diff --git a/bitcoin/Cargo.toml b/bitcoin/Cargo.toml
index 995fbe53..294e3da6 100644
--- a/bitcoin/Cargo.toml
+++ b/bitcoin/Cargo.toml
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@ hashbrown = { version = "0.8", optional = true }
 [dev-dependencies]
 serde_json = "1.0.0"
 serde_test = "1.0.19"
+serde_derive = "1.0.103"
 secp256k1 = { version = "0.24.0", features = [ "recovery", "rand-std" ] }
 bincode = "1.3.1"
 
diff --git a/bitcoin/build.rs b/bitcoin/build.rs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..0879f651
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bitcoin/build.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+fn main() {
+    let rustc = std::env::var_os("RUSTC").unwrap_or_else(|| "rustc".into());
+    let output = std::process::Command::new(rustc)
+        .arg("--version")
+        .output()
+        .expect("Failed to run rustc --version");
+    assert!(output.status.success(), "Failed to get rust version");
+    let stdout = String::from_utf8(output.stdout).expect("rustc produced non-UTF-8 output");
+    let version_prefix = "rustc ";
+    if !stdout.starts_with(version_prefix) {
+        panic!("unexpected rustc output: {}", stdout);
+    }
+
+    let version = &stdout[version_prefix.len()..];
+    let end = version.find(&[' ', '-'] as &[_]).unwrap_or(version.len());
+    let version = &version[..end];
+    let mut version_components = version.split('.');
+    let major = version_components.next().unwrap();
+    assert_eq!(major, "1", "Unexpected Rust version");
+    let minor = version_components
+        .next()
+        .unwrap_or("0")
+        .parse::<u64>()
+        .expect("invalid Rust minor version");
+
+    for activate_version in &[46] {
+        if minor >= *activate_version {
+            println!("cargo:rustc-cfg=rust_v_1_{}", activate_version);
+        }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/bitcoin/src/blockdata/transaction.rs b/bitcoin/src/blockdata/transaction.rs
index a43d6b12..df3e2493 100644
--- a/bitcoin/src/blockdata/transaction.rs
+++ b/bitcoin/src/blockdata/transaction.rs
@@ -1192,6 +1192,24 @@ mod tests {
         assert_eq!(tx_without_witness.strippedsize(), expected_strippedsize);
     }
 
+    // We temporarily abuse `Transaction` for testing consensus serde adapter.
+    #[cfg(feature = "serde")]
+    #[test]
+    fn test_consensus_serde() {
+        use crate::consensus::serde as con_serde;
+        let json = "\"010000000001010000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000ffffffff3603da1b0e00045503bd5704c7dd8a0d0ced13bb5785010800000000000a636b706f6f6c122f4e696e6a61506f6f6c2f5345475749542fffffffff02b4e5a212000000001976a914876fbb82ec05caa6af7a3b5e5a983aae6c6cc6d688ac0000000000000000266a24aa21a9edf91c46b49eb8a29089980f02ee6b57e7d63d33b18b4fddac2bcd7db2a39837040120000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000\"";
+        let mut deserializer = serde_json::Deserializer::from_str(json);
+        let tx = con_serde::With::<con_serde::Hex>::deserialize::<'_, Transaction, _>(&mut deserializer)
+            .unwrap();
+        let tx_bytes = Vec::from_hex(&json[1..(json.len() - 1)]).unwrap();
+        let expected = deserialize::<Transaction>(&tx_bytes).unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(tx, expected);
+        let mut bytes = Vec::new();
+        let mut serializer = serde_json::Serializer::new(&mut bytes);
+        con_serde::With::<con_serde::Hex>::serialize(&tx, &mut serializer).unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(bytes, json.as_bytes())
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn test_transaction_version() {
         let tx_bytes = Vec::from_hex("ffffff7f0100000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000ffffffff0100f2052a01000000434104678afdb0fe5548271967f1a67130b7105cd6a828e03909a67962e0ea1f61deb649f6bc3f4cef38c4f35504e51ec112de5c384df7ba0b8d578a4c702b6bf11d5fac00000000").unwrap();
diff --git a/bitcoin/src/consensus/mod.rs b/bitcoin/src/consensus/mod.rs
index 40514e9f..9ccae25f 100644
--- a/bitcoin/src/consensus/mod.rs
+++ b/bitcoin/src/consensus/mod.rs
@@ -12,3 +12,7 @@ pub mod params;
 pub use self::encode::{Encodable, Decodable, WriteExt, ReadExt};
 pub use self::encode::{serialize, deserialize, deserialize_partial};
 pub use self::params::Params;
+
+#[cfg(feature = "serde")]
+#[cfg_attr(docsrs, doc(cfg(feature = "serde")))]
+pub mod serde;
diff --git a/bitcoin/src/consensus/serde.rs b/bitcoin/src/consensus/serde.rs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..6de7ddfa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bitcoin/src/consensus/serde.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,542 @@
+//! Serde serialization via consensus encoding
+//!
