diff --git a/index.js b/index.js
index 17e3d9f..51ed86a 100644
--- a/index.js
+++ b/index.js
@@ -18,7 +18,10 @@ bitcore.encoding.BufferReader = require('./lib/encoding/bufferreader');
 bitcore.encoding.BufferWriter = require('./lib/encoding/bufferwriter');
 bitcore.encoding.Varint = require('./lib/encoding/varint');
 
-bitcore.util = require('./lib/util');
+bitcore.util = {};
+bitcore.util.bitcoin = require('./lib/util/bitcoin');
+bitcore.util.buffer = require('./lib/util/buffer');
+bitcore.util.js = require('./lib/util/js');
 
 // main bitcoin library
 bitcore.Address = require('./lib/address');
diff --git a/lib/crypto/point.js b/lib/crypto/point.js
index d457b18..22ac66a 100644
--- a/lib/crypto/point.js
+++ b/lib/crypto/point.js
@@ -4,9 +4,10 @@ var BN = require('./bn');
 var elliptic = require('elliptic');
 
 var ec = elliptic.curves.secp256k1;
-var ecpoint = ec.curve.point.bind(ec.curve)
+var ecpoint = ec.curve.point.bind(ec.curve);
 var p = ec.curve.point();
-var Curve = Object.getPrototypeOf(ec.curve);
+
+var bufferUtil = require('../util/buffer');
 
 var Point = function Point(x, y, isRed) {
   return ecpoint(x, y, isRed);
@@ -27,7 +28,6 @@ Point.getN = function() {
 
 Point.prototype._getX = Point.prototype.getX;
 Point.prototype.getX = function() {
-  var n = BN(this._getX().toArray());
   return BN(this._getX().toArray());
 };
 
@@ -38,15 +38,34 @@ Point.prototype.getY = function() {
 
 //https://www.iacr.org/archive/pkc2003/25670211/25670211.pdf
 Point.prototype.validate = function() {
+  /* jshint maxcomplexity: 8 */
   var p2 = Point.fromX(this.getY().isOdd(), this.getX());
-  if (!(p2.y.cmp(this.y) === 0))
+  if (p2.y.cmp(this.y) !== 0) {
     throw new Error('Invalid y value of public key');
-  if (!(this.getX().gt(-1) && this.getX().lt(Point.getN()))
-    ||!(this.getY().gt(-1) && this.getY().lt(Point.getN())))
+  }
+  var xValidRange = (this.getX().gt(-1) && this.getX().lt(Point.getN()));
+  var yValidRange = (this.getY().gt(-1) && this.getY().lt(Point.getN()));
+  if (!(xValidRange && yValidRange)) {
     throw new Error('Point does not lie on the curve');
-  if (!(this.mul(Point.getN()).isInfinity()))
+  }
+  if (!(this.mul(Point.getN()).isInfinity())) {
     throw new Error('Point times N must be infinity');
+  }
   return this;
 };
 
+Point.pointToCompressed = function pointToCompressed(point) {
+  var xbuf = point.getX().toBuffer({size: 32});
+  var ybuf = point.getY().toBuffer({size: 32});
+
+  var prefix;
+  var odd = ybuf[ybuf.length - 1] % 2;
+  if (odd) {
+    prefix = new Buffer([0x03]);
+  } else {
+    prefix = new Buffer([0x02]);
+  }
+  return bufferUtil.concat([prefix, xbuf]);
+};
+
 module.exports = Point;
diff --git a/lib/hdprivatekey.js b/lib/hdprivatekey.js
index 78d5e53..d3e0acf 100644
--- a/lib/hdprivatekey.js
+++ b/lib/hdprivatekey.js
@@ -1,6 +1,10 @@
 'use strict';
 
+
+var assert = require('assert');
+var buffer = require('buffer');
 var _ = require('lodash');
+
 var BN = require('./crypto/bn');
 var Base58 = require('./encoding/base58');
 var Base58Check = require('./encoding/base58check');
@@ -11,9 +15,8 @@ var Point = require('./crypto/point');
 var PrivateKey = require('./privatekey');
 var Random = require('./crypto/random');
 
