diff --git a/src/Utils.php b/src/Utils.php
index 9abd5dc..6cbd1f9 100644
--- a/src/Utils.php
+++ b/src/Utils.php
@@ -118,7 +118,7 @@ class Utils
         if (!is_string($value)) {
             throw new InvalidArgumentException('The value to zeroPrefixed function must be string.');
         }
-        return (strpos($value, '0x') === 0) ;
+        return (strpos($value, '0x') === 0);
     }
 
     /**
@@ -392,7 +392,7 @@ class Utils
         } elseif (is_string($number)) {
             $number = mb_strtolower($number);
 
-            if (self::isZeroPrefixed($number)) {
+            if (self::isZeroPrefixed($number) || preg_match('/[a-f]+/', $number) === 1) {
                 $number = self::stripZero($number);
                 $bn = new BigNumber($number, 16);
             } else {
diff --git a/test/unit/UtilsTest.php b/test/unit/UtilsTest.php
index de95360..18863c8 100644
--- a/test/unit/UtilsTest.php
+++ b/test/unit/UtilsTest.php
@@ -406,5 +406,9 @@ class UtilsTest extends TestCase
         $bn = Utils::toBn(0x12);
 
         $this->assertEquals($bn->toString(), '18');
+
+        $bn = Utils::toBn('ae');
+
+        $this->assertEquals($bn->toString(), '174');
     }
 }
\ No newline at end of file