+//! This provides functions for (de)serializing any type as consensus-encoded bytes.
+//! For human-readable formats it serializes as a string with a consumer-supplied encoding, for
+//! binary formats it serializes as a sequence of bytes (not `serialize_bytes` to avoid allocations).
+//!
+//! The string encoding has to be specified using a marker type implementing the encoding strategy.
+//! This crate provides hex encoding via `Hex<Upper>` and `Hex<Lower>`
+
+use core::fmt;
+use core::marker::PhantomData;
+use crate::io;
+use serde::{Serializer, Deserializer};
+use serde::de::{Visitor, SeqAccess, Unexpected};
+use serde::ser::SerializeSeq;
+use super::{Encodable, Decodable};
+use super::encode::Error as ConsensusError;
+
+/// Hex-encoding strategy
+pub struct Hex<Case = hex::Lower>(PhantomData<Case>) where Case: hex::Case;
+
+impl<C: hex::Case> Default for Hex<C> {
+    fn default() -> Self {
+        Hex(Default::default())
+    }
+}
+
+impl<C: hex::Case> ByteEncoder for Hex<C> {
+    type Encoder = hex::Encoder<C>;
+}
+
+/// Implements hex encoding.
+pub mod hex {
+    use core::fmt;
+    use core::marker::PhantomData;
+    use bitcoin_internals as internals;
+    use internals::hex::BufEncoder;
+
+    /// Marker for upper/lower case type-level flags ("type-level enum").
+    ///
+    /// You may use this trait in bounds only.
+    pub trait Case: sealed::Case {}
+    impl<T: sealed::Case> Case for T {}
+
+    /// Marker for using lower-case hex encoding.
+    pub enum Lower {}
+    /// Marker for using upper-case hex encoding.
+    pub enum Upper {}
+
+    mod sealed {
+        use bitcoin_internals as internals;
+
+        pub trait Case {
+            /// Internal detail, don't depend on it!!!
+            const INTERNAL_CASE: internals::hex::Case;
+        }
+
+        impl Case for super::Lower {
+            const INTERNAL_CASE: internals::hex::Case = internals::hex::Case::Lower;
+        }
+
+        impl Case for super::Upper {
+            const INTERNAL_CASE: internals::hex::Case = internals::hex::Case::Upper;
+        }
+    }
+
+    // TODO measure various sizes and determine the best value
+    const HEX_BUF_SIZE: usize = 512;
+
+    /// Hex byte encoder.
+    // We wrap `BufEncoder` to not leak internal representation.
+    pub struct Encoder<C: Case>(BufEncoder<[u8; HEX_BUF_SIZE]>, PhantomData<C>);
+
+    impl<C: Case> From<super::Hex<C>> for Encoder<C> {
+        fn from(_: super::Hex<C>) -> Self {
+            Encoder(BufEncoder::new([0; HEX_BUF_SIZE]), Default::default())
+        }
+    }
+
+    impl<C: Case> super::EncodeBytes for Encoder<C> {
+        fn encode_chunk<W: fmt::Write>(&mut self, writer: &mut W, mut bytes: &[u8]) -> fmt::Result {
+            while !bytes.is_empty() {
+                if self.0.is_full() {
+                    self.flush(writer)?;
+                }
+                bytes = self.0.put_bytes_min(bytes, C::INTERNAL_CASE);
+            }
+            Ok(())
+        }
+
+        fn flush<W: fmt::Write>(&mut self, writer: &mut W) -> fmt::Result {
+            writer.write_str(self.0.as_str())?;
+            self.0.clear();
+            Ok(())
+        }
+    }
+
+    // Newtypes to hide internal details.
