util: introduce general purpose thread pool

diff --git a/src/test/CMakeLists.txt b/src/test/CMakeLists.txt
index 2466a483..1cae4fc4 100644
--- a/src/test/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/test/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -107,6 +107,7 @@ add_executable(test_bitcoin
   system_ram_tests.cpp
   system_tests.cpp
   testnet4_miner_tests.cpp
+  threadpool_tests.cpp
   timeoffsets_tests.cpp
   torcontrol_tests.cpp
   transaction_tests.cpp
diff --git a/src/test/threadpool_tests.cpp b/src/test/threadpool_tests.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..46acf1d6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/test/threadpool_tests.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,325 @@
+// Copyright (c) The Bitcoin Core developers
+// Distributed under the MIT software license, see the accompanying
+// file COPYING or http://www.opensource.org/licenses/mit-license.php.
+
+#include <common/system.h>
+#include <logging.h>
+#include <random.h>
+#include <util/string.h>
+#include <util/threadpool.h>
+#include <util/time.h>
+
+#include <boost/test/unit_test.hpp>
+
+// General test values
+int NUM_WORKERS_DEFAULT = 0;
+constexpr char POOL_NAME[] = "test";
+constexpr auto WAIT_TIMEOUT = 120s;
+
+struct ThreadPoolFixture {
+    ThreadPoolFixture() {
+        NUM_WORKERS_DEFAULT = FastRandomContext().randrange(GetNumCores()) + 1;
+        LogInfo("thread pool workers count: %d", NUM_WORKERS_DEFAULT);
+    }
+};
+
+// Test Cases Overview
+// 0) Submit task to a non-started pool.
+// 1) Submit tasks and verify completion.
+// 2) Maintain all threads busy except one.
+// 3) Wait for work to finish.
+// 4) Wait for result object.
+// 5) The task throws an exception, catch must be done in the consumer side.
+// 6) Busy workers, help them by processing tasks externally.
+// 7) Recursive submission of tasks.
+// 8) Submit task when all threads are busy, stop pool and verify task gets executed.
+// 9) Congestion test; create more workers than available cores.
+// 10) Ensure Interrupt() prevents further submissions.
+BOOST_FIXTURE_TEST_SUITE(threadpool_tests, ThreadPoolFixture)
+
+#define WAIT_FOR(futures)                                                         \
+    do {                                                                          \
+        for (const auto& f : futures) {                                           \
+            BOOST_REQUIRE(f.wait_for(WAIT_TIMEOUT) == std::future_status::ready); \
+        }                                                                         \
+    } while (0)
+
+// Block a number of worker threads by submitting tasks that wait on `blocker_future`.
+// Returns the futures of the blocking tasks, ensuring all have started and are waiting.
+std::vector<std::future<void>> BlockWorkers(ThreadPool& threadPool, const std::shared_future<void>& blocker_future, int num_of_threads_to_block)
+{
+    // Per-thread ready promises to ensure all workers are actually blocked
+    std::vector<std::promise<void>> ready_promises(num_of_threads_to_block);
+    std::vector<std::future<void>> ready_futures;
+    ready_futures.reserve(num_of_threads_to_block);
+    for (auto& p : ready_promises) ready_futures.emplace_back(p.get_future());
+
+    // Fill all workers with blocking tasks
+    std::vector<std::future<void>> blocking_tasks;
+    for (int i = 0; i < num_of_threads_to_block; i++) {
+        std::promise<void>& ready = ready_promises[i];
+        blocking_tasks.emplace_back(threadPool.Submit([blocker_future, &ready]() {
+            ready.set_value();
+            blocker_future.wait();
+        }));
+    }
+
+    // Wait until all threads are actually blocked
+    WAIT_FOR(ready_futures);
+    return blocking_tasks;
+}
+
+// Test 0, submit task to a non-started pool
+BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE(submit_task_before_start_fails)
+{
+    ThreadPool threadPool(POOL_NAME);
+    BOOST_CHECK_EXCEPTION((void)threadPool.Submit([]{ return false; }), std::runtime_error, [&](const std::runtime_error& e) {
+        BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(e.what(), "No active workers; cannot accept new tasks");
+        return true;
+    });
+}
+
+// Test 1, submit tasks and verify completion
+BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE(submit_tasks_complete_successfully)
+{
+    int num_tasks = 50;
+
+    ThreadPool threadPool(POOL_NAME);
+    threadPool.Start(NUM_WORKERS_DEFAULT);
+    std::atomic<int> counter = 0;
+
+    // Store futures to ensure completion before checking counter.
