diff --git a/pkgs/node/src/chain.zig b/pkgs/node/src/chain.zig
index 52d914853..d2867b5c7 100644
--- a/pkgs/node/src/chain.zig
+++ b/pkgs/node/src/chain.zig
@@ -817,7 +817,22 @@ pub const BeamChain = struct {
 
     // import block assuming it is gossip validated or synced
     // this onBlock corresponds to spec's forkchoice's onblock with some functionality split between this and
-    // our implemented forkchoice's onblock. this is to parallelize "apply transition" with other verifications
+    // our implemented forkchoice's onblock.
+    //
+    // Parallelization plan (tracked in https://github.com/blockblaz/zeam/issues/719):
+    //
+    //   Phase 1 – Parallel validations (this PR scaffolds; full impl in follow-up):
+    //     a) verifySignatures      — CPU-bound XMSS sig verification, independent of STF
+    //     b) apply_transition      — state transition, independent of sig verification result
+    //     Both are dispatched to spawned threads; forkchoice import is gated on both completing
+    //     successfully.
+    //
+    //   Phase 2 – Parallel post-state compute:
+    //     Independent segments of state computation identified and parallelised.
+    //
+    //   Phase 3 – Execution / proof verification (future):
+    //     Will be parallelised once Phase 1/2 are stable.
+    //
     // Returns a list of missing block roots that need to be fetched from the network
     pub fn onBlock(self: *Self, signedBlock: types.SignedBlock, blockInfo: CachedProcessedBlockInfo) ![]types.Root {
         const onblock_timer = zeam_metrics.chain_onblock_duration_seconds.start();
@@ -843,16 +858,80 @@ pub const BeamChain = struct {
             // If anything below fails, deinit interior first (LIFO: deinit runs before destroy above).
             errdefer cpost_state.deinit();
 
-            // 2. verify XMSS signatures (independent step; placed before STF for now, parallelizable later)
-            // Use public key cache to avoid repeated SSZ deserialization of validator public keys
-            try stf.verifySignatures(self.allocator, pre_state, &signedBlock, &self.public_key_cache);
+            // 2+3. verify XMSS signatures (task A) and apply state transition (task B) in parallel (issue #719)
+
+            // Task A gets its own temporary arena so its allocations are freed after it completes,
+            // keeping peak memory equivalent to the sequential baseline (avoids OOM on CI).
+            // Task B uses the chain allocator directly since its output (cpost_state) must outlive the task.
+            var sig_arena = std.heap.ArenaAllocator.init(self.allocator);
+            defer sig_arena.deinit();
+
+            // Task A: verify XMSS signatures
+            const SigVerifyTask = struct {
+                allocator: Allocator,
+                pre_state: *const types.BeamState,
+                signed_block: *const types.SignedBlock,
+                pubkey_cache: *xmss.PublicKeyCache,
+                err: ?anyerror = null,
+
+                fn run(task: *@This()) void {
+                    stf.verifySignatures(task.allocator, task.pre_state, task.signed_block, task.pubkey_cache) catch |e| {
+                        task.err = e;
+                    };
+                }
+            };
+            var sig_task = SigVerifyTask{
+                .allocator = sig_arena.allocator(),
+                .pre_state = pre_state,
+                .signed_block = &signedBlock,
+                .pubkey_cache = &self.public_key_cache,
+            };
+
+            // Task B: apply state transition
+            const StfTask = struct {
+                allocator: Allocator,
+                post_state: *types.BeamState,
+                block: types.BeamBlock,
+                stf_logger: zeam_utils.ModuleLogger,
+                root_to_slot_cache: *types.RootToSlotCache,
+                err: ?anyerror = null,
+
+                fn run(task: *@This()) void {
+                    stf.apply_transition(task.allocator, task.post_state, task.block, .{
+                        .logger = task.stf_logger,
+                        .validSignatures = true,
+                        .rootToSlotCache = task.root_to_slot_cache,
+                    }) catch |e| {
+                        task.err = e;
+                    };
+                }
+            };
+            var stf_task = StfTask{
+                .allocator = self.allocator,
+                .post_state = cpost_state,
+                .block = block,
+                .stf_logger = self.stf_logger,
+                .root_to_slot_cache = &self.root_to_slot_cache,
+            };
+
+            // Spawn threads; fall back to inline execution if spawn fails.
+            const sig_thread = std.Thread.spawn(.{}, SigVerifyTask.run, .{&sig_task}) catch null_thread: {
+                SigVerifyTask.run(&sig_task);
+                break :null_thread null;
+            };
+            const stf_thread = std.Thread.spawn(.{}, StfTask.run, .{&stf_task}) catch null_thread: {
+                StfTask.run(&stf_task);
+                break :null_thread null;
+            };
+
+            // Join successfully spawned threads (barrier).
+            if (sig_thread) |t| t.join();
+            if (stf_thread) |t| t.join();
+
+            // Propagate any errors from parallel tasks.
+            if (sig_task.err) |e| return e;
+            if (stf_task.err) |e| return e;
 
-            // 3. apply state transition assuming signatures are valid (STF does not re-verify)
-            try stf.apply_transition(self.allocator, cpost_state, block, .{
-                .logger = self.stf_logger,
-                .validSignatures = true,
-                .rootToSlotCache = &self.root_to_slot_cache,
-            });
             break :computedstate cpost_state;
         };
         // If post_state was freshly allocated above and a later step errors (e.g. forkChoice.onBlock,