+    // TODO: statically prove impossible cases
+
+    /// Error returned when a hex string decoder can't be created.
+    #[derive(Debug)]
+    pub struct DecodeInitError(bitcoin_hashes::hex::Error);
+
+    /// Error returned when a hex string contains invalid characters.
+    #[derive(Debug)]
+    pub struct DecodeError(bitcoin_hashes::hex::Error);
+
+    /// Hex decoder state.
+    pub struct Decoder<'a>(bitcoin_hashes::hex::HexIterator<'a>);
+
+    impl<'a> Decoder<'a> {
+        fn new(s: &'a str) -> Result<Self, DecodeInitError> {
+            match bitcoin_hashes::hex::HexIterator::new(s) {
+                Ok(iter) => Ok(Decoder(iter)),
+                Err(error) => Err(DecodeInitError(error)),
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    impl<'a> Iterator for Decoder<'a> {
+        type Item = Result<u8, DecodeError>;
+
+        fn next(&mut self) -> Option<Self::Item> {
+            self.0.next().map(|result| result.map_err(DecodeError))
+        }
+    }
+
+    impl<'a, C: Case> super::ByteDecoder<'a> for super::Hex<C> {
+        type InitError = DecodeInitError;
+        type DecodeError = DecodeError;
+        type Decoder = Decoder<'a>;
+
+        fn from_str(s: &'a str) -> Result<Self::Decoder, Self::InitError> {
+            Decoder::new(s)
+        }
+    }
+
+    impl super::IntoDeError for DecodeInitError {
+        fn into_de_error<E: serde::de::Error>(self) -> E {
+            use bitcoin_hashes::hex::Error;
+
+            match self.0 {
+                Error::OddLengthString(len) => E::invalid_length(len, &"an even number of ASCII-encoded hex digits"),
+                error => panic!("unexpected error: {:?}", error),
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    impl super::IntoDeError for DecodeError {
+        fn into_de_error<E: serde::de::Error>(self) -> E {
+            use bitcoin_hashes::hex::Error;
+            use serde::de::Unexpected;
+
+            const EXPECTED_CHAR: &str = "an ASCII-encoded hex digit";
+
+            match self.0 {
+                Error::InvalidChar(c) if c.is_ascii() => E::invalid_value(Unexpected::Char(c as _), &EXPECTED_CHAR),
+                Error::InvalidChar(c) => E::invalid_value(Unexpected::Unsigned(c.into()), &EXPECTED_CHAR),
+                error => panic!("unexpected error: {:?}", error),
+            }
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+struct DisplayWrapper<'a, T: 'a + Encodable, E>(&'a T, PhantomData<E>);
+
+impl<'a, T: 'a + Encodable, E: ByteEncoder> fmt::Display for DisplayWrapper<'a, T, E> {
+    fn fmt(&self, f: &mut fmt::Formatter) -> fmt::Result {
+        let mut writer = IoWrapper::<'_, _, E::Encoder>::new(f, E::default().into());
+        self.0.consensus_encode(&mut writer).map_err(|error| {
+            #[cfg(debug_assertions)]
+            {
+                use crate::StdError;
+
+                if error.kind() != io::ErrorKind::Other || error.source().is_some() || !writer.writer.was_error {
+                    panic!("{} returned an unexpected error: {:?}", core::any::type_name::<T>(), error);
+                }
+            }
+            fmt::Error
+        })?;
+        let result = writer.actually_flush();
+        if result.is_err() {
+            writer.writer.assert_was_error::<E>();
+        }
+        result
+    }
+}
+
+struct ErrorTrackingWriter<W: fmt::Write> {
+    writer: W,
+    #[cfg(debug_assertions)]
+    was_error: bool,
+}
+
+impl<W: fmt::Write> ErrorTrackingWriter<W> {
+    fn new(writer: W) -> Self {
+        ErrorTrackingWriter {
+            writer,
