_network_name())?;
+    let runtime = Runtime::new().expect("Unable to create a runtime");
+    runtime.block_on(async {
+        match opts.subcmd {
+            SubCommand::Balance(v) => balance::exec(&agent_env, v).await,
+        }
+    })
+}
diff --git a/src/dfx/src/commands/mod.rs b/src/dfx/src/commands/mod.rs
index 2a402902d5..139ac8ae6c 100644
--- a/src/dfx/src/commands/mod.rs
+++ b/src/dfx/src/commands/mod.rs
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ mod beta;
 mod build;
 mod cache;
 mod canister;
+mod cycles;
 mod deploy;
 mod deps;
 mod diagnose;
@@ -35,6 +36,8 @@ pub enum DfxCommand {
     Build(build::CanisterBuildOpts),
     Cache(cache::CacheOpts),
     Canister(canister::CanisterOpts),
+    #[command(hide = true)]
+    Cycles(cycles::CyclesOpts),
     Deploy(deploy::DeployOpts),
     Deps(deps::DepsOpts),
     Diagnose(diagnose::DiagnoseOpts),
@@ -64,6 +67,7 @@ pub fn exec(env: &dyn Environment, cmd: DfxCommand) -> DfxResult {
         DfxCommand::Build(v) => build::exec(env, v),
         DfxCommand::Cache(v) => cache::exec(env, v),
         DfxCommand::Canister(v) => canister::exec(env, v),
+        DfxCommand::Cycles(v) => cycles::exec(env, v),
         DfxCommand::Deploy(v) => deploy::exec(env, v),
         DfxCommand::Deps(v) => deps::exec(env, v),
         DfxCommand::Diagnose(v) => diagnose::exec(env, v),
diff --git a/src/dfx/src/lib/mod.rs b/src/dfx/src/lib/mod.rs
index 221cd6999d..e53ae0828d 100644
--- a/src/dfx/src/lib/mod.rs
+++ b/src/dfx/src/lib/mod.rs
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ pub mod progress_bar;
 pub mod project;
 pub mod replica;
 pub mod replica_config;
+pub mod retryable;
 pub mod root_key;
 pub mod sign;
 pub mod state_tree;
diff --git a/src/dfx/src/lib/operations/cycles_ledger.rs b/src/dfx/src/lib/operations/cycles_ledger.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..ba75220d4e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/dfx/src/lib/operations/cycles_ledger.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+use crate::lib::error::DfxResult;
+use crate::lib::retryable::retryable;
+use anyhow::anyhow;
+use backoff::future::retry;
+use backoff::ExponentialBackoff;
+use candid::Principal;
+use ic_agent::Agent;
+use ic_utils::call::SyncCall;
+use ic_utils::Canister;
+use icrc_ledger_types::icrc1;
+
+const ICRC1_BALANCE_OF_METHOD: &str = "icrc1_balance_of";
+
+pub async fn balance(
+    agent: &Agent,
+    owner: Principal,
+    subaccount: Option<icrc1::account::Subaccount>,
+    cycles_ledger_canister_id: Principal,
+) -> DfxResult<u128> {
+    let canister = Canister::builder()
+        .with_agent(agent)
+        .with_canister_id(cycles_ledger_canister_id)
+        .build()?;
+    let arg = icrc1::account::Account { owner, subaccount };
+
+    let retry_policy = ExponentialBackoff::default();
+
+    retry(retry_policy, || async {
+        let result = canister
+            .query(ICRC1_BALANCE_OF_METHOD)
+            .with_arg(arg)
+            .build()
+            .call()
+            .await;
+        match result {
+            Ok((balance,)) => Ok(balance),
+            Err(agent_err) if retryable(&agent_err) => {
+                Err(backoff::Error::transient(anyhow!(agent_err)))
+            }
+            Err(agent_err) => Err(backoff::Error::permanent(anyhow!(agent_err))),
+        }
+    })
+    .await
+}
diff --git a/src/dfx/src/lib/operations/mod.rs b/src/dfx/src/lib/operations/mod.rs
index bbe6390dd4..d7d7b006f5 100644
--- a/src/dfx/src/lib/operations/mod.rs
+++ b/src/dfx/src/lib/operations/mod.rs
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
 pub mod canister;
 pub mod cmc;
+pub mod cycles_ledger;
 pub mod ledger;
diff --git a/src/dfx/src/lib/retryable.rs b/src/dfx/src/lib/retryable.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..edc76f241f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/dfx/src/lib/retryable.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+use ic_agent::AgentError;
+
+pub fn retryable(agent_error: &AgentError) -> bool {
+    matches!(
+        agent_error,
+        AgentError::TimeoutWaitingForResponse() | AgentError::TransportError(_)
+    )
+}