-var assert = require('assert');
-var buffer = require('buffer');
-var util = require('./util');
+var bufferUtil = require('./util/buffer');
+var jsUtil = require('./util/js');
 
 var MINIMUM_ENTROPY_BITS = 128;
 var BITS_TO_BYTES = 1/8;
@@ -29,10 +32,10 @@ function HDPrivateKey(arg) {
     return new HDPrivateKey(arg);
   }
   if (arg) {
-    if (_.isString(arg) || buffer.Buffer.isBuffer(arg)) {
+    if (_.isString(arg) || bufferUtil.isBuffer(arg)) {
       if (HDPrivateKey.isValidSerialized(arg)) {
         this._buildFromSerialized(arg);
-      } else if (util.isValidJson(arg)) {
+      } else if (jsUtil.isValidJson(arg)) {
         this._buildFromJson(arg);
       } else {
         throw new Error(HDPrivateKey.getSerializedError(arg));
@@ -73,12 +76,12 @@ HDPrivateKey.prototype._deriveWithNumber = function(index, hardened) {
     return cached;
   }
 
-  var indexBuffer = util.integerAsBuffer(index);
+  var indexBuffer = bufferUtil.integerAsBuffer(index);
   var data;
   if (hardened) {
-    data = buffer.Buffer.concat([new buffer.Buffer([0]), this.privateKey.toBuffer(), indexBuffer]);
+    data = bufferUtil.concat([new buffer.Buffer([0]), this.privateKey.toBuffer(), indexBuffer]);
   } else {
-    data = buffer.Buffer.concat([this.publicKey.toBuffer(), indexBuffer]);
+    data = bufferUtil.concat([this.publicKey.toBuffer(), indexBuffer]);
   }
   var hash = Hash.sha512hmac(data, this._buffers.chainCode);
   var leftPart = BN().fromBuffer(hash.slice(0, 32), {size: 32});
@@ -143,7 +146,7 @@ HDPrivateKey.isValidSerialized = function(data, network) {
  */
 HDPrivateKey.getSerializedError = function(data, network) {
   /* jshint maxcomplexity: 10 */
-  if (!(_.isString(data) || buffer.Buffer.isBuffer(data))) {
+  if (!(_.isString(data) || bufferUtil.isBuffer(data))) {
     return HDPrivateKey.Errors.InvalidArgument;
   }
   if (!Base58.validCharacters(data)) {
@@ -172,7 +175,7 @@ HDPrivateKey._validateNetwork = function(data, network) {
     return HDPrivateKey.Errors.InvalidNetworkArgument;
   }
   var version = data.slice(0, 4);
-  if (util.integerFromBuffer(version) !== network.xprivkey) {
+  if (bufferUtil.integerFromBuffer(version) !== network.xprivkey) {
     return HDPrivateKey.Errors.InvalidNetwork;
   }
   return null;
@@ -186,13 +189,13 @@ HDPrivateKey.prototype._buildFromObject = function(arg) {
   /* jshint maxcomplexity: 12 */
   // TODO: Type validation
   var buffers = {
-    version: arg.network ? util.integerAsBuffer(Network.get(arg.network).xprivkey) : arg.version,
-    depth: util.integerAsSingleByteBuffer(arg.depth),
-    parentFingerPrint: _.isNumber(arg.parentFingerPrint) ? util.integerAsBuffer(arg.parentFingerPrint) : arg.parentFingerPrint,
-    childIndex: _.isNumber(arg.childIndex) ? util.integerAsBuffer(arg.childIndex) : arg.childIndex,
-    chainCode: _.isString(arg.chainCode) ? util.hexToBuffer(arg.chainCode) : arg.chainCode,
-    privateKey: (_.isString(arg.privateKey) && util.isHexa(arg.privateKey)) ? util.hexToBuffer(arg.privateKey) : arg.privateKey,
-    checksum: arg.checksum ? (arg.checksum.length ? arg.checksum : util.integerAsBuffer(arg.checksum)) : undefined
+    version: arg.network ? bufferUtil.integerAsBuffer(Network.get(arg.network).xprivkey) : arg.version,
+    depth: bufferUtil.integerAsSingleByteBuffer(arg.depth),
+    parentFingerPrint: _.isNumber(arg.parentFingerPrint) ? bufferUtil.integerAsBuffer(arg.parentFingerPrint) : arg.parentFingerPrint,
+    childIndex: _.isNumber(arg.childIndex) ? bufferUtil.integerAsBuffer(arg.childIndex) : arg.childIndex,
+    chainCode: _.isString(arg.chainCode) ? bufferUtil.hexToBuffer(arg.chainCode) : arg.chainCode,
+    privateKey: (_.isString(arg.privateKey) && jsUtil.isHexa(arg.privateKey)) ? bufferUtil.hexToBuffer(arg.privateKey) : arg.privateKey,
+    checksum: arg.checksum ? (arg.checksum.length ? arg.checksum : bufferUtil.integerAsBuffer(arg.checksum)) : undefined
   };
   return this._buildFromBuffers(buffers);
 };
@@ -220,8 +223,8 @@ HDPrivateKey.prototype._generateRandomly = function(network) {
 HDPrivateKey.fromSeed = function(hexa, network) {
   /* jshint maxcomplexity: 8 */
 