+            #[cfg(debug_assertions)]
+            was_error: false,
+        }
+    }
+
+    #[cfg_attr(rust_v_1_46, track_caller)]
+    fn assert_no_error(&self, fun: &str) {
+        #[cfg(debug_assertions)]
+        {
+            if self.was_error {
+                panic!("`{}` called on errored writer", fun);
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    fn assert_was_error<Offender>(&self) {
+        #[cfg(debug_assertions)]
+        {
+            if !self.was_error {
+                panic!("{} returned an error unexpectedly", core::any::type_name::<Offender>());
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    fn set_error(&mut self, was: bool) {
+        #[cfg(debug_assertions)]
+        {
+            self.was_error |= was;
+        }
+    }
+
+    fn check_err<T, E>(&mut self, result: Result<T, E>) -> Result<T, E> {
+        self.set_error(result.is_err());
+        result
+    }
+}
+
+impl<W: fmt::Write> fmt::Write for ErrorTrackingWriter<W> {
+    fn write_str(&mut self, s: &str) -> fmt::Result {
+        self.assert_no_error("write_str");
+        let result = self.writer.write_str(s);
+        self.check_err(result)
+    }
+
+    fn write_char(&mut self, c: char) -> fmt::Result {
+        self.assert_no_error("write_char");
+        let result = self.writer.write_char(c);
+        self.check_err(result)
+    }
+}
+
+struct IoWrapper<'a, W: fmt::Write, E: EncodeBytes> {
+    writer: ErrorTrackingWriter<&'a mut W>,
+    encoder: E,
+}
+
+impl<'a, W: fmt::Write, E: EncodeBytes> IoWrapper<'a, W, E> {
+    fn new(writer: &'a mut W, encoder: E) -> Self {
+        IoWrapper {
+            writer: ErrorTrackingWriter::new(writer),
+            encoder,
+        }
+    }
+
+    fn actually_flush(&mut self) -> fmt::Result {
+        self.encoder.flush(&mut self.writer)
+    }
+}
+
+impl<'a, W: fmt::Write, E: EncodeBytes> io::Write for IoWrapper<'a, W, E> {
+    fn write(&mut self, bytes: &[u8]) -> io::Result<usize> {
+        match self.encoder.encode_chunk(&mut self.writer, bytes) {
+            Ok(()) => Ok(bytes.len()),
+            Err(fmt::Error) => {
+                self.writer.assert_was_error::<E>();
+                Err(io::Error::from(io::ErrorKind::Other))
+            }
+        }
+    }
+    // we intentionally ignore flushes because we will do a single flush at the end.
+    fn flush(&mut self) -> io::Result<()> { Ok(()) }
+}
+
+/// Provides an instance of byte-to-string encoder.
+///
+/// This is basically a type constructor used in places where value arguments are not accepted.
+/// Such as the generic `serialize`.
+pub trait ByteEncoder: Default {
+    /// The encoder state.
+    type Encoder: EncodeBytes + From<Self>;
+}
+
+/// Transforms given bytes and writes to the writer.
+///
+/// The encoder is allowed to be buffered (and probably should be).
+/// The design passing writer each time bypasses the need for GAT.
+pub trait EncodeBytes {
+    /// Transform the provided slice and write to the writer.
+    ///
+    /// This is similar to the `write_all` method on `io::Write`.
+    fn encode_chunk<W: fmt::Write>(&mut self, writer: &mut W, bytes: &[u8]) -> fmt::Result;
+
+    /// Write data in buffer (if any) to the writer.
+    fn flush<W: fmt::Write>(&mut self, writer: &mut W) -> fmt::Result;
+}
+
+/// Provides an instance of string-to-byte decoder.
+///
+/// This is basically a type constructor used in places where value arguments are not accepted.
+/// Such as the generic `serialize`.
+pub trait ByteDecoder<'a> {
+    /// Error returned when decoder can't be created.