+    std::vector<std::future<void>> futures;
+    futures.reserve(num_tasks);
+    for (int i = 1; i <= num_tasks; i++) {
+        futures.emplace_back(threadPool.Submit([&counter, i]() {
+            counter.fetch_add(i, std::memory_order_relaxed);
+        }));
+    }
+
+    // Wait for all tasks to finish
+    WAIT_FOR(futures);
+    int expected_value = (num_tasks * (num_tasks + 1)) / 2; // Gauss sum.
+    BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(counter.load(), expected_value);
+    BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(threadPool.WorkQueueSize(), 0);
+}
+
+// Test 2, maintain all threads busy except one
+BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE(single_available_worker_executes_all_tasks)
+{
+    ThreadPool threadPool(POOL_NAME);
+    threadPool.Start(NUM_WORKERS_DEFAULT);
+    // Single blocking future for all threads
+    std::promise<void> blocker;
+    std::shared_future<void> blocker_future(blocker.get_future());
+    const auto blocking_tasks = BlockWorkers(threadPool, blocker_future, NUM_WORKERS_DEFAULT - 1);
+
+    // Now execute tasks on the single available worker
+    // and check that all the tasks are executed.
+    int num_tasks = 15;
+    int counter = 0;
+
+    // Store futures to wait on
+    std::vector<std::future<void>> futures(num_tasks);
+    for (auto& f : futures) f = threadPool.Submit([&counter]{ counter++; });
+
+    WAIT_FOR(futures);
+    BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(counter, num_tasks);
+
+    blocker.set_value();
+    WAIT_FOR(blocking_tasks);
+    threadPool.Stop();
+    BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(threadPool.WorkersCount(), 0);
+}
+
+// Test 3, wait for work to finish
+BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE(wait_for_task_to_finish)
+{
+    ThreadPool threadPool(POOL_NAME);
+    threadPool.Start(NUM_WORKERS_DEFAULT);
+    std::atomic<bool> flag = false;
+    std::future<void> future = threadPool.Submit([&flag]() {
+        UninterruptibleSleep(200ms);
+        flag.store(true, std::memory_order_release);
+    });
+    BOOST_CHECK(future.wait_for(WAIT_TIMEOUT) == std::future_status::ready);
+    BOOST_CHECK(flag.load(std::memory_order_acquire));
+}
+
+// Test 4, obtain result object
+BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE(get_result_from_completed_task)
+{
+    ThreadPool threadPool(POOL_NAME);
+    threadPool.Start(NUM_WORKERS_DEFAULT);
+    std::future<bool> future_bool = threadPool.Submit([]() { return true; });
+    BOOST_CHECK(future_bool.get());
+
+    std::future<std::string> future_str = threadPool.Submit([]() { return std::string("true"); });
+    std::string result = future_str.get();
+    BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(result, "true");
+}
+
+// Test 5, throw exception and catch it on the consumer side
+BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE(task_exception_propagates_to_future)
+{
+    ThreadPool threadPool(POOL_NAME);
+    threadPool.Start(NUM_WORKERS_DEFAULT);
+
+    int num_tasks = 5;
+    std::string err_msg{"something wrong happened"};
+    std::vector<std::future<void>> futures;
+    futures.reserve(num_tasks);
+    for (int i = 0; i < num_tasks; i++) {
+        futures.emplace_back(threadPool.Submit([err_msg, i]() {
+            throw std::runtime_error(err_msg + util::ToString(i));
+        }));
+    }
+
+    for (int i = 0; i < num_tasks; i++) {
+        BOOST_CHECK_EXCEPTION(futures.at(i).get(), std::runtime_error, [&](const std::runtime_error& e) {
+            BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(e.what(), err_msg + util::ToString(i));
+            return true;
+        });
+    }
+}
+
+// Test 6, all workers are busy, help them by processing tasks from outside
+BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE(process_tasks_manually_when_workers_busy)
+{
+    ThreadPool threadPool(POOL_NAME);
+    threadPool.Start(NUM_WORKERS_DEFAULT);
+
+    std::promise<void> blocker;
+    std::shared_future<void> blocker_future(blocker.get_future());
+    const auto& blocking_tasks = BlockWorkers(threadPool, blocker_future, NUM_WORKERS_DEFAULT);
+
+    // Now submit tasks and check that none of them are executed.
