diff --git a/Crypto/ECC/Simple/Types.hs b/Crypto/ECC/Simple/Types.hs
index d45309a..c97daa2 100644
--- a/Crypto/ECC/Simple/Types.hs
+++ b/Crypto/ECC/Simple/Types.hs
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ module Crypto.ECC.Simple.Types
     , CurveBinaryParam(..)
     , CurvePrimeParam(..)
     , curveSizeBits
+    , curveSizeBytes
     , CurveParameters(..)
     -- * specific curves definition
     , SEC_p112r1(..)
@@ -70,6 +71,10 @@ curveSizeBits proxy =
         CurvePrime (CurvePrimeParam p)   -> numBits p
         CurveBinary (CurveBinaryParam c) -> numBits c - 1
 
+-- | get the size of the curve in bytes
+curveSizeBytes :: Curve curve => proxy curve -> Int
+curveSizeBytes proxy = (curveSizeBits proxy + 7) `div` 8
+
 -- | Define common parameters in a curve definition
 -- of the form: y^2 = x^3 + ax + b.
 data CurveParameters curve = CurveParameters