+    ///
+    /// This is typically returned when string length is invalid.
+    type InitError: IntoDeError + fmt::Debug;
+
+    /// Error returned when decoding fails.
+    ///
+    /// This is typically returned when the input string contains malformed chars.
+    type DecodeError: IntoDeError + fmt::Debug;
+
+    /// The decoder state.
+    type Decoder: Iterator<Item=Result<u8, Self::DecodeError>>;
+
+    /// Constructs the decoder from string.
+    fn from_str(s: &'a str) -> Result<Self::Decoder, Self::InitError>;
+}
+
+/// Converts error into a type implementing `serde::de::Error`
+pub trait IntoDeError {
+    /// Performs the conversion.
+    fn into_de_error<E: serde::de::Error>(self) -> E;
+}
+
+struct BinWriter<S: SerializeSeq>{
+    serializer: S,
+    error: Option<S::Error>,
+}
+
+impl<S: SerializeSeq> io::Write for BinWriter<S> {
+    fn write(&mut self, buf: &[u8]) -> io::Result<usize> {
+        self.write_all(buf).map(|_| buf.len())
+    }
+
+    fn write_all(&mut self, buf: &[u8]) -> io::Result<()> {
+        for byte in buf {
+            if let Err(error) = self.serializer.serialize_element(byte) {
+                self.error = Some(error);
+                return Err(io::ErrorKind::Other.into());
+            }
+        }
+        Ok(())
+    }
+
+    fn flush(&mut self) -> io::Result<()> { Ok(()) }
+}
+
+struct DisplayExpected<D: fmt::Display>(D);
+
+impl<D: fmt::Display> serde::de::Expected for DisplayExpected<D> {
+    fn fmt(&self, formatter: &mut fmt::Formatter<'_>) -> fmt::Result {
+        fmt::Display::fmt(&self.0, formatter)
+    }
+}
+
+enum DecodeError<E> {
+    TooManyBytes,
+    Consensus(ConsensusError),
+    Other(E),
+}
+
+// not a trait impl because we panic on some variants
+fn consensus_error_into_serde<E: serde::de::Error>(error: ConsensusError) -> E {
+    match error {
+        ConsensusError::Io(error) => panic!("unexpected IO error {:?}", error),
+        ConsensusError::Psbt(_) => panic!("PSBT shouldn't implement consensus encoding"),
+        ConsensusError::OversizedVectorAllocation { requested, max } => E::custom(format_args!("the requested allocation of {} items exceeds maximum of {}", requested, max)),
+        ConsensusError::InvalidChecksum { expected, actual } => E::invalid_value(Unexpected::Bytes(&actual), &DisplayExpected(format_args!("checksum {:02x}{:02x}{:02x}{:02x}", expected[0], expected[1], expected[2], expected[3]))),
+        ConsensusError::NonMinimalVarInt => E::custom(format_args!("compact size was not encoded minimally")),
+        ConsensusError::ParseFailed(msg) => E::custom(msg),
+        ConsensusError::UnsupportedSegwitFlag(flag) => E::invalid_value(Unexpected::Unsigned(flag.into()), &"segwit version 1 flag"),
+    }
+}
+
+impl<E> DecodeError<E> where E: serde::de::Error {
+    fn unify(self) -> E {
+        match self {
+            DecodeError::Other(error) => error,
+            DecodeError::TooManyBytes => E::custom(format_args!("got more bytes than expected")),
+            DecodeError::Consensus(error) => consensus_error_into_serde(error),
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+impl<E> IntoDeError for DecodeError<E> where E: IntoDeError {
+    fn into_de_error<DE: serde::de::Error>(self) -> DE {
+        match self {
+            DecodeError::Other(error) => error.into_de_error(),
+            DecodeError::TooManyBytes => DE::custom(format_args!("got more bytes than expected")),
+            DecodeError::Consensus(error) => consensus_error_into_serde(error),
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+struct IterReader<E: fmt::Debug, I: Iterator<Item=Result<u8, E>>> {