-  if (util.isHexaString(hexa)) {
-    hexa = util.hexToBuffer(hexa);
+  if (jsUtil.isHexaString(hexa)) {
+    hexa = bufferUtil.hexToBuffer(hexa);
   }
   if (!Buffer.isBuffer(hexa)) {
     throw new Error(HDPrivateKey.Errors.InvalidEntropyArg);
@@ -269,7 +272,7 @@ HDPrivateKey.prototype._buildFromBuffers = function(arg) {
 
   var sequence = [
     arg.version, arg.depth, arg.parentFingerPrint, arg.childIndex, arg.chainCode,
-    util.emptyBuffer(1), arg.privateKey
+    bufferUtil.emptyBuffer(1), arg.privateKey
   ];
   if (!arg.checksum || !arg.checksum.length) {
     arg.checksum = Base58Check.checksum(buffer.Buffer.concat(sequence));
@@ -284,8 +287,8 @@ HDPrivateKey.prototype._buildFromBuffers = function(arg) {
   } else {
     this.xprivkey = arg.xprivkey;
   }
-  this.network = Network.get(util.integerFromBuffer(arg.version));
-  this.depth = util.integerFromSingleByteBuffer(arg.depth);
+  this.network = Network.get(bufferUtil.integerFromBuffer(arg.version));
+  this.depth = bufferUtil.integerFromSingleByteBuffer(arg.depth);
   this.privateKey = new PrivateKey(BN().fromBuffer(arg.privateKey));
   this.publicKey = this.privateKey.toPublicKey();
 
@@ -301,7 +304,7 @@ HDPrivateKey.prototype._buildFromBuffers = function(arg) {
 HDPrivateKey._validateBufferArguments = function(arg) {
   var checkBuffer = function(name, size) {
     var buff = arg[name];
-    assert(buffer.Buffer.isBuffer(buff), name + ' argument is not a buffer');
+    assert(bufferUtil.isBuffer(buff), name + ' argument is not a buffer');
     assert(
       buff.length === size,
       name + ' has not the expected size: found ' + buff.length + ', expected ' + size
@@ -324,14 +327,14 @@ HDPrivateKey.prototype.toString = function() {
 
 HDPrivateKey.prototype.toObject = function() {
   return {
-    network: Network.get(util.integerFromBuffer(this._buffers.version)).name,
-    depth: util.integerFromSingleByteBuffer(this._buffers.depth),
-    fingerPrint: util.integerFromBuffer(this.fingerPrint),
-    parentFingerPrint: util.integerFromBuffer(this._buffers.parentFingerPrint),
-    childIndex: util.integerFromBuffer(this._buffers.childIndex),
-    chainCode: util.bufferToHex(this._buffers.chainCode),
+    network: Network.get(bufferUtil.integerFromBuffer(this._buffers.version)).name,
+    depth: bufferUtil.integerFromSingleByteBuffer(this._buffers.depth),
+    fingerPrint: bufferUtil.integerFromBuffer(this.fingerPrint),
+    parentFingerPrint: bufferUtil.integerFromBuffer(this._buffers.parentFingerPrint),
+    childIndex: bufferUtil.integerFromBuffer(this._buffers.childIndex),
+    chainCode: bufferUtil.bufferToHex(this._buffers.chainCode),
     privateKey: this.privateKey.toBuffer().toString('hex'),
-    checksum: util.integerFromBuffer(this._buffers.checksum),
+    checksum: bufferUtil.integerFromBuffer(this._buffers.checksum),
     xprivkey: this.xprivkey
   };
 };
diff --git a/lib/hdpublickey.js b/lib/hdpublickey.js
index faf5fbd..8f335a1 100644
--- a/lib/hdpublickey.js
+++ b/lib/hdpublickey.js
@@ -12,8 +12,9 @@ var Point = require('./crypto/point');
 var PublicKey = require('./publickey');
 
