diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 7cf9ede..2f9006e 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,5 +1,10 @@
 # Changelog
 
+## 8.0.0 (unreleased)
+ 
+- Add EdDSA algorithm
+- `sign`/`verify` now takes a `&[u8]` instead of `&str` to be more flexible
+
 ## 7.2.0 (2020-06-30)
 
 - Add `dangerous_insecure_decode` to replace `dangerous_unsafe_decode`, which is now deprecated
diff --git a/src/crypto/eddsa.rs b/src/crypto/eddsa.rs
index 7a47ed2..d0b6f9d 100644
--- a/src/crypto/eddsa.rs
+++ b/src/crypto/eddsa.rs
@@ -16,8 +16,8 @@ pub(crate) fn alg_to_ec_verification(alg: Algorithm) -> &'static signature::EdDS
 
 /// The actual EdDSA signing + encoding
 /// The key needs to be in PKCS8 format
-pub fn sign(key: &[u8], message: &str) -> Result<String> {
+pub fn sign(key: &[u8], message: &[u8]) -> Result<String> {
     let signing_key = signature::Ed25519KeyPair::from_pkcs8_maybe_unchecked(key)?;
-    let out = signing_key.sign(message.as_bytes());
+    let out = signing_key.sign(message);
     Ok(b64_encode(out.as_ref()))
 }
diff --git a/src/crypto/mod.rs b/src/crypto/mod.rs
index 93432b7..1be9ee7 100644
--- a/src/crypto/mod.rs
+++ b/src/crypto/mod.rs
@@ -22,12 +22,7 @@ pub(crate) fn sign_hmac(alg: hmac::Algorithm, key: &[u8], message: &[u8]) -> Res
 /// the base64 url safe encoded of the result.
 ///
 /// If you just want to encode a JWT, use `encode` instead.
-pub fn sign(message: &str, key: &EncodingKey, algorithm: Algorithm) -> Result<String> {
-    sign_bytes(message.as_bytes(), key, algorithm)
-}
-
-/// Same as sign() but for message as bytes
-pub fn sign_bytes(message: &[u8], key: &EncodingKey, algorithm: Algorithm) -> Result<String> {
+pub fn sign(message: &[u8], key: &EncodingKey, algorithm: Algorithm) -> Result<String> {
     match algorithm {
         Algorithm::HS256 => sign_hmac(hmac::HMAC_SHA256, key.inner(), message),
         Algorithm::HS384 => sign_hmac(hmac::HMAC_SHA384, key.inner(), message),
@@ -71,16 +66,6 @@ fn verify_ring(
 ///
 /// `message` is base64(header) + "." + base64(claims)
 pub fn verify(
-    signature: &str,
-    message: &str,
-    key: &DecodingKey,
-    algorithm: Algorithm,
-) -> Result<bool> {
-    Ok(verify_bytes(signature, message.as_bytes(), key, algorithm)?)
-}
-
-/// Same as verify() but for message as bytes
-pub fn verify_bytes(
     signature: &str,
     message: &[u8],
     key: &DecodingKey,
@@ -89,7 +74,7 @@ pub fn verify_bytes(
     match algorithm {
         Algorithm::HS256 | Algorithm::HS384 | Algorithm::HS512 => {
             // we just re-sign the message with the key and compare if they are equal
-            let signed = sign_bytes(message, &EncodingKey::from_secret(key.as_bytes()), algorithm)?;
+            let signed = sign(message, &EncodingKey::from_secret(key.as_bytes()), algorithm)?;
             Ok(verify_slices_are_equal(signature.as_ref(), signed.as_ref()).is_ok())
         }
         Algorithm::ES256 | Algorithm::ES384 => verify_ring(
diff --git a/src/decoding.rs b/src/decoding.rs
index 33462cf..110fdcd 100644
--- a/src/decoding.rs
+++ b/src/decoding.rs
@@ -186,7 +186,7 @@ pub fn decode<T: DeserializeOwned>(
         return Err(new_error(ErrorKind::InvalidAlgorithm));
     }
 