+    iterator: core::iter::Fuse<I>,
+    error: Option<E>,
+}
+
+impl<E: fmt::Debug, I: Iterator<Item=Result<u8, E>>> IterReader<E, I> {
+    fn new(iterator: I) -> Self {
+        IterReader {
+            iterator: iterator.fuse(),
+            error: None,
+        }
+    }
+
+    fn decode<T: Decodable>(mut self) -> Result<T, DecodeError<E>> {
+        use crate::StdError;
+
+        let result = T::consensus_decode(&mut self);
+        match (result, self.error) {
+            (Ok(_), None) if self.iterator.next().is_some() => {
+                Err(DecodeError::TooManyBytes)
+            },
+            (Ok(value), None) => Ok(value),
+            (Ok(_), Some(error)) => panic!("{} silently ate the error: {:?}", core::any::type_name::<T>(), error),
+            (Err(ConsensusError::Io(io_error)), Some(de_error)) if io_error.kind() == io::ErrorKind::Other && io_error.source().is_none() => Err(DecodeError::Other(de_error)),
+            (Err(consensus_error), None) => Err(DecodeError::Consensus(consensus_error)),
+            (Err(ConsensusError::Io(io_error)), de_error) => panic!("Unexpected IO error {:?} returned from {}::consensus_decode(), deserialization error: {:?}", io_error, core::any::type_name::<T>(), de_error),
+            (Err(consensus_error), Some(de_error)) => panic!("{} should've returned `Other` IO error because of deserialization error {:?} but it returned consensus error {:?} instead", core::any::type_name::<T>(), de_error, consensus_error),
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+impl<E: fmt::Debug, I: Iterator<Item=Result<u8, E>>> io::Read for IterReader<E, I> {
+    fn read(&mut self, buf: &mut [u8]) -> io::Result<usize> {
+        let mut count = 0;
+        for (dst, src) in buf.iter_mut().zip(&mut self.iterator) {
+            match src {
+                Ok(byte) => *dst = byte,
+                Err(error) => {
+                    self.error = Some(error);
+                    return Err(io::ErrorKind::Other.into());
+                }
+            }
+            // bounded by the length of buf
+            count += 1;
+        }
+        Ok(count)
+    }
+}
+
+/// Helper for `#[serde(with = "")]`.
+///
+/// To (de)serialize a field using consensus encoding you can write e.g.:
+///
+/// ```
+/// use bitcoin::Transaction;
+/// use bitcoin::consensus;
+/// use serde_derive::{Serialize, Deserialize};
+///
+/// #[derive(Serialize, Deserialize)]
+/// # #[serde(crate = "actual_serde")]
+/// pub struct MyStruct {
+///     #[serde(with = "consensus::serde::With::<consensus::serde::Hex>")]
+///     tx: Transaction,
+/// }
+/// ```
+pub struct With<E>(PhantomData<E>);
+
+impl<E> With<E> {
+    /// Serializes the value as consensus-encoded
+    pub fn serialize<T: Encodable, S: Serializer>(value: &T, serializer: S) -> Result<S::Ok, S::Error> where E: ByteEncoder {
+        if serializer.is_human_readable() {
+            serializer.collect_str(&DisplayWrapper::<'_, _, E>(value, Default::default()))
+        } else {
+            use crate::StdError;
+
+            let serializer = serializer.serialize_seq(None)?;
+            let mut writer = BinWriter {
+                serializer,
+                error: None,
+            };
+
+            let result = value.consensus_encode(&mut writer);
+            match (result, writer.error) {
+                (Ok(_), None) => writer.serializer.end(),
+                (Ok(_), Some(error)) => panic!("{} silently ate an IO error: {:?}", core::any::type_name::<T>(), error),
+                (Err(io_error), Some(ser_error)) if io_error.kind() == io::ErrorKind::Other && io_error.source().is_none() => Err(ser_error),
