diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..9f873155c5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,90 @@
+A Framework for Securing Software Update Systems
+------------------------------------------------
+
+[](https://travis-ci.org/theupdateframework/tuf)
+[](https://coveralls.io/r/theupdateframework/tuf?branch=develop)
+[](https://pyup.io/repos/github/theupdateframework/tuf/)
+[](https://pyup.io/repos/github/theupdateframework/tuf/)
+[](https://app.fossa.io/projects/git%2Bgithub.com%2Ftheupdateframework%2Ftuf?ref=badge_shield)
+[](https://bestpractices.coreinfrastructure.org/projects/1351)
+
+#
+
+The Update Framework (TUF) helps developers maintain the security of a software
+update system, even against attackers that compromise the repository or signing
+keys. TUF provides a flexible framework and specification that developers can
+adopt into any software update system.
+
+TUF is hosted by the [Linux Foundation](https://www.linuxfoundation.org/) as
+part of the [Cloud Native Computing Foundation](https://www.cncf.io/) (CNCF)
+and is used [in production](docs/ADOPTERS.md) by companies such as Docker,
+DigitalOcean, Flynn, LEAP, Kolide, Cloudflare, and VMware. A variant of TUF
+called [Uptane](https://uptane.github.io/) is widely used to secure
+over-the-air updates in automobiles.
+
+
+Documentation
+-------------
+* [Overview](docs/OVERVIEW.rst)
+* [Specification](https://github.com/theupdateframework/specification/blob/master/tuf-spec.md)
+* [Getting Started](docs/GETTING_STARTED.rst)
+* [Governance](docs/GOVERNANCE.md) and [Maintainers](docs/MAINTAINERS.txt)
+* [Miscellaneous Docs](docs/)
+
+
+Contact
+-------
+Please contact us via our [mailing
+list](https://groups.google.com/forum/?fromgroups#!forum/theupdateframework).
+Questions, feedback, and suggestions are welcomed on this low volume mailing
+list.
+
+We strive to make the specification easy to implement, so if you come across
+any inconsistencies or experience any difficulty, do let us know by sending an
+email, or by reporting an issue in the GitHub [specification
+repo](https://github.com/theupdateframework/specification/issues).
+
+Security Issues and Bugs
+------------------------
+
+Security issues can be reported by emailing jcappos@nyu.edu.
+
+At a minimum, the report must contain the following:
+
+* Description of the vulnerability.
+* Steps to reproduce the issue.
+
+Optionally, reports that are emailed can be encrypted with PGP. You should use
+PGP key fingerprint **E9C0 59EC 0D32 64FA B35F 94AD 465B F9F6 F8EB 475A**.
+
+Please do not use the GitHub issue tracker to submit vulnerability reports.
+The issue tracker is intended for bug reports and to make feature requests.
+Major feature requests, such as design changes to the specification, should
+be proposed via a [TUF Augmentation Proposal](docs/TAP.rst) (TAP).
+
+License
+-------
+
+This work is [dual-licensed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multi-licensing) and
+distributed under the (1) MIT License and (2) Apache License, Version 2.0.
+Please see [LICENSE-MIT](LICENSE-MIT) and [LICENSE](LICENSE).
+
+
+Acknowledgements
+----------------
+
+This project is managed by Prof. [Justin
+Cappos](https://ssl.engineering.nyu.edu/personalpages/jcappos/) and other
+members of the [Secure Systems Lab](https://ssl.engineering.nyu.edu/) at [New
+York University](https://engineering.nyu.edu/).
+[Contributors](https://github.com/theupdateframework/tuf/blob/develop/docs/AUTHORS.txt)
+and
+[maintainers](https://github.com/theupdateframework/tuf/blob/develop/docs/MAINTAINERS.txt)
+are governed by the [CNCF Community Code of
+Conduct](https://github.com/cncf/foundation/blob/master/code-of-conduct.md).
