diff --git a/AGENTS.md b/AGENTS.md
index 3a5fbed..fab2b89 100644
--- a/AGENTS.md
+++ b/AGENTS.md
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ Run `make help` to see all available targets.
 ## Conventions
 
 - **`no_std`**: Both crates. Do not add `std` dependencies.
-- **Edition 2024**: MSRV 1.85.
+- **Edition 2024**: The workspace uses Rust edition 2024 with MSRV 1.96.1.
 - **Wide downstream impact**: This crate is a dependency of most Dusk repos. Check `Cargo.lock` in downstream repos before releasing. See the Change Propagation table below.
 
 ## Change Propagation
diff --git a/derive-hex/CHANGELOG.md b/derive-hex/CHANGELOG.md
index 4dd8975..8c05d45 100644
--- a/derive-hex/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/derive-hex/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -7,6 +7,10 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0
 
 ## [Unreleased]
 
+### Changed
+
+- Raise the MSRV to Rust 1.96.1 [#51]
+
 ### Security
 
 - Forbid unsafe code in `derive-hex` [#45]
@@ -37,6 +41,7 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0
 
 [#10]: https://github.com/dusk-network/dusk-bytes/issues/10
 [#45]: https://github.com/dusk-network/dusk-bytes/issues/45
+[#51]: https://github.com/dusk-network/dusk-bytes/issues/51
 [unreleased]: https://github.com/dusk-network/dusk-bytes/compare/derive-hex-0.1.2...HEAD
 [0.1.2]: https://github.com/dusk-network/dusk-bytes/releases/tag/derive-hex-0.1.2
 [0.1.1]: https://github.com/dusk-network/dusk-bytes/releases/tag/derive-hex-0.1.1
diff --git a/derive-hex/Cargo.toml b/derive-hex/Cargo.toml
index a0a8c3e..e2b67e1 100644
--- a/derive-hex/Cargo.toml
+++ b/derive-hex/Cargo.toml
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ name = "derive-hex"
 version = "0.1.3-rc.0"
 authors = ["zer0 <matteo@dusk.network>"]
 edition = "2024"
-rust-version = "1.85"
+rust-version = "1.96.1"
 
 readme = "README.md"
 
diff --git a/dusk-bytes/Cargo.toml b/dusk-bytes/Cargo.toml
index a268db8..7aeaa23 100644
--- a/dusk-bytes/Cargo.toml
+++ b/dusk-bytes/Cargo.toml
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ name = "dusk-bytes"
 version = "0.1.8-rc.0"
 authors = ["zer0 <matteo@dusk.network>"]
 edition = "2024"
-rust-version = "1.85"
+rust-version = "1.96.1"
 
 readme = "README.md"
 
diff --git a/dusk-bytes/src/parse.rs b/dusk-bytes/src/parse.rs
index f5f9ace..1d2571b 100644
--- a/dusk-bytes/src/parse.rs
+++ b/dusk-bytes/src/parse.rs
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ pub trait ParseHexStr<const N: usize>: Serializable<N> {
 /// const ODD: [u8; 1] = hex::<3, 1>(b"abc");
 /// ```
 pub const fn hex<const N: usize, const M: usize>(bytes: &[u8; N]) -> [u8; M] {
-    if N % 2 != 0 {
+    if !N.is_multiple_of(2) {
         panic!("hex(): input length must be even");
     }