diff --git a/rust/bench/Cargo.toml b/rust/bench/Cargo.toml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..85f47699
--- /dev/null
+++ b/rust/bench/Cargo.toml
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+[package]
+name = "bench"
+version = "0.1.0"
+edition = "2021"
+
+# See more keys and their definitions at https://doc.rust-lang.org/cargo/reference/manifest.html
+
+[dependencies]
+cardano-serialization-lib = { path = ".." }
+
+[dev-dependencies]
+criterion = "0.5.1"
+
+[[bench]]
+name = "benches_main"
+harness = false
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/rust/bench/benches/benches_main.rs b/rust/bench/benches/benches_main.rs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..09de1cfc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/rust/bench/benches/benches_main.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+use criterion::criterion_main;
+
+mod block_bench;
+
+criterion_main! {
+   block_bench::benches
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/rust/bench/benches/block_bench.rs b/rust/bench/benches/block_bench.rs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..37e67338
--- /dev/null
+++ b/rust/bench/benches/block_bench.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+use cardano_serialization_lib::Block;
+use criterion::{black_box, criterion_group, criterion_main, Criterion};
+
+fn bench_decode_block(c: &mut Criterion) {
+    let raw_data = include_bytes!("data/block_with_certs.bin").to_vec();
+    c.bench_function("decode block", |b| {
+        b.iter(|| {
+            let data_copy = raw_data.clone();
+            let block = Block::from_bytes(data_copy);
+            assert!(block.is_ok());
+        })
+    });
+}
+
+criterion_group!(benches, bench_decode_block);
diff --git a/rust/bench/benches/data/block_with_certs.bin b/rust/bench/benches/data/block_with_certs.bin
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..683fb98a
Binary files /dev/null and b/rust/bench/benches/data/block_with_certs.bin differ