 var assert = require('assert');
-var buffer = require('buffer');
-var util = require('./util');
+
+var jsUtil = require('./util/js');
+var bufferUtil = require('./util/buffer');
 
 
 function HDPublicKey(arg) {
@@ -26,10 +27,10 @@ function HDPublicKey(arg) {
     return new HDPublicKey(arg);
   }
   if (arg) {
-    if (_.isString(arg) || buffer.Buffer.isBuffer(arg)) {
+    if (_.isString(arg) || bufferUtil.isBuffer(arg)) {
       if (HDPublicKey.isValidSerialized(arg)) {
         return this._buildFromSerialized(arg);
-      } else if (util.isValidJson(arg)) {
+      } else if (jsUtil.isValidJson(arg)) {
         return this._buildFromJson(arg);
       } else {
         var error = HDPublicKey.getSerializedError(arg);
@@ -73,8 +74,8 @@ HDPublicKey.prototype._deriveWithNumber = function (index, hardened) {
     return cached;
   }
 
-  var indexBuffer = util.integerAsBuffer(index);
-  var data = buffer.Buffer.concat([this.publicKey.toBuffer(), indexBuffer]);
+  var indexBuffer = bufferUtil.integerAsBuffer(index);
+  var data = bufferUtil.concat([this.publicKey.toBuffer(), indexBuffer]);
   var hash = Hash.sha512hmac(data, this._buffers.chainCode);
   var leftPart = BN().fromBuffer(hash.slice(0, 32), {size: 32});
   var chainCode = hash.slice(32, 64);
@@ -140,7 +141,7 @@ HDPublicKey.isValidSerialized = function (data, network) {
 HDPublicKey.getSerializedError = function (data, network) {
   /* jshint maxcomplexity: 10 */
   /* jshint maxstatements: 20 */
-  if (!(_.isString(data) || buffer.Buffer.isBuffer(data))) {
+  if (!(_.isString(data) || bufferUtil.isBuffer(data))) {
     return HDPublicKey.Errors.InvalidArgument;
   }
   if (!Base58.validCharacters(data)) {
@@ -161,7 +162,7 @@ HDPublicKey.getSerializedError = function (data, network) {
     }
   }
   network = Network.get(network) || Network.defaultNetwork;
-  if (util.integerFromBuffer(data.slice(0, 4)) === network.xprivkey) {
+  if (bufferUtil.integerFromBuffer(data.slice(0, 4)) === network.xprivkey) {
     return HDPublicKey.Errors.ArgumentIsPrivateExtended;
   }
   return null;
@@ -173,7 +174,7 @@ HDPublicKey._validateNetwork = function (data, network) {
     return HDPublicKey.Errors.InvalidNetworkArgument;
   }
   var version = data.slice(HDPublicKey.VersionStart, HDPublicKey.VersionEnd);
-  if (util.integerFromBuffer(version) !== network.xpubkey) {
+  if (bufferUtil.integerFromBuffer(version) !== network.xpubkey) {
     return HDPublicKey.Errors.InvalidNetwork;
   }
   return null;
@@ -186,8 +187,8 @@ HDPublicKey.prototype._buildFromJson = function (arg) {
 HDPublicKey.prototype._buildFromPrivate = function (arg) {
   var args = _.clone(arg._buffers);
   var point = Point.getG().mul(BN().fromBuffer(args.privateKey));
-  args.publicKey = util.pointToCompressed(point);
-  args.version = util.integerAsBuffer(Network.get(util.integerFromBuffer(args.version)).xpubkey);
+  args.publicKey = Point.pointToCompressed(point);