-    if !verify(signature, message, key, header.alg)? {
+    if !verify(signature, message.as_bytes(), key, header.alg)? {
         return Err(new_error(ErrorKind::InvalidSignature));
     }
 
diff --git a/src/encoding.rs b/src/encoding.rs
index cfb96e6..9a4b62c 100644
--- a/src/encoding.rs
+++ b/src/encoding.rs
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ pub fn encode<T: Serialize>(header: &Header, claims: &T, key: &EncodingKey) -> R
     let encoded_header = b64_encode_part(&header)?;
     let encoded_claims = b64_encode_part(&claims)?;
     let message = [encoded_header.as_ref(), encoded_claims.as_ref()].join(".");
-    let signature = crypto::sign(&*message, key, header.alg)?;
+    let signature = crypto::sign(&*message.as_bytes(), key, header.alg)?;
 
     Ok([message, signature].join("."))
 }
diff --git a/tests/ecdsa/mod.rs b/tests/ecdsa/mod.rs
index 2362409..40e97df 100644
--- a/tests/ecdsa/mod.rs
+++ b/tests/ecdsa/mod.rs
@@ -18,9 +18,9 @@ fn round_trip_sign_verification_pk8() {
     let pubkey = include_bytes!("public_ecdsa_key.pk8");
 
     let encrypted =
-        sign("hello world", &EncodingKey::from_ec_der(privkey), Algorithm::ES256).unwrap();
+        sign("hello world".as_bytes(), &EncodingKey::from_ec_der(privkey), Algorithm::ES256).unwrap();
     let is_valid =
-        verify(&encrypted, "hello world", &DecodingKey::from_ec_der(pubkey), Algorithm::ES256)
+        verify(&encrypted, "hello world".as_bytes(), &DecodingKey::from_ec_der(pubkey), Algorithm::ES256)
             .unwrap();
     assert!(is_valid);
 }
@@ -30,11 +30,11 @@ fn round_trip_sign_verification_pem() {
     let privkey_pem = include_bytes!("private_ecdsa_key.pem");
     let pubkey_pem = include_bytes!("public_ecdsa_key.pem");
     let encrypted =
-        sign("hello world", &EncodingKey::from_ec_pem(privkey_pem).unwrap(), Algorithm::ES256)
+        sign("hello world".as_bytes(), &EncodingKey::from_ec_pem(privkey_pem).unwrap(), Algorithm::ES256)
             .unwrap();
     let is_valid = verify(
         &encrypted,
-        "hello world",
+        "hello world".as_bytes(),
         &DecodingKey::from_ec_pem(pubkey_pem).unwrap(),
         Algorithm::ES256,
     )
diff --git a/tests/eddsa/mod.rs b/tests/eddsa/mod.rs
index 98cf532..c67f0c2 100644
--- a/tests/eddsa/mod.rs
+++ b/tests/eddsa/mod.rs
@@ -18,9 +18,9 @@ fn round_trip_sign_verification_pk8() {
     let pubkey = include_bytes!("public_ed25519_key.pk8");
 
