diff --git a/bigchaindb/util.py b/bigchaindb/util.py
index ac3bd12a..2da25f73 100644
--- a/bigchaindb/util.py
+++ b/bigchaindb/util.py
@@ -1,6 +1,9 @@
 
 import json
 import time
+import contextlib
+import threading
+import queue
 import multiprocessing as mp
 from datetime import datetime
 
@@ -31,6 +34,53 @@ class ProcessGroup(object):
             self.processes.append(proc)
 
 
+# Inspired by:
+# - http://stackoverflow.com/a/24741694/597097
+def pool(builder, size, timeout=None):
+    """Create a pool that imposes a limit on the number of stored
+    instances.
+
+    Args:
+        builder: a function to build an instance.
+        size: the size of the pool.
+
+    Returns:
+        A context manager that can be used with the ``with``
+        statement.
+    """
+
+    lock = threading.Lock()
+    local_pool = queue.Queue()
+    current_size = 0
+
+    @contextlib.contextmanager
+    def pooled():
+        nonlocal current_size
+        instance = None
+
+        # If we still have free slots, then we have room to create new
+        # instances.
+        if current_size < size:
+            with lock:
+                # We need to check again if we have slots available, since
+                # the situation might be different after acquiring the lock
+                if current_size < size:
+                    current_size += 1
+                    instance = builder()
+
+        # Watchout: current_size can be equal to size if the previous part of
+        # the function has been executed, that's why we need to check if the
+        # instance is None.
+        if instance is None and current_size == size:
+            instance = local_pool.get(timeout=timeout)
+
+        yield instance
+
+        local_pool.put(instance)
+
+    return pooled
+
+
 def serialize(data):
     """Serialize a dict into a JSON formatted string.
 
diff --git a/bigchaindb/web/server.py b/bigchaindb/web/server.py
index b20ee049..34839bab 100644
--- a/bigchaindb/web/server.py
+++ b/bigchaindb/web/server.py
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import multiprocessing
 from flask import Flask
 import gunicorn.app.base
 
+from bigchaindb import util
 from bigchaindb import Bigchain
 from bigchaindb.web import views
 from bigchaindb.monitor import Monitor
@@ -46,7 +47,7 @@ class StandaloneApplication(gunicorn.app.base.BaseApplication):
         return self.application
 
 
-def create_app(debug=False):
+def create_app(settings):
     """Return an instance of the Flask application.
 
     Args:
@@ -55,9 +56,12 @@ def create_app(debug=False):
     """
 
     app = Flask(__name__)
-    app.debug = debug
-    app.config['bigchain'] = Bigchain()
+
+    app.debug = settings.get('debug', False)
+
+    app.config['bigchain_pool'] = util.pool(Bigchain, size=settings.get('threads', 4))
     app.config['monitor'] = Monitor()
+
     app.register_blueprint(views.basic_views, url_prefix='/api/v1')
     return app
 
@@ -81,8 +85,8 @@ def create_server(settings):
     if not settings.get('threads'):
         settings['threads'] = (multiprocessing.cpu_count() * 2) + 1
 
-    debug = settings.pop('debug', False)
-    app = create_app(debug)
+    app = create_app(settings)
+    settings.pop('debug', False)
     standalone = StandaloneApplication(app, settings)
     return standalone
 
diff --git a/bigchaindb/web/views.py b/bigchaindb/web/views.py
index 4a3b3691..f7a14078 100644
--- a/bigchaindb/web/views.py
+++ b/bigchaindb/web/views.py
@@ -22,12 +22,12 @@ def record(state):
     """This function checks if the blueprint can be initialized
     with the provided state."""
 
-    bigchain = state.app.config.get('bigchain')
+    bigchain_pool = state.app.config.get('bigchain_pool')
     monitor = state.app.config.get('monitor')
 
-    if bigchain is None:
-        raise ValueError('This blueprint expects you to provide '
-                         'database access through `bigchain`.')
+    if bigchain_pool is None:
+        raise Exception('This blueprint expects you to provide '
+                        'a pool of Bigchain instances called `bigchain_pool`')
 
     if monitor is None:
         raise ValueError('This blueprint expects you to provide '
@@ -46,9 +46,11 @@ def get_transaction(tx_id):
         A JSON string containing the data about the transaction.
     """
 
-    bigchain = current_app.config['bigchain']
+    pool = current_app.config['bigchain_pool']
+
+    with pool() as bigchain:
+        tx = bigchain.get_transaction(tx_id)
 
-    tx = bigchain.get_transaction(tx_id)
     return flask.jsonify(**tx)
 
 
@@ -59,7 +61,7 @@ def create_transaction():
     Return:
         A JSON string containing the data about the transaction.
     """
-    bigchain = current_app.config['bigchain']
+    pool = current_app.config['bigchain_pool']
     monitor = current_app.config['monitor']
 
     val = {}
@@ -68,17 +70,16 @@ def create_transaction():
     # set to `application/json`
     tx = request.get_json(force=True)
 