+    int num_tasks = 20;
+    std::atomic<int> counter = 0;
+    for (int i = 0; i < num_tasks; i++) {
+        (void)threadPool.Submit([&counter]() {
+            counter.fetch_add(1, std::memory_order_relaxed);
+        });
+    }
+    UninterruptibleSleep(100ms);
+    BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(threadPool.WorkQueueSize(), num_tasks);
+
+    // Now process manually
+    for (int i = 0; i < num_tasks; i++) {
+        threadPool.ProcessTask();
+    }
+    BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(counter.load(), num_tasks);
+    BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(threadPool.WorkQueueSize(), 0);
+    blocker.set_value();
+    threadPool.Stop();
+    WAIT_FOR(blocking_tasks);
+}
+
+// Test 7, submit tasks from other tasks
+BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE(recursive_task_submission)
+{
+    ThreadPool threadPool(POOL_NAME);
+    threadPool.Start(NUM_WORKERS_DEFAULT);
+
+    std::promise<void> signal;
+    (void)threadPool.Submit([&]() {
+        (void)threadPool.Submit([&]() {
+            signal.set_value();
+        });
+    });
+
+    signal.get_future().wait();
+    threadPool.Stop();
+}
+
+// Test 8, submit task when all threads are busy and then stop the pool
+BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE(task_submitted_while_busy_completes)
+{
+    ThreadPool threadPool(POOL_NAME);
+    threadPool.Start(NUM_WORKERS_DEFAULT);
+
+    std::promise<void> blocker;
+    std::shared_future<void> blocker_future(blocker.get_future());
+    const auto& blocking_tasks = BlockWorkers(threadPool, blocker_future, NUM_WORKERS_DEFAULT);
+
+    // Submit an extra task that should execute once a worker is free
+    std::future<bool> future = threadPool.Submit([]() { return true; });
+
+    // At this point, all workers are blocked, and the extra task is queued
+    BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(threadPool.WorkQueueSize(), 1);
+
+    // Wait a short moment before unblocking the threads to mimic a concurrent shutdown
+    std::thread thread_unblocker([&blocker]() {
+        UninterruptibleSleep(300ms);
+        blocker.set_value();
+    });
+
+    // Stop the pool while the workers are still blocked
+    threadPool.Stop();
+
+    // Expect the submitted task to complete
+    BOOST_CHECK(future.get());
+    thread_unblocker.join();
+
+    // Obviously all the previously blocking tasks should be completed at this point too
+    WAIT_FOR(blocking_tasks);
+
+    // Pool should be stopped and no workers remaining
+    BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(threadPool.WorkersCount(), 0);
+}
+
+// Test 9, more workers than available cores (congestion test)
+BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE(congestion_more_workers_than_cores)
+{
+    ThreadPool threadPool(POOL_NAME);
+    threadPool.Start(std::max(1, GetNumCores() * 2)); // Oversubscribe by 2×
+
+    int num_tasks = 200;
+    std::atomic<int> counter{0};
+
+    std::vector<std::future<void>> futures;
+    futures.reserve(num_tasks);
+    for (int i = 0; i < num_tasks; i++) {
+        futures.emplace_back(threadPool.Submit([&counter] {
+            counter.fetch_add(1, std::memory_order_relaxed);
+        }));
+    }
+
+    WAIT_FOR(futures);
+    BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(counter.load(), num_tasks);
+}
+
+// Test 10, Interrupt() prevents further submissions
+BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE(interrupt_blocks_new_submissions)
+{
+    // 1) Interrupt from main thread
+    ThreadPool threadPool(POOL_NAME);
+    threadPool.Start(NUM_WORKERS_DEFAULT);
+    threadPool.Interrupt();
+    BOOST_CHECK_EXCEPTION((void)threadPool.Submit([]{}), std::runtime_error, [&](const std::runtime_error& e) {
+        BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(e.what(), "No active workers; cannot accept new tasks");
+        return true;
+    });
+
+    // Reset pool
+    threadPool.Stop();
+
+    // 2) Interrupt() from a worker thread
+    // One worker is blocked, another calls Interrupt(), and the remaining one waits for tasks.
