diff --git a/ape-config.yaml b/ape-config.yaml
index 2ec905d..243f30d 100644
--- a/ape-config.yaml
+++ b/ape-config.yaml
@@ -41,3 +41,5 @@ test:
   gas:
     exclude:
       - method_name: setAdd*
+
+  balance: 100_000 ETH
diff --git a/ape_hardhat/provider.py b/ape_hardhat/provider.py
index 5f16638..0fb13a2 100644
--- a/ape_hardhat/provider.py
+++ b/ape_hardhat/provider.py
@@ -60,7 +60,8 @@
       accounts: {{
         mnemonic: "{mnemonic}",
         path: "{hd_path}",
-        count: {number_of_accounts}
+        count: {number_of_accounts},
+        accountsBalance: "{initial_balance}",
       }}
     }},
   }},
@@ -79,6 +80,7 @@ def _validate_hardhat_config_file(
     path: Path,
     mnemonic: str,
     num_of_accounts: int,
+    initial_balance: int,
     hardhat_version: str,
     hard_fork: Optional[str] = None,
     hd_path: Optional[str] = None,
@@ -107,6 +109,7 @@ def _validate_hardhat_config_file(
         mnemonic=mnemonic,
         number_of_accounts=num_of_accounts,
         hard_fork=hard_fork,
+        initial_balance=initial_balance,
     )
     if not path.is_file():
         # Create default '.js' file.
@@ -674,6 +677,7 @@ def _get_command(self) -> list[str]:
             self.hardhat_config_file,
             self.mnemonic,
             self.number_of_accounts,
+            self._test_config.balance,
             self.hardhat_version,
             hard_fork=self.config.evm_version,
             hd_path=self.test_config.hd_path or DEFAULT_TEST_HD_PATH,
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index b70252a..7a3fec9 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@
     url="https://github.com/ApeWorX/ape-hardhat",
     include_package_data=True,
     install_requires=[
-        "eth-ape>=0.8.1,<0.9",
+        "eth-ape>=0.8.9,<0.9",
         "ethpm-types",  # Use same version as eth-ape
         "evm-trace",  # Use same version as eth-ape
         "web3",  # Use same version as eth-ape
diff --git a/tests/test_provider.py b/tests/test_provider.py
index 3b30a50..8d9860b 100644
--- a/tests/test_provider.py
+++ b/tests/test_provider.py
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 
 import pytest
 import requests
+from ape import convert
 from ape.api import ReceiptAPI, TraceAPI
 from ape.api.accounts import ImpersonatedAccount
 from ape.contracts import ContractContainer
@@ -306,3 +307,10 @@ def test_hardfork(project, networks):
     with project.temp_config(hardhat={"evm_version": "london"}):
         with networks.ethereum.local.use_provider("hardhat") as provider:
             assert provider.config.evm_version == "london"
+
+
+def test_initial_balance(accounts):
+    # We configured it to be 100_000 ETH but the default is 10_000 ETH and
+    # we may have spent some, so just assert its in between those two ranges.
+    acct = accounts[9]
+    assert convert("10_000 ETH", int) < acct.balance <= convert("100_000 ETH", int)