diff --git a/lib/services/timestamp.js b/lib/services/block.js
similarity index 68%
rename from lib/services/timestamp.js
rename to lib/services/block.js
index e69b5b61..6268fdeb 100644
--- a/lib/services/timestamp.js
+++ b/lib/services/block.js
@@ -2,19 +2,20 @@
 var BaseService = require('../service');
 var inherits = require('util').inherits;
 
-function TimestampService(options) {
+function BlockService(options) {
   BaseService.call(this, options);
   this.currentBlock = null;
   this.currentTimestamp = null;
 }
 
-inherits(TimestampService, BaseService);
+inherits(BlockService, BaseService);
 
-TimestampService.dependencies = [
-  'db'
+BlockService.dependencies = [
+  'db',
+  'transaction'
 ];
 
-TimestampService.prototype.start = function(callback) {
+BlockService.prototype.start = function(callback) {
   var self = this;
 
   this.store = this.node.services.db.store;
@@ -30,11 +31,11 @@ TimestampService.prototype.start = function(callback) {
   });
 };
 
-TimestampService.prototype.stop = function(callback) {
+BlockService.prototype.stop = function(callback) {
   setImmediate(callback);
 };
 
-TimestampService.prototype.blockHandler = function(block, connectBlock, callback) {
+BlockService.prototype.blockHandler = function(block, connectBlock, callback) {
   var self = this;
 
   var action = 'put';
@@ -69,6 +70,8 @@ TimestampService.prototype.blockHandler = function(block, connectBlock, callback
     self.currentBlock = block.hash;
     self.currentTimestamp = timestamp;
 
+    // TODO combine with block header
+
     operations = operations.concat(
       [
         {
@@ -88,7 +91,16 @@ TimestampService.prototype.blockHandler = function(block, connectBlock, callback
   });
 };
 
-TimestampService.prototype.getTimestamp = function(hash, callback) {
+BlockService.prototype.getBlock = function(hash, callback) {
+  // get block header
+  // get individual transactions
+};
+
+BlockService.prototype.getBlockByHeight = function(height, callback) {
+
+};
+
+BlockService.prototype.getTimestamp = function(hash, callback) {
   var self = this;
 
   if (hash === self.currentBlock) {
@@ -107,40 +119,40 @@ TimestampService.prototype.getTimestamp = function(hash, callback) {
   });
 };
 
-TimestampService.prototype._encodeBlockTimestampKey = function(hash) {
+BlockService.prototype._encodeBlockTimestampKey = function(hash) {
   return Buffer.concat([this.prefix, new Buffer(hash, 'hex')]);
 };
 
-TimestampService.prototype._decodeBlockTimestampKey = function(buffer) {
+BlockService.prototype._decodeBlockTimestampKey = function(buffer) {
   return buffer.slice(2).toString('hex');
 };
 
-TimestampService.prototype._encodeBlockTimestampValue = function(timestamp) {
+BlockService.prototype._encodeBlockTimestampValue = function(timestamp) {
   var timestampBuffer = new Buffer(new Array(8));
   timestampBuffer.writeDoubleBE(timestamp);
   return timestampBuffer;
 };
 
-TimestampService.prototype._decodeBlockTimestampValue = function(buffer) {
+BlockService.prototype._decodeBlockTimestampValue = function(buffer) {
   return buffer.readDoubleBE(0);
 };
 
-TimestampService.prototype._encodeTimestampBlockKey = function(timestamp) {
+BlockService.prototype._encodeTimestampBlockKey = function(timestamp) {
   var timestampBuffer = new Buffer(new Array(8));
   timestampBuffer.writeDoubleBE(timestamp);
   return Buffer.concat([this.prefix, timestampBuffer]);
 };
 
-TimestampService.prototype._decodeTimestampBlockKey = function(buffer) {
+BlockService.prototype._decodeTimestampBlockKey = function(buffer) {
   return buffer.readDoubleBE(2);
 };
 
-TimestampService.prototype._encodeTimestampBlockValue = function(hash) {
+BlockService.prototype._encodeTimestampBlockValue = function(hash) {
   return new Buffer(hash, 'hex');
 };
 
-TimestampService.prototype._decodeTimestampBlockValue = function(buffer) {
+BlockService.prototype._decodeTimestampBlockValue = function(buffer) {
   return buffer.toString('hex');
 };
 
-module.exports = TimestampService;
+module.exports = BlockService;
diff --git a/lib/services/db.js b/lib/services/db.js
index ecd4299d..64461ad4 100644
--- a/lib/services/db.js
+++ b/lib/services/db.js
@@ -533,6 +533,40 @@ DB.prototype.runAllBlockHandlers = function(block, add, callback) {
   );
 };
 
