RIPEMD-160 Hash Calculator

Features

• RIPEMD-160 digests, output as hexadecimal or Base64
• One switch for HASH160 — SHA-256 then RIPEMD-160, the core step of a Bitcoin address
• Non-ASCII text hashed as UTF-8 bytes, matching openssl digit for digit
• Implemented here, so no dependency on the deprecated OpenSSL legacy provider
• Multi-megabyte input is handled without freezing the page
• The digest is computed in local memory; your content never leaves the browser

How to use

1. Paste your text into the input box
2. Tick HASH160 if you need the Bitcoin address step
3. Choose the output encoding and letter case
4. Press Ctrl/⌘ + Enter or click Run, then copy the result

FAQ

What is HASH160, and how does it relate to RIPEMD-160?

HASH160 is not another hash algorithm but a two-step combination: SHA-256 the data, then run RIPEMD-160 over the resulting 32 bytes to get 20 bytes. Bitcoin uses it to compress a public key into the 20-byte public key hash that Base58 then encodes into an address — which is why addresses are shorter than keys, and cheaper to spend. Ticking that option makes this tool perform exactly those two steps.

Is RIPEMD-160 still secure?

Considerably better than MD5 and SHA-1, but no longer a first choice. Its 160-bit width is the main limitation — a birthday attack costs roughly 2^80, which is no longer out of reach. Collision attacks that were actually demonstrated (2013) required reduced-round variants and pose no practical threat to the full algorithm, which is why Bitcoin continues to use it unchanged. For new designs, use SHA-256 or SHA-3; the reason to reach for this tool is reproducing values that already exist.

Why does the browser not provide this algorithm?

Web Crypto only includes NIST-standardised algorithms, and RIPEMD-160 is not one of them (it came out of the EU RIPE project). Node moved it into the OpenSSL 3 legacy provider, which is not loaded by default either. So this tool ships its own implementation. One useful consequence: RIPEMD-160 still computes in environments without Web Crypto, such as a page opened over http:// — only the HASH160 option needs a secure context.

Why does my digest not match my wallet?

Check two things. First, whether the input is a public key or an address: HASH160 takes public key bytes (33 bytes compressed, 65 uncompressed), not an address string and not a private key. Second, whether that key is compressed — the compressed and uncompressed forms of the same key produce entirely different HASH160 values, hence different addresses. That is why one private key can own two addresses.