+
+This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation
+under Grant Nos. CNS-1345049 and CNS-0959138. Any opinions, findings, and
+conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the
+author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science
+Foundation.
diff --git a/README.rst b/README.rst
deleted file mode 100644
index b288042311..0000000000
--- a/README.rst
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,114 +0,0 @@
-A Framework for Securing Software Update Systems
-------------------------------------------------
-
-.. image:: https://travis-ci.org/theupdateframework/tuf.svg?branch=develop
- :target: https://travis-ci.org/theupdateframework/tuf
- :alt: Travis
-
-.. image:: https://coveralls.io/repos/theupdateframework/tuf/badge.svg?branch=develop
- :target: https://coveralls.io/r/theupdateframework/tuf?branch=develop
- :alt: Coveralls
-
-.. image:: https://pyup.io/repos/github/theupdateframework/tuf/shield.svg
- :target: https://pyup.io/repos/github/theupdateframework/tuf/
- :alt: pyup
-
-.. image:: https://pyup.io/repos/github/theupdateframework/tuf/python-3-shield.svg
- :target: https://pyup.io/repos/github/theupdateframework/tuf/
- :alt: Python 3
-
-.. image:: https://app.fossa.io/api/projects/git%2Bgithub.com%2Ftheupdateframework%2Ftuf.svg?type=shield
- :target: https://app.fossa.io/projects/git%2Bgithub.com%2Ftheupdateframework%2Ftuf?ref=badge_shield
- :alt: FOSSA
-
-.. image:: https://bestpractices.coreinfrastructure.org/projects/1351/badge
- :target: https://bestpractices.coreinfrastructure.org/projects/1351
- :alt: CII
-
-.. raw:: html
-
-
-
----------------------------------------------------------------
-
-The Update Framework (TUF) helps developers maintain the security of a software
-update system, even against attackers that compromise the repository or signing
-keys. TUF provides a flexible framework and specification that developers can
-adopt into any software update system.
-
-TUF is hosted by the `Linux Foundation `_ as
-part of the `Cloud Native Computing Foundation `_ (CNCF)
-and is used `in production `_ by companies such as Docker,
-DigitalOcean, Flynn, LEAP, Kolide, Cloudflare, and VMware. A variant of TUF
-called `Uptane `_ is widely used to secure
-over-the-air updates in automobiles.
-
-
-Documentation
--------------
-* `Overview `_
-* `Specification `_
-* `Getting Started `_
-* `Governance `_ and `Maintainers `_
-* `Miscellaneous Docs `_
-
-
-Contact
--------
-Please contact us via our `mailing list
-`_.
-Questions, feedback, and suggestions are welcomed on this low volume mailing
-list.
-
-We strive to make the specification easy to implement, so if you come
-across any inconsistencies or experience any difficulty, do let us know by
-sending an email, or by reporting an issue in the `specification
-repo `_.
-
-Security Issues and Bugs
-------------------------
-
-Security issues can be reported by emailing jcappos@nyu.edu.
-
-At a minimum, the report must contain the following:
-
-* Description of the vulnerability.
-* Steps to reproduce the issue.
-
-Optionally, reports that are emailed can be encrypted with PGP. You should use
-PGP key fingerprint **E9C0 59EC 0D32 64FA B35F 94AD 465B F9F6 F8EB 475A**.
-
-Please do not use the GitHub issue tracker to submit vulnerability reports.
-The issue tracker is intended for bug reports and to make feature requests.
-Major feature requests, such as design changes to the specification, should
-be proposed via a `TUF Augmentation Proposal `_.
-
-License
--------
-
-This work is `dual-licensed `_
-and distributed under the (1) MIT License and (2) Apache License, Version 2.0.
-Please see `LICENSE-MIT `_ and `LICENSE
-`_.
-
-
-Acknowledgements
-----------------
-
-This project is managed by Prof. `Justin Cappos
-`_ and other members of
-the `Secure Systems Lab `_ at `New York
-University `_. `Contributors
-`_ and
-`maintainers
-`_
-are governed by the `CNCF Community Code of Conduct
-`_.
-
-This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation
-under Grant Nos. CNS-1345049 and CNS-0959138. Any opinions, findings, and
-conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the
-author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science
-Foundation.
diff --git a/dev-requirements.txt b/dev-requirements.txt
index 59a2cebe75..75c4b7c00c 100644
--- a/dev-requirements.txt
+++ b/dev-requirements.txt
@@ -35,5 +35,5 @@ six==1.11.0
smmap2==2.0.3
stevedore==1.28.0
tox==3.0.0
-virtualenv==15.2.0
+virtualenv==16.0.0
wrapt==1.10.11
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index 67a6e6e006..70df01aeb8 100755
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@
from setuptools import find_packages
-with open('README.rst') as file_object:
+with open('README.md') as file_object:
long_description = file_object.read()
setup(