diff --git a/src/kernel/bitcoinkernel.cpp b/src/kernel/bitcoinkernel.cpp
index 2670287ab4a..445ccca94df 100644
--- a/src/kernel/bitcoinkernel.cpp
+++ b/src/kernel/bitcoinkernel.cpp
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 #include <kernel/bitcoinkernel.h>
 
 #include <consensus/amount.h>
+#include <kernel/caches.h>
 #include <kernel/chainparams.h>
 #include <kernel/checks.h>
 #include <kernel/context.h>
@@ -14,6 +15,7 @@
 #include <kernel/notifications_interface.h>
 #include <kernel/warning.h>
 #include <logging.h>
+#include <node/blockstorage.h>
 #include <primitives/transaction.h>
 #include <script/interpreter.h>
 #include <script/script.h>
@@ -21,6 +23,7 @@
 #include <streams.h>
 #include <sync.h>
 #include <tinyformat.h>
+#include <util/fs.h>
 #include <util/result.h>
 #include <util/signalinterrupt.h>
 #include <util/translation.h>
@@ -354,6 +357,39 @@ public:
     }
 };
 
+//! Helper struct to wrap the ChainstateManager-related Options
+struct ChainstateManagerOptions {
+    mutable Mutex m_mutex;
+    ChainstateManager::Options m_chainman_options GUARDED_BY(m_mutex);
+    node::BlockManager::Options m_blockman_options GUARDED_BY(m_mutex);
+    std::shared_ptr<const Context> m_context;
+
+    ChainstateManagerOptions(const std::shared_ptr<const Context>& context, const fs::path& data_dir, const fs::path& blocks_dir)
+        : m_chainman_options{ChainstateManager::Options{
+              .chainparams = *context->m_chainparams,
+              .datadir = data_dir,
+              .notifications = *context->m_notifications}},
+          m_blockman_options{node::BlockManager::Options{
+              .chainparams = *context->m_chainparams,
+              .blocks_dir = blocks_dir,
+              .notifications = *context->m_notifications,
+              .block_tree_db_params = DBParams{
+                  .path = data_dir / "blocks" / "index",
+                  .cache_bytes = kernel::CacheSizes{DEFAULT_KERNEL_CACHE}.block_tree_db,
+              }}},
+          m_context{context}
+    {
+    }
+};
+
+struct ChainMan {
+    std::unique_ptr<ChainstateManager> m_chainman;
+    std::shared_ptr<const Context> m_context;
+
+    ChainMan(std::unique_ptr<ChainstateManager> chainman, std::shared_ptr<const Context> context)
+        : m_chainman(std::move(chainman)), m_context(std::move(context)) {}
+};
+
 } // namespace
 
 struct btck_Transaction : Handle<btck_Transaction, std::shared_ptr<const CTransaction>> {};
@@ -363,6 +399,8 @@ struct btck_LoggingConnection : Handle<btck_LoggingConnection, LoggingConnection
 struct btck_ContextOptions : Handle<btck_ContextOptions, ContextOptions> {};
 struct btck_Context : Handle<btck_Context, std::shared_ptr<const Context>> {};
 struct btck_ChainParameters : Handle<btck_ChainParameters, CChainParams> {};
+struct btck_ChainstateManagerOptions : Handle<btck_ChainstateManagerOptions, ChainstateManagerOptions> {};
+struct btck_ChainstateManager : Handle<btck_ChainstateManager, ChainMan> {};
 
 btck_Transaction* btck_transaction_create(const void* raw_transaction, size_t raw_transaction_len)
 {
@@ -636,3 +674,52 @@ void btck_context_destroy(btck_Context* context)
 {
     delete context;
 }
+
+btck_ChainstateManagerOptions* btck_chainstate_manager_options_create(const btck_Context* context, const char* data_dir, size_t data_dir_len, const char* blocks_dir, size_t blocks_dir_len)
+{
+    try {
+        fs::path abs_data_dir{fs::absolute(fs::PathFromString({data_dir, data_dir_len}))};
+        fs::create_directories(abs_data_dir);
+        fs::path abs_blocks_dir{fs::absolute(fs::PathFromString({blocks_dir, blocks_dir_len}))};
+        fs::create_directories(abs_blocks_dir);
+        return btck_ChainstateManagerOptions::create(btck_Context::get(context), abs_data_dir, abs_blocks_dir);
+    } catch (const std::exception& e) {
+        LogError("Failed to create chainstate manager options: %s", e.what());
+        return nullptr;
+    }
+}
+
+void btck_chainstate_manager_options_destroy(btck_ChainstateManagerOptions* options)
+{
+    delete options;
+}
+
+btck_ChainstateManager* btck_chainstate_manager_create(
+    const btck_ChainstateManagerOptions* chainman_opts)
+{
+    try {
+        auto& opts{btck_ChainstateManagerOptions::get(chainman_opts)};
+        LOCK(opts.m_mutex);
+        auto& context{opts.m_context};
+        auto chainman{std::make_unique<ChainstateManager>(*context->m_interrupt, opts.m_chainman_options, opts.m_blockman_options)};
+        return btck_ChainstateManager::create(std::move(chainman), context);
+    } catch (const std::exception& e) {
+        LogError("Failed to create chainstate manager: %s", e.what());
+        return nullptr;
+    }
+}
+
+void btck_chainstate_manager_destroy(btck_ChainstateManager* chainman)
+{
+    {
+        LOCK(btck_ChainstateManager::get(chainman).m_chainman->GetMutex());
+        for (Chainstate* chainstate : btck_ChainstateManager::get(chainman).m_chainman->GetAll()) {
+            if (chainstate->CanFlushToDisk()) {
+                chainstate->ForceFlushStateToDisk();
+                chainstate->ResetCoinsViews();
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    delete chainman;
+}
diff --git a/src/kernel/bitcoinkernel.h b/src/kernel/bitcoinkernel.h
index 25f39a11d25..59094aefd61 100644
--- a/src/kernel/bitcoinkernel.h
+++ b/src/kernel/bitcoinkernel.h
@@ -166,6 +166,26 @@ typedef struct btck_Context btck_Context;
  */
 typedef struct btck_BlockTreeEntry btck_BlockTreeEntry;
 