-    if tx['transaction']['operation'] == 'CREATE':
-        tx = util.transform_create(tx)
-        tx = bigchain.consensus.sign_transaction(
-            tx, private_key=bigchain.me_private)
+    with pool() as bigchain:
+        if tx['transaction']['operation'] == 'CREATE':
+            tx = util.transform_create(tx)
+            tx = bigchain.consensus.sign_transaction(tx, private_key=bigchain.me_private)
 
-    if not bigchain.consensus.verify_signature(tx):
-        val['error'] = 'Invalid transaction signature'
+        if not bigchain.consensus.verify_signature(tx):
+            val['error'] = 'Invalid transaction signature'
 
-    with monitor.timer('write_transaction',
-                       rate=bigchaindb.config['statsd']['rate']):
-        val = bigchain.write_transaction(tx)
+        with monitor.timer('write_transaction', rate=bigchaindb.config['statsd']['rate']):
+            val = bigchain.write_transaction(tx)
 
     return flask.jsonify(**tx)
 
diff --git a/tests/test_util.py b/tests/test_util.py
index f4708b59..22cc0c22 100644
--- a/tests/test_util.py
+++ b/tests/test_util.py
@@ -1,7 +1,33 @@
-from bigchaindb import util
+import pytest
+import queue
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def mock_queue(monkeypatch):
+
+    class MockQueue:
+        items = []
+
+        def get(self, timeout=None):
+            try:
+                return self.items.pop()
+            except IndexError:
+                if timeout:
+                    raise queue.Empty()
+                raise
+
+        def put(self, item):
+            self.items.append(item)
+
+    mockqueue = MockQueue()
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr('queue.Queue', lambda: mockqueue)
+    return mockqueue
 
 
 def test_transform_create(b, user_private_key, user_public_key):
+    from bigchaindb import util
+
     tx = util.create_tx(user_public_key, user_public_key, None, 'CREATE')
     tx = util.transform_create(tx)
     tx = util.sign_tx(tx, b.me_private)
@@ -10,3 +36,88 @@ def test_transform_create(b, user_private_key, user_public_key):
     assert tx['transaction']['new_owner'] == user_public_key
     assert util.verify_signature(tx)
 
+
+def test_empty_pool_is_populated_with_instances(mock_queue):
+    from bigchaindb import util
+
+    pool = util.pool(lambda: 'hello', 4)
+
+    assert len(mock_queue.items) == 0
+
+    with pool() as instance:
+        assert instance == 'hello'
+    assert len(mock_queue.items) == 1
+
+    with pool() as instance:
+        assert instance == 'hello'
+    assert len(mock_queue.items) == 2
+
+    with pool() as instance:
+        assert instance == 'hello'
+    assert len(mock_queue.items) == 3
+
+    with pool() as instance:
+        assert instance == 'hello'
+    assert len(mock_queue.items) == 4
+
+    with pool() as instance:
+        assert instance == 'hello'
+    assert len(mock_queue.items) == 4
+
+
+def test_pool_blocks_if_no_instances_available(mock_queue):
+    from bigchaindb import util
+
+    pool = util.pool(lambda: 'hello', 4)
+
+    assert len(mock_queue.items) == 0
+
+    # We need to manually trigger the `__enter__` method so the context
+    # manager will "hang" and not return the resource to the pool
+    assert pool().__enter__() == 'hello'
+    assert len(mock_queue.items) == 0
+
+    assert pool().__enter__() == 'hello'
+    assert len(mock_queue.items) == 0
+
+    assert pool().__enter__() == 'hello'
+    assert len(mock_queue.items) == 0
+
+    # We need to keep a reference of the last context manager so we can
+    # manually release the resource
+    last = pool()
+    assert last.__enter__() == 'hello'
+    assert len(mock_queue.items) == 0
+
+    # This would block using `queue.Queue` but since we mocked it it will
+    # just raise a IndexError because it's trying to pop from an empty list.
+    with pytest.raises(IndexError):
+        assert pool().__enter__() == 'hello'
+    assert len(mock_queue.items) == 0
+
+    # Release the last resource
+    last.__exit__(None, None, None)
+    assert len(mock_queue.items) == 1
+
+    assert pool().__enter__() == 'hello'
+    assert len(mock_queue.items) == 0
+
+
+def test_pool_raises_empty_exception_when_timeout(mock_queue):
+    from bigchaindb import util
+
+    pool = util.pool(lambda: 'hello', 1, timeout=1)
+
+    assert len(mock_queue.items) == 0
+
+    with pool() as instance:
+        assert instance == 'hello'
+    assert len(mock_queue.items) == 1
+
+    # take the only resource available
+    assert pool().__enter__() == 'hello'
+
+    with pytest.raises(queue.Empty):
+        with pool() as instance:
+            assert instance == 'hello'
+
diff --git a/tests/web/conftest.py b/tests/web/conftest.py
index 099f2fd3..bf1dd697 100644
--- a/tests/web/conftest.py
+++ b/tests/web/conftest.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ def app(request, node_config):
     restore_config(request, node_config)
 
     from bigchaindb.web import server
-    app = server.create_app(debug=True)
+    app = server.create_app({'debug': True})
     return app