+  args.version = bufferUtil.integerAsBuffer(Network.get(bufferUtil.integerFromBuffer(args.version)).xpubkey);
   args.privateKey = undefined;
   args.checksum = undefined;
   args.xprivkey = undefined;
@@ -198,14 +199,14 @@ HDPublicKey.prototype._buildFromObject = function (arg) {
   /* jshint maxcomplexity: 10 */
   // TODO: Type validation
   var buffers = {
-    version: arg.network ? util.integerAsBuffer(Network.get(arg.network).xpubkey) : arg.version,
-    depth: util.integerAsSingleByteBuffer(arg.depth),
-    parentFingerPrint: _.isNumber(arg.parentFingerPrint) ? util.integerAsBuffer(arg.parentFingerPrint) : arg.parentFingerPrint,
-    childIndex: util.integerAsBuffer(arg.childIndex),
-    chainCode: _.isString(arg.chainCode) ? util.hexToBuffer(arg.chainCode) : arg.chainCode,
-    publicKey: _.isString(arg.publicKey) ? util.hexToBuffer(arg.publicKey) :
-      buffer.Buffer.isBuffer(arg.publicKey) ? arg.publicKey : arg.publicKey.toBuffer(),
-    checksum: _.isNumber(arg.checksum) ? util.integerAsBuffer(arg.checksum) : arg.checksum
+    version: arg.network ? bufferUtil.integerAsBuffer(Network.get(arg.network).xpubkey) : arg.version,
+    depth: bufferUtil.integerAsSingleByteBuffer(arg.depth),
+    parentFingerPrint: _.isNumber(arg.parentFingerPrint) ? bufferUtil.integerAsBuffer(arg.parentFingerPrint) : arg.parentFingerPrint,
+    childIndex: bufferUtil.integerAsBuffer(arg.childIndex),
+    chainCode: _.isString(arg.chainCode) ? bufferUtil.hexToBuffer(arg.chainCode) : arg.chainCode,
+    publicKey: _.isString(arg.publicKey) ? bufferUtil.hexToBuffer(arg.publicKey) :
+      bufferUtil.isBuffer(arg.publicKey) ? arg.publicKey : arg.publicKey.toBuffer(),
+    checksum: _.isNumber(arg.checksum) ? bufferUtil.integerAsBuffer(arg.checksum) : arg.checksum
   };
   return this._buildFromBuffers(buffers);
 };
@@ -253,7 +254,7 @@ HDPublicKey.prototype._buildFromBuffers = function (arg) {
     arg.version, arg.depth, arg.parentFingerPrint, arg.childIndex, arg.chainCode,
     arg.publicKey
   ];
-  var concat = buffer.Buffer.concat(sequence);
+  var concat = bufferUtil.concat(sequence);
   var checksum = Base58Check.checksum(concat);
   if (!arg.checksum || !arg.checksum.length) {
     arg.checksum = checksum;
@@ -264,13 +265,13 @@ HDPublicKey.prototype._buildFromBuffers = function (arg) {
   }
 
   if (!arg.xpubkey) {
-    this.xpubkey = Base58Check.encode(buffer.Buffer.concat(sequence));
+    this.xpubkey = Base58Check.encode(bufferUtil.concat(sequence));
   } else {
     this.xpubkey = arg.xpubkey;
   }
 
-  this.network = Network.get(util.integerFromBuffer(arg.version));
-  this.depth = util.integerFromSingleByteBuffer(arg.depth);
+  this.network = Network.get(bufferUtil.integerFromBuffer(arg.version));
+  this.depth = bufferUtil.integerFromSingleByteBuffer(arg.depth);
   this.publicKey = PublicKey.fromString(arg.publicKey);
   this.fingerPrint = Hash.sha256ripemd160(this.publicKey.toBuffer()).slice(0, HDPublicKey.ParentFingerPrintSize);
 