+/**
+ * Opaque data structure for holding options for creating a new chainstate
+ * manager.
+ *
+ * The chainstate manager options are used to set some parameters for the
+ * chainstate manager.
+ */
+typedef struct btck_ChainstateManagerOptions btck_ChainstateManagerOptions;
+
+/**
+ * Opaque data structure for holding a chainstate manager.
+ *
+ * The chainstate manager is the central object for doing validation tasks as
+ * well as retrieving data from the chain. Internally it is a complex data
+ * structure with diverse functionality.
+ *
+ * Its functionality will be more and more exposed in the future.
+ */
+typedef struct btck_ChainstateManager btck_ChainstateManager;
+
 /** Current sync state passed to tip changed callbacks. */
 typedef uint8_t btck_SynchronizationState;
 #define btck_SynchronizationState_INIT_REINDEX ((btck_SynchronizationState)(0))
@@ -686,6 +706,58 @@ BITCOINKERNEL_API void btck_context_destroy(btck_Context* context);
 
 ///@}
 
+/** @name ChainstateManagerOptions
+ * Functions for working with chainstate manager options.
+ */
+///@{
+
+/**
+ * @brief Create options for the chainstate manager.
+ *
+ * @param[in] context          Non-null, the created options and through it the chainstate manager will
+                               associate with this kernel context for the duration of their lifetimes.
+ * @param[in] data_directory   Non-null, path string of the directory containing the chainstate data.
+ *                             If the directory does not exist yet, it will be created.
+ * @param[in] blocks_directory Non-null, path string of the directory containing the block data. If
+ *                             the directory does not exist yet, it will be created.
+ * @return                     The allocated chainstate manager options, or null on error.
+ */
+BITCOINKERNEL_API btck_ChainstateManagerOptions* BITCOINKERNEL_WARN_UNUSED_RESULT btck_chainstate_manager_options_create(
+    const btck_Context* context,
+    const char* data_directory,
+    size_t data_directory_len,
+    const char* blocks_directory,
+    size_t blocks_directory_len) BITCOINKERNEL_ARG_NONNULL(1, 2);
+
+/**
+ * Destroy the chainstate manager options.
+ */
+BITCOINKERNEL_API void btck_chainstate_manager_options_destroy(btck_ChainstateManagerOptions* chainstate_manager_options);
+
+///@}
+
+/** @name ChainstateManager
+ * Functions for chainstate management.
+ */
+///@{
+
+/**
+ * @brief Create a chainstate manager. This is the main object for many
+ * validation tasks as well as for retrieving data from the chain. *
+ *
+ * @param[in] chainstate_manager_options Non-null, created by @ref btck_chainstate_manager_options_create.
+ * @return                               The allocated chainstate manager, or null on error.
+ */
+BITCOINKERNEL_API btck_ChainstateManager* BITCOINKERNEL_WARN_UNUSED_RESULT btck_chainstate_manager_create(
+    const btck_ChainstateManagerOptions* chainstate_manager_options) BITCOINKERNEL_ARG_NONNULL(1);
+
+/**
+ * Destroy the chainstate manager.
+ */
+BITCOINKERNEL_API void btck_chainstate_manager_destroy(btck_ChainstateManager* chainstate_manager);
+
+///@}
+
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 } // extern "C"
 #endif // __cplusplus
diff --git a/src/kernel/bitcoinkernel_wrapper.h b/src/kernel/bitcoinkernel_wrapper.h
index 8e30b6ac517..7d5c3063c9c 100644
--- a/src/kernel/bitcoinkernel_wrapper.h
+++ b/src/kernel/bitcoinkernel_wrapper.h
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
 #include <memory>
 #include <span>
 #include <stdexcept>
+#include <string>
 #include <string_view>
 #include <type_traits>
 #include <utility>
@@ -620,6 +621,24 @@ public:
         : Handle{btck_context_create(ContextOptions{}.get())} {}
 };
 
