diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index aba4de6c..3905799d 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -35,6 +35,10 @@ docs_require = [
     'sphinx-rtd-theme>=0.1.9',
 ]
 
+benchmarks_require = [
+    'line-profiler==1.0',
+]
+
 setup(
     name='BigchainDB',
     version=version['__version__'],
@@ -88,7 +92,7 @@ setup(
     tests_require=tests_require,
     extras_require={
         'test': tests_require,
-        'dev':  dev_require + tests_require + docs_require,
+        'dev':  dev_require + tests_require + docs_require + benchmarks_require,
         'docs':  docs_require,
     },
 )
diff --git a/speed-tests/README.md b/speed-tests/README.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..7b07d338
--- /dev/null
+++ b/speed-tests/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+# Speed Tests
+
+This folder contains tests related to the code performance of a single node.
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/speed-tests/speed_tests.py b/speed-tests/speed_tests.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..6fb67714
--- /dev/null
+++ b/speed-tests/speed_tests.py
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+from line_profiler import LineProfiler
+
+import bigchaindb
+
+
+def speedtest_validate_transaction():
+    # create a transaction
+    b = bigchaindb.Bigchain()
+    tx = b.create_transaction(b.me, b.me, None, 'CREATE')
+    tx_signed = b.sign_transaction(tx, b.me_private)
+
+    # setup the profiler
+    profiler = LineProfiler()
+    profiler.enable_by_count()
+    profiler.add_function(bigchaindb.Bigchain.validate_transaction)
+
+    # validate_transaction 1000 times
+    for i in range(1000):
+        b.validate_transaction(tx_signed)
+
+    profiler.print_stats()