+DB.prototype.runAllConcurrentBlockHandlers = function(block, add, callback) {
+  var self = this;
+  var operations = [];
+
+  async.each(
+    this.node.services,
+    function(mod, next) {
+      if(mod.concurrenctBlockHandler) {
+        $.checkArgument(typeof mod.concurrenctBlockHandler === 'function', 'concurrentBlockHandler must be a function');
+
+        mod.concurrentBlockHandler.call(mod, block, add, function(err, ops) {
+          if (err) {
+            return next(err);
+          }
+          if (ops) {
+            $.checkArgument(Array.isArray(ops), 'concurrentBlockHandler for ' + mod.name + ' returned non-array');
+            operations = operations.concat(ops);
+          }
+          next();
+        });
+      } else {
+        setImmediate(next);
+      }
+    },
+    function(err) {
+      if (err) {
+        return callback(err);
+      }
+
+      callback(null, operations);
+    }
+  );
+};
+
 /**
  * This function will find the common ancestor between the current chain and a forked block,
  * by moving backwards on both chains until there is a meeting point.
@@ -653,13 +687,165 @@ DB.prototype.syncRewind = function(block, done) {
   });
 };
 
+DB.prototype.sync = function() {
+  if (self.bitcoindSyncing || self.node.stopping || !self.tip) {
+    return;
+  }
+
+  self.bitcoindSyncing = true;
+
+  self._getBitcoindBlocks();
+  self._concurrentSync();
+  self._serialSync();
+};
+
+DB.prototype._concurrentSync = function() {
+  var self = this;
+
+  async.whilst(function() {
+    return self.concurrentHeight < self.node.services.bitcoind.height && !self.node.stopping;
+  }, function(done) {
+    if(!self.blockBuffer.length) {
+      // wait to get more blocks from bitcoind
+      return setTimeout(done, 1000);
+    }
+
+    // get x blocks off block buffer
+    var blocks = self.blockBuffer.slice(0, 10);
+    self.blockBuffer = self.blockBuffer.slice(10);
+
+    var operations = [];
+    async.each(blocks, function(block, next) {
+      self.runAllConcurrentBlockHandlers(block, add, true, function(err, ops) {
+        if(err) {
+          return next(err);
+        }
+
+        operations = operations.concat(ops);
+        next();
+      });
+    }, function(err) {
+      if(err) {
+        return done(err);
+      }
+
+      // push concurrency height
+      self.concurrentHeight += blocks.length;
+
+      operations.push({
+
+      });
+
+      log.debug('Updating the database with operations', operations);
+      self.store.batch(operations, done);
+    });
+  }, function(err) {
+    if (err) {
+      Error.captureStackTrace(err);
+      return self.node.emit('error', err);
+    }
+  });
+};
+
+DB.prototype._serialSync = function() {
+  var self = this;
+  // depends on block and transaction services
+
+  var height = self.tip.__height;
+  async.whilst(function() {
+    return height < self.node.services.bitcoind.height && !self.node.stopping;
+  }, function(done) {
+    if(!self.node.services.block || !self.node.services.transaction || height >= self.concurrentHeight) {
+      // wait
+      return setTimeout(done, 1000);
+    }
+
+    // get block from block services
+    self.node.services.block.getBlockByHeight(height + 1, function(err, block) {
+      if(err) {
+        return done(err);
+      }
+
+      if(block.prevHash.reverse().toString('hex') !== self.tip.hash) {
+        // TODO need to rewind our serial blocks as well as concurrent blocks!
+      }
+
+
+      // This block appends to the current chain tip and we can
+      // immediately add it to the chain and create indexes.
+
+      // Populate height
+      block.__height = self.tip.__height + 1;
+
+      // Create indexes
+      self.connectBlock(block, function(err) {
+        if (err) {
+          return done(err);
+        }
+        self.tip = block;
+        log.debug('Chain added block to main chain');
+        self.emit('addblock', block);
+        setImmediate(done);
+      });
+    });
+  }, function(err) {
+    if (err) {
+      Error.captureStackTrace(err);
+      return self.node.emit('error', err);
+    }
+
+    if(self.node.stopping) {
+      self.bitcoindSyncing = false;
+      return;
+    }
+
+    if (self.node.services.bitcoind.isSynced()) {
+      self.bitcoindSyncing = false;
+      self.node.emit('synced');
+    } else {
+      self.bitcoindSyncing = false;
+    }
+  });
+};
+
+DB.prototype._getBitcoindBlocks = function() {
+  var self = this;
+
+  // keep n blocks in block buffer
+  // when we run out get more from bitcoind
+
+  var lastHeight = self.tip.__height;
+
+  async.whilst(function() {
+    return self.lastHeight < self.node.services.bitcoind.height && !self.node.stopping;
+  }, function(done) {
+    var blockCount = Math.min(self.node.services.bitcoind.height - lastHeight, 30 - self.blockBuffer.length);
+
+    async.timesLimit(blockCount, 5, function(n, next) {
+      self.node.services.bitcoind.getBlock(lastHeight + n + 1, function(err, block) {
+        if(err) {
+          return next(err);
+        }
+
+        self.blockBuffer.push(block);
+        next();
+      });
+    }, done);
+  }, function(err) {
+    if (err) {
+      Error.captureStackTrace(err);
+      return self.node.emit('error', err);
+    }
+  });
+};
+
 /**
  * This function will synchronize additional indexes for the chain based on
  * the current active chain in the bitcoin daemon. In the event that there is
  * a reorganization in the daemon, the chain will rewind to the last common
  * ancestor and then resume syncing.
  */
-DB.prototype.sync = function() {
+DB.prototype.syncOld = function() {
   var self = this;
 
   if (self.bitcoindSyncing || self.node.stopping || !self.tip) {