diff --git a/blockchain_parser/utils.py b/blockchain_parser/utils.py
index fd04a89..407b9b2 100644
--- a/blockchain_parser/utils.py
+++ b/blockchain_parser/utils.py
@@ -12,10 +12,13 @@
 import hashlib
 import struct
 
+from ripemd import ripemd160
 
 def btc_ripemd160(data):
+    """Computes ripemd160(sha256(data))"""
+
     h1 = hashlib.sha256(data).digest()
-    r160 = hashlib.new("ripemd160")
+    r160 = ripemd160.new()
     r160.update(h1)
     return r160.digest()
 
diff --git a/requirements.txt b/requirements.txt
index 62477e9..c751a70 100644
--- a/requirements.txt
+++ b/requirements.txt
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
 python-bitcoinlib==0.11.0
 plyvel==1.5.1
-coverage==7.4.4
\ No newline at end of file
+ripemd-hash==1.0.1
+coverage==7.4.4
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index 4f9bd63..214e177 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
     ],
     install_requires=[
         'python-bitcoinlib==0.11.0',
-        'plyvel==1.5.1'
+        'plyvel==1.5.1',
+        'ripemd-hash==1.0.1'
     ]
 )