+class ChainstateManagerOptions : public UniqueHandle<btck_ChainstateManagerOptions, btck_chainstate_manager_options_destroy>
+{
+public:
+    ChainstateManagerOptions(const Context& context, const std::string& data_dir, const std::string& blocks_dir)
+        : UniqueHandle{btck_chainstate_manager_options_create(context.get(), data_dir.c_str(), data_dir.length(), blocks_dir.c_str(), blocks_dir.length())}
+    {
+    }
+};
+
+class ChainMan : UniqueHandle<btck_ChainstateManager, btck_chainstate_manager_destroy>
+{
+public:
+    ChainMan(const Context& context, const ChainstateManagerOptions& chainman_opts)
+        : UniqueHandle{btck_chainstate_manager_create(chainman_opts.get())}
+    {
+    }
+};
+
 } // namespace btck
 
 #endif // BITCOIN_KERNEL_BITCOINKERNEL_WRAPPER_H
diff --git a/src/test/kernel/test_kernel.cpp b/src/test/kernel/test_kernel.cpp
index ef669cb6732..bc00e85c2da 100644
--- a/src/test/kernel/test_kernel.cpp
+++ b/src/test/kernel/test_kernel.cpp
@@ -11,15 +11,36 @@
 #include <charconv>
 #include <cstdint>
 #include <cstdlib>
+#include <filesystem>
 #include <iostream>
 #include <memory>
+#include <random>
 #include <ranges>
 #include <span>
+#include <string>
 #include <string_view>
 #include <vector>
 
 using namespace btck;
 
+std::string random_string(uint32_t length)
+{
+    const std::string chars = "0123456789"
+                              "abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz"
+                              "ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ";
+
+    static std::random_device rd;
+    static std::default_random_engine dre{rd()};
+    static std::uniform_int_distribution<> distribution(0, chars.size() - 1);
+
+    std::string random;
+    random.reserve(length);
+    for (uint32_t i = 0; i < length; i++) {
+        random += chars[distribution(dre)];
+    }
+    return random;
+}
+
 std::vector<std::byte> hex_string_to_byte_vec(std::string_view hex)
 {
     std::vector<std::byte> bytes;
@@ -60,6 +81,20 @@ public:
     }
 };
 
+struct TestDirectory {
+    std::filesystem::path m_directory;
+    TestDirectory(std::string directory_name)
+        : m_directory{std::filesystem::temp_directory_path() / (directory_name + random_string(16))}
+    {
+        std::filesystem::create_directories(m_directory);
+    }
+
+    ~TestDirectory()
+    {
+        std::filesystem::remove_all(m_directory);
+    }
+};
+
 class TestKernelNotifications : public KernelNotifications
 {
 public:
@@ -434,3 +469,38 @@ BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE(btck_context_tests)
         Context context{options};
     }
 }
+
+Context create_context(std::shared_ptr<TestKernelNotifications> notifications, ChainType chain_type)
+{
+    ContextOptions options{};
+    ChainParams params{chain_type};
+    options.SetChainParams(params);
+    options.SetNotifications(notifications);
+    auto context{Context{options}};
+    return context;
+}
+
+BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE(btck_chainman_tests)
+{
+    Logger logger{std::make_unique<TestLog>()};
+    auto test_directory{TestDirectory{"chainman_test_bitcoin_kernel"}};
+
+    { // test with default context
+        Context context{};
+        ChainstateManagerOptions chainman_opts{context, test_directory.m_directory.string(), (test_directory.m_directory / "blocks").string()};
+        ChainMan chainman{context, chainman_opts};
+    }
+
+    { // test with default context options
+        ContextOptions options{};
+        Context context{options};
+        ChainstateManagerOptions chainman_opts{context, test_directory.m_directory.string(), (test_directory.m_directory / "blocks").string()};
+        ChainMan chainman{context, chainman_opts};
+    }
+
+    auto notifications{std::make_shared<TestKernelNotifications>()};
+    auto context{create_context(notifications, ChainType::MAINNET)};
+
+    ChainstateManagerOptions chainman_opts{context, test_directory.m_directory.string(), (test_directory.m_directory / "blocks").string()};
+    ChainMan chainman{context, chainman_opts};
+}
diff --git a/test/lint/test_runner/src/main.rs b/test/lint/test_runner/src/main.rs
index ba5aaee793f..53d24ca4960 100644
--- a/test/lint/test_runner/src/main.rs
+++ b/test/lint/test_runner/src/main.rs
@@ -373,6 +373,7 @@ fn lint_std_filesystem() -> LintResult {
             "./src/",
             ":(exclude)src/ipc/libmultiprocess/",
             ":(exclude)src/util/fs.h",
+            ":(exclude)src/test/kernel/test_kernel.cpp",
         ])
         .status()
         .expect("command error")