diff --git a/lib/types/avatar-types.js b/lib/types/avatar-types.js
--- a/lib/types/avatar-types.js
+++ b/lib/types/avatar-types.js
@@ -24,6 +24,11 @@
   +uploadID: string,
 };
 
+export type EncryptedImageAvatarDBContent = {
+  +type: 'encrypted-image',
+  +uploadID: string,
+};
+
 export type ENSAvatarDBContent = {
   +type: 'ens',
 };
@@ -33,6 +38,7 @@
 export type AvatarDBContent =
   | EmojiAvatarDBContent
   | ImageAvatarDBContent
+  | EncryptedImageAvatarDBContent
   | ENSAvatarDBContent;
 
 export type UpdateUserAvatarRemoveRequest = { +type: 'remove' };
@@ -53,12 +59,20 @@
   uri: t.String,
 });
 
+export type ClientEncryptedImageAvatar = {
+  +type: 'encrypted-image',
+  +blobURI: string,
+  +encryptionKey: string,
+  +thumbHash: ?string,
+};
+
 export type ClientENSAvatar = ENSAvatarDBContent;
 const clientENSAvatarValidator = ensAvatarDBContentValidator;
 
 export type ClientAvatar =
   | ClientEmojiAvatar
   | ClientImageAvatar
+  | ClientEncryptedImageAvatar
   | ClientENSAvatar;
 export const clientAvatarValidator: TUnion<ClientAvatar> = t.union([
   clientEmojiAvatarValidator,
@@ -66,7 +80,10 @@
   clientENSAvatarValidator,
 ]);
 
-export type ResolvedClientAvatar = ClientEmojiAvatar | ClientImageAvatar;
+export type ResolvedClientAvatar =
+  | ClientEmojiAvatar
+  | ClientImageAvatar
+  | ClientEncryptedImageAvatar;
 
 export type UpdateUserAvatarResponse = {
   +updates: CreateUpdatesResult,
diff --git a/native/account/registration/avatar-selection.react.js b/native/account/registration/avatar-selection.react.js
--- a/native/account/registration/avatar-selection.react.js
+++ b/native/account/registration/avatar-selection.react.js
@@ -91,7 +91,8 @@
       } else if (selection.updateUserAvatarRequest.type !== 'remove') {
         const clientRequest = selection.updateUserAvatarRequest;
         invariant(
-          clientRequest.type !== 'image',
+          clientRequest.type !== 'image' &&
+            clientRequest.type !== 'encrypted-image',
           'image avatars need to be uploaded',
         );
         const newAvatarData = {