+                (Err(io_error), ser_error) => panic!("{} returned an unexpected IO error: {:?} serialization error: {:?}", core::any::type_name::<T>(), io_error, ser_error),
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    /// Deserializes the value as consensus-encoded
+    pub fn deserialize<'d, T: Decodable, D: Deserializer<'d>>(deserializer: D) -> Result<T, D::Error> where for<'a> E: ByteDecoder<'a> {
+        if deserializer.is_human_readable() {
+            deserializer.deserialize_str(HRVisitor::<_, E>(Default::default()))
+        } else {
+            deserializer.deserialize_seq(BinVisitor(Default::default()))
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+struct HRVisitor<T: Decodable, D: for<'a> ByteDecoder<'a>>(PhantomData<fn() -> (T, D)>);
+
+impl<'de, T: Decodable, D: for<'a> ByteDecoder<'a>> Visitor<'de> for HRVisitor<T, D> {
+    type Value = T;
+
+    fn expecting(&self, formatter: &mut fmt::Formatter<'_>) -> fmt::Result {
+        formatter.write_str("bytes encoded as a hex string")
+    }
+
+    fn visit_str<E: serde::de::Error>(self, s: &str) -> Result<T, E> {
+        let decoder = D::from_str(s).map_err(IntoDeError::into_de_error)?;
+        IterReader::new(decoder).decode().map_err(IntoDeError::into_de_error)
+    }
+}
+
+struct BinVisitor<T: Decodable>(PhantomData<fn() -> T>);
+
+impl<'de, T: Decodable> Visitor<'de> for BinVisitor<T> {
+    type Value = T;
+
+    fn expecting(&self, formatter: &mut fmt::Formatter<'_>) -> fmt::Result {
+        formatter.write_str("a sequence of bytes")
+    }
+
+    fn visit_seq<S: SeqAccess<'de>>(self, s: S) -> Result<T, S::Error> {
+        IterReader::new(SeqIterator(s, Default::default())).decode().map_err(DecodeError::unify)
+    }
+}
+
+struct SeqIterator<'a, S: serde::de::SeqAccess<'a>>(S, PhantomData<&'a ()>);
+
+impl<'a, S: serde::de::SeqAccess<'a>> Iterator for SeqIterator<'a, S> {
+    type Item = Result<u8, S::Error>;
+
+    fn next(&mut self) -> Option<Self::Item> {
+        self.0.next_element::<u8>().transpose()
+    }
+}
diff --git a/bitcoin/src/lib.rs b/bitcoin/src/lib.rs
index f6337af5..c7910da3 100644
--- a/bitcoin/src/lib.rs
+++ b/bitcoin/src/lib.rs
@@ -116,6 +116,15 @@ use std::io;
 #[cfg(not(feature = "std"))]
 use core2::io;
 
+// May depend on crate features and we don't want to bother with it
+#[allow(unused)]
+#[cfg(feature = "std")]
+use std::error::Error as StdError;
+
+#[allow(unused)]
+#[cfg(not(feature = "std"))]
+use core2::error::Error as StdError;
+
 pub use crate::address::{Address, AddressType};
 pub use crate::amount::{Amount, Denomination, SignedAmount};
 pub use crate::blockdata::block::{self, Block};
diff --git a/internals/src/hex/buf_encoder.rs b/internals/src/hex/buf_encoder.rs
index 48174bec..7a09d2e3 100644
--- a/internals/src/hex/buf_encoder.rs
+++ b/internals/src/hex/buf_encoder.rs
@@ -177,15 +177,25 @@ impl<T: AsOutBytes> BufEncoder<T> {
     #[inline]
     #[cfg_attr(rust_v_1_46, track_caller)]
     pub fn put_bytes(&mut self, bytes: &[u8], case: Case) {
-        // Panic if the result wouldn't fit address space to not waste time and give the optimizer
-        // more opportunities.
-        let double_len = bytes.len().checked_mul(2).expect("overflow");
-        assert!(double_len <= self.buf.as_out_bytes().len() - self.pos);
+        assert!(bytes.len() <= self.space_remaining());
         for byte in bytes {
             self.put_byte(*byte, case);
         }
     }
 
+    /// Encodes as many `bytes` as fit into the buffer as hex and return the remainder.
