diff --git a/cmd/sftp-server.go b/cmd/sftp-server.go
index 1ebd1fdad..6e448e7ff 100644
--- a/cmd/sftp-server.go
+++ b/cmd/sftp-server.go
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
 package cmd
 
 import (
+	"bytes"
 	"context"
 	"crypto/subtle"
 	"errors"
@@ -162,6 +163,7 @@ func startSFTPServer(args []string) {
 		port          int
 		publicIP      string
 		sshPrivateKey string
+		userCaKeyFile string
 	)
 	allowPubKeys := supportedPubKeyAuthAlgos
 	allowKexAlgos := preferredKexAlgos
@@ -197,6 +199,8 @@ func startSFTPServer(args []string) {
 			allowCiphers = filterAlgos(arg, strings.Split(tokens[1], ","), supportedCiphers)
 		case "mac-algos":
 			allowMACs = filterAlgos(arg, strings.Split(tokens[1], ","), supportedMACs)
+		case "trusted-user-ca-key":
+			userCaKeyFile = tokens[1]
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -278,6 +282,56 @@ func startSFTPServer(args []string) {
 		},
 	}
 
+	if userCaKeyFile != "" {
+		keyBytes, err := os.ReadFile(userCaKeyFile)
+		if err != nil {
+			logger.Fatal(fmt.Errorf("invalid arguments passed, trusted user certificate authority public key file is not accessible: %v", err), "unable to start SFTP server")
+		}
+
+		caPublicKey, _, _, _, err := ssh.ParseAuthorizedKey(keyBytes)
+		if err != nil {
+			logger.Fatal(fmt.Errorf("invalid arguments passed, trusted user certificate authority public key file is not parseable: %v", err), "unable to start SFTP server")
+		}
+
+		sshConfig.PublicKeyCallback = func(c ssh.ConnMetadata, key ssh.PublicKey) (*ssh.Permissions, error) {
+			_, ok := globalIAMSys.GetUser(context.Background(), c.User())
+			if !ok {
+				return nil, errNoSuchUser
+			}
+
+			// Verify that client provided certificate, not only public key.
+			cert, ok := key.(*ssh.Certificate)
+			if !ok {
+				return nil, errSftpPublicKeyWithoutCert
+			}
+
+			// ssh.CheckCert called by ssh.Authenticate accepts certificates
+			// with empty principles list so we block those in here.
+			if len(cert.ValidPrincipals) == 0 {
+				return nil, errSftpCertWithoutPrincipals
+			}
+
+			// Verify that certificate provided by user is issued by trusted CA,
+			// username in authentication request matches to identities in certificate
+			// and that certificate type is correct.
+			checker := ssh.CertChecker{}
+			checker.IsUserAuthority = func(k ssh.PublicKey) bool {
+				return bytes.Equal(k.Marshal(), caPublicKey.Marshal())
+			}
+			_, err = checker.Authenticate(c, key)
+			if err != nil {
+				return nil, err
+			}
+
+			return &ssh.Permissions{
+				CriticalOptions: map[string]string{
+					"accessKey": c.User(),
+				},
+				Extensions: make(map[string]string),
+			}, nil
+		}
+	}
+
 	sshConfig.AddHostKey(private)
 
 	handleSFTPSession := func(channel ssh.Channel, sconn *ssh.ServerConn) {
diff --git a/cmd/typed-errors.go b/cmd/typed-errors.go
index ded5735bb..ea98c480d 100644
--- a/cmd/typed-errors.go
+++ b/cmd/typed-errors.go
@@ -119,3 +119,9 @@ var errInvalidMaxParts = errors.New("Part number is greater than the maximum all
 
 // error returned for session policies > 2048
 var errSessionPolicyTooLarge = errors.New("Session policy should not exceed 2048 characters")
+
+// error returned in SFTP when user used public key without certificate
+var errSftpPublicKeyWithoutCert = errors.New("public key authentication without certificate is not accepted")
+
+// error returned in SFTP when user used certificate which does not contain principal(s)
+var errSftpCertWithoutPrincipals = errors.New("certificates without principal(s) are not accepted")
diff --git a/docs/ftp/README.md b/docs/ftp/README.md
index 2c6f4afd3..1fb6e5795 100644
--- a/docs/ftp/README.md
+++ b/docs/ftp/README.md
@@ -242,3 +242,16 @@ hmac-sha1
 hmac-sha1-96
 ```
 
+### Certificate-based authentication
+
+`--sftp=trusted-user-ca-key=...` specifies a file containing public key of certificate authority that is trusted
+to sign user certificates for authentication.
+
+Implementation is identical with "TrustedUserCAKeys" setting in OpenSSH server with exception that only one CA
+key can be defined.
+
+If a certificate is presented for authentication and has its signing CA key is in this file, then it may be
+used for authentication for any user listed in the certificate's principals list. 
+
+Note that certificates that lack a list of principals will not be permitted for authentication using trusted-user-ca-key.
+For more details on certificates, see the CERTIFICATES section in ssh-keygen(1).