user82326: Bitcoin uses RIPEMD160 on top of SHA256. Is its sole purpose to make public key address shorter or does it strengthen security in any way?

user3697: RIPEMD160 was designed in the open academic community and not like SHA2 by a NSA competition... one may see this as security advantage.
160bit hashes do also have less space requirements (then sha256) on the blockchain as well as in indexes, etc.

82326: <p>Bitcoin uses RIPEMD160 on top of SHA256. Is its sole purpose to make public key address shorter or does it strengthen security in any way?</p>
 3697: <p>RIPEMD160 was designed in the open academic community and not like SHA2 by a NSA competition... one may see this as security advantage.</p>

<p>160bit hashes do also have less space requirements (then sha256) on the blockchain as well as in indexes, etc.</p>