     let encrypted =
-        sign("hello world", &EncodingKey::from_ed_der(privkey), Algorithm::EdDSA).unwrap();
+        sign("hello world".as_bytes(), &EncodingKey::from_ed_der(privkey), Algorithm::EdDSA).unwrap();
     let is_valid =
-        verify(&encrypted, "hello world", &DecodingKey::from_ed_der(pubkey), Algorithm::EdDSA)
+        verify(&encrypted, "hello world".as_bytes(), &DecodingKey::from_ed_der(pubkey), Algorithm::EdDSA)
             .unwrap();
     assert!(is_valid);
 }
@@ -30,11 +30,11 @@ fn round_trip_sign_verification_pem() {
     let privkey_pem = include_bytes!("private_ed25519_key.pem");
     let pubkey_pem = include_bytes!("public_ed25519_key.pem");
     let encrypted =
-        sign("hello world", &EncodingKey::from_ed_pem(privkey_pem).unwrap(), Algorithm::EdDSA)
+        sign("hello world".as_bytes(), &EncodingKey::from_ed_pem(privkey_pem).unwrap(), Algorithm::EdDSA)
             .unwrap();
     let is_valid = verify(
         &encrypted,
-        "hello world",
+        "hello world".as_bytes(),
         &DecodingKey::from_ed_pem(pubkey_pem).unwrap(),
         Algorithm::EdDSA,
     )
diff --git a/tests/hmac.rs b/tests/hmac.rs
index aba469d..1a25cdf 100644
--- a/tests/hmac.rs
+++ b/tests/hmac.rs
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ pub struct Claims {
 #[test]
 fn sign_hs256() {
     let result =
-        sign("hello world", &EncodingKey::from_secret(b"secret"), Algorithm::HS256).unwrap();
+        sign("hello world".as_bytes(), &EncodingKey::from_secret(b"secret"), Algorithm::HS256).unwrap();
     let expected = "c0zGLzKEFWj0VxWuufTXiRMk5tlI5MbGDAYhzaxIYjo";
     assert_eq!(result, expected);
 }
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ fn sign_hs256() {
 fn verify_hs256() {
     let sig = "c0zGLzKEFWj0VxWuufTXiRMk5tlI5MbGDAYhzaxIYjo";
     let valid =
-        verify(sig, "hello world", &DecodingKey::from_secret(b"secret"), Algorithm::HS256).unwrap();
+        verify(sig, "hello world".as_bytes(), &DecodingKey::from_secret(b"secret"), Algorithm::HS256).unwrap();
     assert!(valid);
 }
 
diff --git a/tests/rsa/mod.rs b/tests/rsa/mod.rs
index 60a2b71..dfd28f0 100644
--- a/tests/rsa/mod.rs
+++ b/tests/rsa/mod.rs
@@ -28,9 +28,9 @@ fn round_trip_sign_verification_pem_pkcs1() {
 
     for &alg in RSA_ALGORITHMS {
         let encrypted =
-            sign("hello world", &EncodingKey::from_rsa_pem(privkey_pem).unwrap(), alg).unwrap();
+            sign("hello world".as_bytes(), &EncodingKey::from_rsa_pem(privkey_pem).unwrap(), alg).unwrap();
         let is_valid =
-            verify(&encrypted, "hello world", &DecodingKey::from_rsa_pem(pubkey_pem).unwrap(), alg)
+            verify(&encrypted, "hello world".as_bytes(), &DecodingKey::from_rsa_pem(pubkey_pem).unwrap(), alg)
                 .unwrap();
         assert!(is_valid);
     }
@@ -43,9 +43,9 @@ fn round_trip_sign_verification_pem_pkcs8() {
 
     for &alg in RSA_ALGORITHMS {
         let encrypted =
-            sign("hello world", &EncodingKey::from_rsa_pem(privkey_pem).unwrap(), alg).unwrap();
+            sign("hello world".as_bytes(), &EncodingKey::from_rsa_pem(privkey_pem).unwrap(), alg).unwrap();
         let is_valid =
-            verify(&encrypted, "hello world", &DecodingKey::from_rsa_pem(pubkey_pem).unwrap(), alg)
+            verify(&encrypted, "hello world".as_bytes(), &DecodingKey::from_rsa_pem(pubkey_pem).unwrap(), alg)
                 .unwrap();
         assert!(is_valid);
     }
@@ -57,9 +57,9 @@ fn round_trip_sign_verification_der() {
     let pubkey_der = include_bytes!("public_rsa_key.der");
 
     for &alg in RSA_ALGORITHMS {
-        let encrypted = sign("hello world", &EncodingKey::from_rsa_der(privkey_der), alg).unwrap();
+        let encrypted = sign("hello world".as_bytes(), &EncodingKey::from_rsa_der(privkey_der), alg).unwrap();
         let is_valid =
-            verify(&encrypted, "hello world", &DecodingKey::from_rsa_der(pubkey_der), alg).unwrap();
+            verify(&encrypted, "hello world".as_bytes(), &DecodingKey::from_rsa_der(pubkey_der), alg).unwrap();
         assert!(is_valid);
     }
 }