diff --git a/Cargo.lock b/Cargo.lock
index 966ada42b..86f7cef57 100644
--- a/Cargo.lock
+++ b/Cargo.lock
@@ -1501,7 +1501,7 @@ dependencies = [
 [[package]]
 name = "parity-ui-precompiled"
 version = "1.4.0"
-source = "git+https://github.com/ethcore/js-precompiled.git#fee5af5a5c915719dab3ae4507b88262bc79d7f7"
+source = "git+https://github.com/ethcore/js-precompiled.git#a74caf6d8fe4b3371b291fb47f15c043504ef738"
 dependencies = [
  "parity-dapps-glue 1.4.0 (registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index)",
 ]
diff --git a/js/package.json b/js/package.json
index abff29f4b..13e03f0c7 100644
--- a/js/package.json
+++ b/js/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "parity.js",
-  "version": "0.2.172",
+  "version": "0.2.173",
   "main": "release/index.js",
   "jsnext:main": "src/index.js",
   "author": "Parity Team <admin@parity.io>",
@@ -139,7 +139,6 @@
     "blockies": "0.0.2",
     "brace": "0.9.0",
     "bytes": "2.4.0",
-    "crypto-js": "3.1.9-1",
     "debounce": "1.0.0",
     "es6-error": "4.0.0",
     "es6-promise": "4.0.5",
diff --git a/js/src/api/util/format.js b/js/src/api/util/format.js
index 531dfc549..f6976c13b 100644
--- a/js/src/api/util/format.js
+++ b/js/src/api/util/format.js
@@ -20,15 +20,21 @@ export function bytesToHex (bytes) {
   return '0x' + bytes.map((b) => ('0' + b.toString(16)).slice(-2)).join('');
 }
 
-export function hex2Ascii (_hex) {
-  const hex = /^(?:0x)?(.*)$/.exec(_hex.toString())[1];
+export function hexToBytes (hex) {
+  const raw = toHex(hex).slice(2);
+  const bytes = [];
 
-  let str = '';
-
-  for (let i = 0; i < hex.length; i += 2) {
-    str += String.fromCharCode(parseInt(hex.substr(i, 2), 16));
+  for (let i = 0; i < raw.length; i += 2) {
+    bytes.push(parseInt(raw.substr(i, 2), 16));
   }
 
+  return bytes;
+}
+
+export function hexToAscii (hex) {
+  const bytes = hexToBytes(hex);
+  const str = bytes.map((byte) => String.fromCharCode(byte)).join('');
+
   return str;
 }
 
diff --git a/js/src/api/util/format.spec.js b/js/src/api/util/format.spec.js
index cfb07dee7..384c26d64 100644
--- a/js/src/api/util/format.spec.js
+++ b/js/src/api/util/format.spec.js
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
 // You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
 // along with Parity.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 
-import { bytesToHex } from './format';
+import { bytesToHex, hexToBytes, hexToAscii, bytesToAscii, asciiToHex } from './format';
 
 describe('api/util/format', () => {
   describe('bytesToHex', () => {
@@ -26,4 +26,46 @@ describe('api/util/format', () => {
       expect(bytesToHex([0, 15, 16])).to.equal('0x000f10');
     });
   });
+
+  describe('hexToBytes', () => {
+    it('correctly converts an empty string', () => {
+      expect(hexToBytes('')).to.deep.equal([]);
+      expect(hexToBytes('0x')).to.deep.equal([]);
+    });
+
+    it('correctly converts a non-empty string', () => {
+      expect(hexToBytes('0x000f10')).to.deep.equal([0, 15, 16]);
+    });
+  });
+
+  describe('asciiToHex', () => {
+    it('correctly converts an empty string', () => {
+      expect(asciiToHex('')).to.equal('0x');
+    });
+
+    it('correctly converts a non-empty string', () => {
+      expect(asciiToHex('abc')).to.equal('0x616263');
+    });
+  });
+
+  describe('hexToAscii', () => {
+    it('correctly converts an empty string', () => {
+      expect(hexToAscii('')).to.equal('');
+      expect(hexToAscii('0x')).to.equal('');
+    });
+
+    it('correctly converts a non-empty string', () => {
+      expect(hexToAscii('0x616263')).to.equal('abc');
+    });
+  });
+
+  describe('bytesToAscii', () => {
+    it('correctly converts an empty string', () => {
+      expect(bytesToAscii([])).to.equal('');
+    });
+
+    it('correctly converts a non-empty string', () => {
+      expect(bytesToAscii([97, 98, 99])).to.equal('abc');
+    });
+  });
 });
diff --git a/js/src/api/util/index.js b/js/src/api/util/index.js
index e33bb9273..414816cdd 100644
--- a/js/src/api/util/index.js
+++ b/js/src/api/util/index.js
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
 
