diff --git a/cryptobyte/builder.go b/cryptobyte/builder.go
index c05ac7d16d..cf254f5f1e 100644
--- a/cryptobyte/builder.go
+++ b/cryptobyte/builder.go
@@ -95,6 +95,11 @@ func (b *Builder) AddUint32(v uint32) {
 	b.add(byte(v>>24), byte(v>>16), byte(v>>8), byte(v))
 }
 
+// AddUint48 appends a big-endian, 48-bit value to the byte string.
+func (b *Builder) AddUint48(v uint64) {
+	b.add(byte(v>>40), byte(v>>32), byte(v>>24), byte(v>>16), byte(v>>8), byte(v))
+}
+
 // AddUint64 appends a big-endian, 64-bit value to the byte string.
 func (b *Builder) AddUint64(v uint64) {
 	b.add(byte(v>>56), byte(v>>48), byte(v>>40), byte(v>>32), byte(v>>24), byte(v>>16), byte(v>>8), byte(v))
diff --git a/cryptobyte/cryptobyte_test.go b/cryptobyte/cryptobyte_test.go
index dc90e81fa9..9b55d52e32 100644
--- a/cryptobyte/cryptobyte_test.go
+++ b/cryptobyte/cryptobyte_test.go
@@ -179,6 +179,27 @@ func TestUint32(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestUint48(t *testing.T) {
+	var b Builder
+	var u uint64 = 0xfefcff3cfdfc
+	b.AddUint48(u)
+	if err := builderBytesEq(&b, 254, 252, 255, 60, 253, 252); err != nil {
+		t.Error(err)
+	}
+
+	var s String = b.BytesOrPanic()
+	var v uint64
+	if !s.ReadUint48(&v) {
+		t.Error("ReadUint48() = false, want true")
+	}
+	if v != u {
+		t.Errorf("v = %x, want %x", v, u)
+	}
+	if len(s) != 0 {
+		t.Errorf("len(s) = %d, want 0", len(s))
+	}
+}
+
 func TestUint64(t *testing.T) {
 	var b Builder
 	b.AddUint64(0xf2fefefcff3cfdfc)
diff --git a/cryptobyte/string.go b/cryptobyte/string.go
index 0531a3d6f1..10692a8a31 100644
--- a/cryptobyte/string.go
+++ b/cryptobyte/string.go
@@ -81,6 +81,17 @@ func (s *String) ReadUint32(out *uint32) bool {
 	return true
 }
 
+// ReadUint48 decodes a big-endian, 48-bit value into out and advances over it.
+// It reports whether the read was successful.
+func (s *String) ReadUint48(out *uint64) bool {
+	v := s.read(6)
+	if v == nil {
+		return false
+	}
+	*out = uint64(v[0])<<40 | uint64(v[1])<<32 | uint64(v[2])<<24 | uint64(v[3])<<16 | uint64(v[4])<<8 | uint64(v[5])
+	return true
+}
+
 // ReadUint64 decodes a big-endian, 64-bit value into out and advances over it.
 // It reports whether the read was successful.
 func (s *String) ReadUint64(out *uint64) bool {