+    threadPool.Start(/*num_workers=*/3);
+    std::atomic<int> counter{0};
+    std::promise<void> blocker;
+    const auto blocking_tasks = BlockWorkers(threadPool, blocker.get_future().share(), 1);
+    threadPool.Submit([&threadPool, &counter]{
+        threadPool.Interrupt();
+        counter.fetch_add(1, std::memory_order_relaxed);
+    }).get();
+    blocker.set_value(); // unblock worker
+
+    BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(counter.load(), 1);
+    threadPool.Stop();
+    WAIT_FOR(blocking_tasks);
+    BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(threadPool.WorkersCount(), 0);
+}
+
+BOOST_AUTO_TEST_SUITE_END()
diff --git a/src/util/threadpool.h b/src/util/threadpool.h
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..b75a9415
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/util/threadpool.h
@@ -0,0 +1,211 @@
+// Copyright (c) The Bitcoin Core developers
+// Distributed under the MIT software license, see the accompanying
+// file COPYING or https://www.opensource.org/licenses/mit-license.php.
+
+#ifndef BITCOIN_UTIL_THREADPOOL_H
+#define BITCOIN_UTIL_THREADPOOL_H
+
+#include <sync.h>
+#include <tinyformat.h>
+#include <util/check.h>
+#include <util/thread.h>
+
+#include <algorithm>
+#include <condition_variable>
+#include <functional>
+#include <future>
+#include <queue>
+#include <stdexcept>
+#include <thread>
+#include <utility>
+#include <vector>
+
+/**
+ * @brief Fixed-size thread pool for running arbitrary tasks concurrently.
+ *
+ * The thread pool maintains a set of worker threads that consume and execute
+ * tasks submitted through Submit(). Once started, tasks can be queued and
+ * processed asynchronously until Stop() is called.
+ *
+ * ### Thread-safety and lifecycle
+ * - `Start()` and `Stop()` must be called from a controller (non-worker) thread.
+ *   Calling `Stop()` from a worker thread will deadlock, as it waits for all
+ *   workers to join, including the current one.
+ *
+ * - `Submit()` can be called from any thread, including workers. It safely
+ *   enqueues new work for execution as long as the pool has active workers.
+ *
+ * - `Interrupt()` stops new task submission and lets queued ones drain
+ *   in the background. Callers can continue other shutdown steps and call
+ *   Stop() at the end to ensure no remaining tasks are left to execute.
+ *
+ * - `Stop()` prevents further task submission and blocks until all the
+ *   queued ones are completed.
+ */
+class ThreadPool
+{
+private:
+    std::string m_name;
+    Mutex m_mutex;
+    std::queue<std::packaged_task<void()>> m_work_queue GUARDED_BY(m_mutex);
+    std::condition_variable m_cv;
+    // Note: m_interrupt must be guarded by m_mutex, and cannot be replaced by an unguarded atomic bool.
+    // This ensures threads blocked on m_cv reliably observe the change and proceed correctly without missing signals.
+    // Ref: https://en.cppreference.com/w/cpp/thread/condition_variable
+    bool m_interrupt GUARDED_BY(m_mutex){false};
+    std::vector<std::thread> m_workers GUARDED_BY(m_mutex);
+
+    void WorkerThread() EXCLUSIVE_LOCKS_REQUIRED(!m_mutex)
+    {
+        WAIT_LOCK(m_mutex, wait_lock);
+        for (;;) {
+            std::packaged_task<void()> task;
+            {
+                // Wait only if needed; avoid sleeping when a new task was submitted while we were processing another one.
+                if (!m_interrupt && m_work_queue.empty()) {
+                    // Block until the pool is interrupted or a task is available.
+                    m_cv.wait(wait_lock, [&]() EXCLUSIVE_LOCKS_REQUIRED(m_mutex) { return m_interrupt || !m_work_queue.empty(); });
+                }
+
+                // If stopped and no work left, exit worker
+                if (m_interrupt && m_work_queue.empty()) {
+                    return;
+                }
+
+                task = std::move(m_work_queue.front());
+                m_work_queue.pop();
+            }
+
+            {
+                // Execute the task without the lock
+                REVERSE_LOCK(wait_lock, m_mutex);
+                task();
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+public:
+    explicit ThreadPool(const std::string& name) : m_name(name) {}
+
+    ~ThreadPool()
+    {
+        Stop(); // In case it hasn't been stopped.