@@ -280,7 +281,7 @@ HDPublicKey.prototype._buildFromBuffers = function (arg) {
 HDPublicKey._validateBufferArguments = function (arg) {
   var checkBuffer = function(name, size) {
     var buff = arg[name];
-    assert(buffer.Buffer.isBuffer(buff), name + ' argument is not a buffer, it\'s ' + typeof buff);
+    assert(bufferUtil.isBuffer(buff), name + ' argument is not a buffer, it\'s ' + typeof buff);
     assert(
       buff.length === size,
       name + ' has not the expected size: found ' + buff.length + ', expected ' + size
@@ -303,14 +304,14 @@ HDPublicKey.prototype.toString = function () {
 
 HDPublicKey.prototype.toObject = function () {
   return {
-    network: Network.get(util.integerFromBuffer(this._buffers.version)).name,
-    depth: util.integerFromSingleByteBuffer(this._buffers.depth),
-    fingerPrint: util.integerFromBuffer(this.fingerPrint),
-    parentFingerPrint: util.integerFromBuffer(this._buffers.parentFingerPrint),
-    childIndex: util.integerFromBuffer(this._buffers.childIndex),
-    chainCode: util.bufferToHex(this._buffers.chainCode),
+    network: Network.get(bufferUtil.integerFromBuffer(this._buffers.version)).name,
+    depth: bufferUtil.integerFromSingleByteBuffer(this._buffers.depth),
+    fingerPrint: bufferUtil.integerFromBuffer(this.fingerPrint),
+    parentFingerPrint: bufferUtil.integerFromBuffer(this._buffers.parentFingerPrint),
+    childIndex: bufferUtil.integerFromBuffer(this._buffers.childIndex),
+    chainCode: bufferUtil.bufferToHex(this._buffers.chainCode),
     publicKey: this.publicKey.toString(),
-    checksum: util.integerFromBuffer(this._buffers.checksum),
+    checksum: bufferUtil.integerFromBuffer(this._buffers.checksum),
     xpubkey: this.xpubkey
   };
 };
diff --git a/lib/util.js b/lib/util.js
deleted file mode 100644
index d4e8af4..0000000
--- a/lib/util.js
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,81 +0,0 @@
-'use strict';
-
-var _ = require('lodash');
-var buffer = require('buffer');
-var assert = require('assert');
-
-var isHexa = function isHexa(value) {
-  if (!_.isString(value)) {
-    return false;
-  }
-  return /^[0-9a-fA-F]+$/.test(value);
-};
-
-var shallowEquals = function(obj1, obj2) {
-  var keys1 = _.keys(obj1);
-  var keys2 = _.keys(obj2);
-  if (_.size(keys1) !== _.size(keys2)) {
-    return false;
-  }
-  var compare = function(key) { return obj1[key] === obj2[key]; };
-  return _.all(keys1, compare) && _.all(keys2, compare);
-};
-
-module.exports = {
-  shallowEquals: shallowEquals,
-  isValidJson: function isValidJson(arg) {
-    try {
-      JSON.parse(arg);
-      return true;
-    } catch (e) {
-      return false;
-    }
-  },
-  emptyBuffer: function emptyBuffer(bytes) {
-    var result = new Buffer(bytes);
-    for (var i = 0; i < bytes; i++) {
-      result.write('\0', i);
-    }
-    return result;
-  },
-  integerAsSingleByteBuffer: function integerAsSingleByteBuffer(integer) {
-    return new Buffer([integer & 0xff]);
-  },
-  integerAsBuffer: function integerAsBuffer(integer) {
-    var bytes = [];
-    bytes.push((integer >> 24) & 0xff);
-    bytes.push((integer >> 16) & 0xff);
-    bytes.push((integer >> 8) & 0xff);
-    bytes.push(integer & 0xff);
-    return new Buffer(bytes);
-  },
-  isHexa: isHexa,
-  isHexaString: isHexa,
-
-  integerFromBuffer: function integerFromBuffer(buffer) {
-    return buffer[0] << 24 | buffer[1] << 16 | buffer[2] << 8 | buffer[3];
-  },
-  integerFromSingleByteBuffer: function integerFromBuffer(buffer) {
-    return buffer[0];
-  },
-  bufferToHex: function bufferToHex(buffer) {
-    return buffer.toString('hex');
-  },
-  hexToBuffer: function hexToBuffer(string) {
-    assert(isHexa(string));
-    return new buffer.Buffer(string, 'hex');
-  },
-  pointToCompressed: function pointToCompressed(point) {
-    var xbuf = point.getX().toBuffer({size: 32});
-    var ybuf = point.getY().toBuffer({size: 32});
-
-    var prefix;
-    var odd = ybuf[ybuf.length - 1] % 2;
-    if (odd) {
-      prefix = new Buffer([0x03]);
-    } else {
-      prefix = new Buffer([0x02]);
-    }
-    return buffer.Buffer.concat([prefix, xbuf]);
-  }
-};
diff --git a/lib/util/bitcoin.js b/lib/util/bitcoin.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..821c04d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/util/bitcoin.js
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+/**
+ * @file util/bitcoin.js
+ * Contains utilities to handle magnitudes inside of bitcoin
+ */
+'use strict';
+
+var SATOSHIS_PER_BTC = 1e8;
+
+module.exports = {
+  /**
+   * @param number satoshis - amount of satoshis to convert
+   * @return string an exact representation of such amount, in form of a string