 import { isAddress as isAddressValid, toChecksumAddress } from '../../abi/util/address';
 import { decodeCallData, decodeMethodInput, methodToAbi } from './decode';
-import { bytesToHex, hex2Ascii, asciiToHex } from './format';
+import { bytesToHex, hexToAscii, asciiToHex } from './format';
 import { fromWei, toWei } from './wei';
 import { sha3 } from './sha3';
 import { isArray, isFunction, isHex, isInstanceOf, isString } from './types';
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ export default {
   isInstanceOf,
   isString,
   bytesToHex,
-  hex2Ascii,
+  hexToAscii,
   asciiToHex,
   createIdentityImg,
   decodeCallData,
diff --git a/js/src/api/util/sha3.js b/js/src/api/util/sha3.js
index 5a2c7c273..11ca6189a 100644
--- a/js/src/api/util/sha3.js
+++ b/js/src/api/util/sha3.js
@@ -14,21 +14,17 @@
 // You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
 // along with Parity.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 
-import CryptoJS from 'crypto-js';
-import CryptoSha3 from 'crypto-js/sha3';
+import { keccak_256 } from 'js-sha3'; // eslint-disable-line
+
+import { hexToBytes } from './format';
 
 export function sha3 (value, options) {
   if (options && options.encoding === 'hex') {
-    if (value.length > 2 && value.substr(0, 2) === '0x') {
-      value = value.substr(2);
-    }
-
-    value = CryptoJS.enc.Hex.parse(value);
+    const bytes = hexToBytes(value);
+    return sha3(bytes);
   }
 
-  const hash = CryptoSha3(value, {
-    outputLength: 256
-  }).toString();
+  const hash = keccak_256(value);
 
   return `0x${hash}`;
 }
diff --git a/js/src/api/util/sha3.spec.js b/js/src/api/util/sha3.spec.js
index 20cd0e7d5..3446f7def 100644
--- a/js/src/api/util/sha3.spec.js
+++ b/js/src/api/util/sha3.spec.js
@@ -21,5 +21,16 @@ describe('api/util/sha3', () => {
     it('constructs a correct sha3 value', () => {
       expect(sha3('jacogr')).to.equal('0x2f4ff4b5a87abbd2edfed699db48a97744e028c7f7ce36444d40d29d792aa4dc');
     });
+
+    it('constructs a correct sha3 encoded as hex', () => {
+      const key = '000000000000000000000000391694e7e0b0cce554cb130d723a9d27458f9298' + '0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000001';
+      expect(sha3(key, { encoding: 'hex' })).to.equal('0x6661e9d6d8b923d5bbaab1b96e1dd51ff6ea2a93520fdc9eb75d059238b8c5e9');
+      expect(sha3(`0x${key}`, { encoding: 'hex' })).to.equal('0x6661e9d6d8b923d5bbaab1b96e1dd51ff6ea2a93520fdc9eb75d059238b8c5e9');
+    });
+
+    it('constructs a correct sha3 from Uint8Array', () => {
+      expect(sha3('01020304', { encoding: 'hex' })).to.equal('0xa6885b3731702da62e8e4a8f584ac46a7f6822f4e2ba50fba902f67b1588d23b');
+      expect(sha3(Uint8Array.from([1, 2, 3, 4]))).to.equal('0xa6885b3731702da62e8e4a8f584ac46a7f6822f4e2ba50fba902f67b1588d23b');
+    });
   });
 });
diff --git a/js/src/contracts/badgereg.js b/js/src/contracts/badgereg.js
index 370236a26..0813caa47 100644
--- a/js/src/contracts/badgereg.js
+++ b/js/src/contracts/badgereg.js
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
 // You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
 // along with Parity.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 
-import { bytesToHex, hex2Ascii } from '~/api/util/format';
+import { bytesToHex, hexToAscii } from '~/api/util/format';
 
 import ABI from './abi/certifier.json';
 
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ export default class BadgeReg {
         name = bytesToHex(name);
         name = name === ZERO32
           ? null
-          : hex2Ascii(name);
+          : hexToAscii(name);
 
         return this.fetchMeta(id)
           .then(({ title, icon }) => {
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ export default class BadgeReg {
       })
       .then(([ title, icon ]) => {
         title = bytesToHex(title);
-        title = title === ZERO32 ? null : hex2Ascii(title);
+        title = title === ZERO32 ? null : hexToAscii(title);
 
         if (bytesToHex(icon) === ZERO32) {
           icon = null;
diff --git a/js/src/ui/MethodDecoding/methodDecoding.js b/js/src/ui/MethodDecoding/methodDecoding.js
index a929d2681..59704a731 100644
--- a/js/src/ui/MethodDecoding/methodDecoding.js
+++ b/js/src/ui/MethodDecoding/methodDecoding.js
@@ -167,7 +167,7 @@ class MethodDecoding extends Component {
   getAscii () {
     const { api } = this.context;
     const { transaction } = this.props;
-    const ascii = api.util.hex2Ascii(transaction.input || transaction.data);
+    const ascii = api.util.hexToAscii(transaction.input || transaction.data);
 
     return { value: ascii, valid: ASCII_INPUT.test(ascii) };
   }
diff --git a/js/src/util/wallet.js b/js/src/util/wallet.js
index b6240ff01..81fe2859e 100644
--- a/js/src/util/wallet.js
+++ b/js/src/util/wallet.js
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@
 // along with Parity.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 
 import scrypt from 'scryptsy';
-import Transaction from 'ethereumjs-tx';
+import * as Transaction from 'ethereumjs-tx';
 import { pbkdf2Sync } from 'crypto';
 import { createDecipheriv } from 'browserify-aes';