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * @brief Start worker threads.
+     *
+     * Creates and launches `num_workers` threads that begin executing tasks
+     * from the queue. If the pool is already started, throws.
+     *
+     * Must be called from a controller (non-worker) thread.
+     */
+    void Start(int num_workers) EXCLUSIVE_LOCKS_REQUIRED(!m_mutex)
+    {
+        assert(num_workers > 0);
+        LOCK(m_mutex);
+        if (!m_workers.empty()) throw std::runtime_error("Thread pool already started");
+        m_interrupt = false; // Reset
+
+        // Create workers
+        m_workers.reserve(num_workers);
+        for (int i = 0; i < num_workers; i++) {
+            m_workers.emplace_back(&util::TraceThread, strprintf("%s_pool_%d", m_name, i), [this] { WorkerThread(); });
+        }
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * @brief Stop all worker threads and wait for them to exit.
+     *
+     * Sets the interrupt flag, wakes all waiting workers, and joins them.
+     * Any remaining tasks in the queue will be processed before returning.
+     *
+     * Must be called from a controller (non-worker) thread.
+     */
+    void Stop() EXCLUSIVE_LOCKS_REQUIRED(!m_mutex)
+    {
+        // Notify workers and join them
+        std::vector<std::thread> threads_to_join;
+        {
+            LOCK(m_mutex);
+            // Ensure Stop() is not called from a worker thread while workers are still registered,
+            // otherwise a self-join deadlock would occur.
+            auto id = std::this_thread::get_id();
+            for (const auto& worker : m_workers) assert(worker.get_id() != id);
+            // Early shutdown to return right away on any concurrent Submit() call
+            m_interrupt = true;
+            threads_to_join.swap(m_workers);
+        }
+        m_cv.notify_all();
+        for (auto& worker : threads_to_join) worker.join();
+        // Since we currently wait for tasks completion, sanity-check empty queue
+        WITH_LOCK(m_mutex, Assume(m_work_queue.empty()));
+        // Note: m_interrupt is left true until next Start()
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * @brief Enqueues a new task for asynchronous execution.
+     *
+     * Returns a `std::future` that provides the task's result or propagates
+     * any exception it throws.
+     * Note: Ignoring the returned future requires guarding the task against
+     * uncaught exceptions, as they would otherwise be silently discarded.
+     */
+    template <class F> [[nodiscard]] EXCLUSIVE_LOCKS_REQUIRED(!m_mutex)
+    auto Submit(F&& fn)
+    {
+        std::packaged_task task{std::forward<F>(fn)};
+        auto future{task.get_future()};
+        {
+            LOCK(m_mutex);
+            if (m_interrupt || m_workers.empty()) {
+                throw std::runtime_error("No active workers; cannot accept new tasks");
+            }
+            m_work_queue.emplace(std::move(task));
+        }
+        m_cv.notify_one();
+        return future;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * @brief Execute a single queued task synchronously.
+     * Removes one task from the queue and executes it on the calling thread.
+     */
+    void ProcessTask() EXCLUSIVE_LOCKS_REQUIRED(!m_mutex)
+    {
+        std::packaged_task<void()> task;
+        {
+            LOCK(m_mutex);
+            if (m_work_queue.empty()) return;
+
+            // Pop the task
+            task = std::move(m_work_queue.front());
+            m_work_queue.pop();
+        }
+        task();
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * @brief Stop accepting new tasks and begin asynchronous shutdown.
+     *
+     * Wakes all worker threads so they can drain the queue and exit.
+     * Unlike Stop(), this function does not wait for threads to finish.
+     */
+    void Interrupt() EXCLUSIVE_LOCKS_REQUIRED(!m_mutex)
+    {
+        WITH_LOCK(m_mutex, m_interrupt = true);
+        m_cv.notify_all();
+    }
+
+    size_t WorkQueueSize() EXCLUSIVE_LOCKS_REQUIRED(!m_mutex)
+    {
+        return WITH_LOCK(m_mutex, return m_work_queue.size());
+    }
+
+    size_t WorkersCount() EXCLUSIVE_LOCKS_REQUIRED(!m_mutex)
+    {
+        return WITH_LOCK(m_mutex, return m_workers.size());
+    }
+};
+
+#endif // BITCOIN_UTIL_THREADPOOL_H