+   *     (avoids duplicate representations in ieee756 of the same number)
+   */
+  satoshisToBitcoin: function(satoshis) {
+    return satoshis / SATOSHIS_PER_BTC;
+  }
+};
diff --git a/lib/util/buffer.js b/lib/util/buffer.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5b9e65a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/util/buffer.js
@@ -0,0 +1,109 @@
+'use strict';
+
+var buffer = require('buffer');
+var assert = require('assert');
+
+var js = require('./js');
+
+module.exports = {
+  /**
+   * Returns true if the given argument is an instance of a buffer. Tests for
+   * both node's Buffer and Uint8Array
+   *
+   * @param {*} arg
+   * @return {boolean}
+   */
+  isBuffer: function isBuffer(arg) {
+    return buffer.Buffer.isBuffer(arg) || arg instanceof Uint8Array;
+  },
+
+  /**
+   * Returns a zero-filled byte array
+   *
+   * @param {number} bytes
+   * @return {Buffer}
+   */
+  emptyBuffer: function emptyBuffer(bytes) {
+    var result = new buffer.Buffer(bytes);
+    for (var i = 0; i < bytes; i++) {
+      result.write('\0', i);
+    }
+    return result;
+  },
+
+  /**
+   * Concatenates a buffer
+   *
+   * Shortcut for <tt>buffer.Buffer.concat</tt>
+   */
+  concat: buffer.Buffer.concat,
+
+  /**
+   * Transforms a number from 0 to 255 into a Buffer of size 1 with that value
+   *
+   * @param {number} integer
+   * @return {Buffer}
+   */
+  integerAsSingleByteBuffer: function integerAsSingleByteBuffer(integer) {
+    return new buffer.Buffer([integer & 0xff]);
+  },
+
+  /**
+   * Transform a 4-byte integer into a Buffer of length 4.
+   *
+   * @param {number} integer
+   * @return {Buffer}
+   */
+  integerAsBuffer: function integerAsBuffer(integer) {
+    var bytes = [];
+    bytes.push((integer >> 24) & 0xff);
+    bytes.push((integer >> 16) & 0xff);
+    bytes.push((integer >> 8) & 0xff);
+    bytes.push(integer & 0xff);
+    return new Buffer(bytes);
+  },
+
+  /**
+   * Transform the first 4 values of a Buffer into a number, in little endian encoding
+   *
+   * @param {Buffer} buffer
+   * @return {number}
+   */
+  integerFromBuffer: function integerFromBuffer(buffer) {
+    return buffer[0] << 24 | buffer[1] << 16 | buffer[2] << 8 | buffer[3];
+  },
+
+  /**
+   * Transforms the first byte of an array into a number ranging from -128 to 127
+   * @param {Buffer} buffer
+   * @return {number}
+   */
+  integerFromSingleByteBuffer: function integerFromBuffer(buffer) {
+    return buffer[0];
+  },
+
+  /**
+   * Transforms a buffer into a string with a number in hexa representation
+   *
+   * Shorthand for <tt>buffer.toString('hex')</tt>
+   *
+   * @param {Buffer} buffer
+   * @return {string}
+   */
+  bufferToHex: function bufferToHex(buffer) {
+    return buffer.toString('hex');
+  },
+
+  /**
+   * Transforms an hexa encoded string into a Buffer with binary values
+   *
+   * Shorthand for <tt>Buffer(string, 'hex')</tt>
+   *
+   * @param {string} string
+   * @return {Buffer}
+   */
+  hexToBuffer: function hexToBuffer(string) {
+    assert(js.isHexa(string));
+    return new buffer.Buffer(string, 'hex');
+  }
+};
diff --git a/lib/util/js.js b/lib/util/js.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a4b2e3a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/util/js.js
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+'use strict';
+
+var _ = require('lodash');
+
+/**
+ * Determines whether a string contains only hexadecimal values
+ *
+ * @param {string} value
+ * @return {boolean} true if the string is the hexa representation of a number
+ */
+var isHexa = function isHexa(value) {
+  if (!_.isString(value)) {
+    return false;
+  }
+  return /^[0-9a-fA-F]+$/.test(value);
+};
+
+module.exports = {
+  /**
+   * Test if an argument is a valid JSON object. If it is, returns a truthy
+   * value (the json object decoded), so no double JSON.parse call is necessary
+   *
+   * @param {string} arg
+   * @return {Object|boolean} false if the argument is not a JSON string.
+   */
+  isValidJson: function isValidJson(arg) {
+    try {
+      return JSON.parse(arg);
+    } catch (e) {
+      return false;
+    }
+  },
+  isHexa: isHexa,
+  isHexaString: isHexa
+};
diff --git a/test/hdprivatekey.js b/test/hdprivatekey.js
index bba1d9c..e40a0a3 100644
--- a/test/hdprivatekey.js
+++ b/test/hdprivatekey.js
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ var should = require('chai').should();
 var expect = require('chai').expect;
 var bitcore = require('..');
 var buffer = require('buffer');
-var util = bitcore.util;
+var bufferUtil = bitcore.util.buffer;
 var HDPrivateKey = bitcore.HDPrivateKey;
 var Base58Check = bitcore.encoding.Base58Check;
 