+    ///
+    /// This method works just like `put_bytes` but instead of panicking it returns the unwritten
+    /// bytes. The method returns an empty slice if all bytes were written
+    #[must_use = "this may write only part of the input buffer"]
+    #[inline]
+    #[cfg_attr(rust_v_1_46, track_caller)]
+    pub fn put_bytes_min<'a>(&mut self, bytes: &'a [u8], case: Case) -> &'a [u8] {
+        let to_write = self.space_remaining().min(bytes.len());
+        self.put_bytes(&bytes[..to_write], case);
+        &bytes[to_write..]
+    }
+
     /// Returns true if no more bytes can be written into the buffer.
     #[inline]
     pub fn is_full(&self) -> bool { self.pos == self.buf.as_out_bytes().len() }
@@ -200,6 +210,14 @@ impl<T: AsOutBytes> BufEncoder<T> {
     /// Resets the buffer to become empty.
     #[inline]
     pub fn clear(&mut self) { self.pos = 0; }
+
+    /// How many bytes can be written to this buffer.
+    ///
+    /// Note that this returns the number of bytes before encoding, not number of hex digits.
+    #[inline]
+    pub fn space_remaining(&self) -> usize {
+        (self.buf.as_out_bytes().len() - self.pos) / 2
+    }
 }
 
 #[cfg(test)]
@@ -218,13 +236,17 @@ mod tests {
     fn single_byte_exact_buf() {
         let mut buf = [0u8; 2];
         let mut encoder = BufEncoder::new(&mut buf);
+        assert_eq!(encoder.space_remaining(), 1);
         encoder.put_byte(42, Case::Lower);
         assert_eq!(encoder.as_str(), "2a");
+        assert_eq!(encoder.space_remaining(), 0);
         assert!(encoder.is_full());
         encoder.clear();
+        assert_eq!(encoder.space_remaining(), 1);
         assert!(!encoder.is_full());
         encoder.put_byte(42, Case::Upper);
         assert_eq!(encoder.as_str(), "2A");
+        assert_eq!(encoder.space_remaining(), 0);
         assert!(encoder.is_full());
     }
 
@@ -232,12 +254,16 @@ mod tests {
     fn single_byte_oversized_buf() {
         let mut buf = [0u8; 4];
         let mut encoder = BufEncoder::new(&mut buf);
+        assert_eq!(encoder.space_remaining(), 2);
         encoder.put_byte(42, Case::Lower);
+        assert_eq!(encoder.space_remaining(), 1);
         assert_eq!(encoder.as_str(), "2a");
         assert!(!encoder.is_full());
         encoder.clear();
+        assert_eq!(encoder.space_remaining(), 2);
         encoder.put_byte(42, Case::Upper);
         assert_eq!(encoder.as_str(), "2A");
+        assert_eq!(encoder.space_remaining(), 1);
         assert!(!encoder.is_full());
     }
 
@@ -246,7 +272,9 @@ mod tests {
         let mut buf = [0u8; 4];
         let mut encoder = BufEncoder::new(&mut buf);
         encoder.put_byte(42, Case::Lower);
+        assert_eq!(encoder.space_remaining(), 1);
         encoder.put_byte(255, Case::Lower);
+        assert_eq!(encoder.space_remaining(), 0);
         assert_eq!(encoder.as_str(), "2aff");
         assert!(encoder.is_full());
         encoder.clear();
@@ -257,6 +285,22 @@ mod tests {
         assert!(encoder.is_full());
     }
 
+    #[test]
+    fn put_bytes_min() {
+        let mut buf = [0u8; 2];
+        let mut encoder = BufEncoder::new(&mut buf);
+        let remainder = encoder.put_bytes_min(b"", Case::Lower);
+        assert_eq!(remainder, b"");
+        assert_eq!(encoder.as_str(), "");
+        let remainder = encoder.put_bytes_min(b"*", Case::Lower);
+        assert_eq!(remainder, b"");
+        assert_eq!(encoder.as_str(), "2a");
+        encoder.clear();
+        let remainder = encoder.put_bytes_min(&[42, 255], Case::Lower);
+        assert_eq!(remainder, &[255]);
+        assert_eq!(encoder.as_str(), "2a");
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn same_as_fmt() {
         use core::fmt::{self, Write};