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ describe('HDPrivate key interface', function() {
   });
 
   it('builds a json keeping the structure and same members', function() {
-    assert(util.shallowEquals(
+    assert(_.isEqual(
       JSON.parse(new HDPrivateKey(json).toJson()),
       JSON.parse(new HDPrivateKey(xprivkey).toJson())
     ));
@@ -130,7 +130,7 @@ describe('HDPrivate key interface', function() {
     var privKey = new HDPrivateKey(xprivkey);
     expect(function() {
       var buffers = privKey._buffers;
-      buffers.checksum = util.integerAsBuffer(0);
+      buffers.checksum = bufferUtil.integerAsBuffer(0);
       return new HDPrivateKey(buffers);
     }).to.throw(HDPrivateKey.Errors.InvalidB58Checksum);
   });
diff --git a/test/hdpublickey.js b/test/hdpublickey.js
index 219eaee..a9e150f 100644
--- a/test/hdpublickey.js
+++ b/test/hdpublickey.js
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ var should = require('chai').should();
 var expect = require('chai').expect;
 var bitcore = require('..');
 var buffer = require('buffer');
-var util = bitcore.util;
+var bufferUtil = bitcore.util.buffer;
 var HDPrivateKey = bitcore.HDPrivateKey;
 var HDPublicKey = bitcore.HDPublicKey;
 var Base58Check = bitcore.encoding.Base58Check;
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ describe('HDPublicKey interface', function() {
     });
 
     it('can generate a json that has a particular structure', function() {
-      assert(util.shallowEquals(
+      assert(_.isEqual(
         JSON.parse(new HDPublicKey(json).toJson()),
         JSON.parse(new HDPublicKey(xpubkey).toJson())
       ));
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ describe('HDPublicKey interface', function() {
 
     it('checks the checksum', function() {
       var buffers = new HDPublicKey(xpubkey)._buffers;
-      buffers.checksum = util.integerAsBuffer(1);
+      buffers.checksum = bufferUtil.integerAsBuffer(1);
       expectFail(buffers, HDPublicKey.Errors.InvalidB58Checksum)();
     });