diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index bbf0f99bd..c28ab2560 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -4,3 +4,5 @@
 .firebase/
 # Emacs detritus
 *~
+# Vscode detrius
+.vscode/
diff --git a/zebra-chain/src/block.rs b/zebra-chain/src/block.rs
index 4a70f1d2c..107e535aa 100644
--- a/zebra-chain/src/block.rs
+++ b/zebra-chain/src/block.rs
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ mod tests;
 
 use byteorder::{LittleEndian, ReadBytesExt, WriteBytesExt};
 use chrono::{DateTime, TimeZone, Utc};
-use std::{fmt, io};
+use std::{fmt, io, sync::Arc};
 
 #[cfg(test)]
 use proptest_derive::Arbitrary;
@@ -205,7 +205,7 @@ pub struct Block {
     /// The block header, containing block metadata.
     pub header: BlockHeader,
     /// The block transactions.
-    pub transactions: Vec<Transaction>,
+    pub transactions: Vec<Arc<Transaction>>,
 }
 
 impl Block {
diff --git a/zebra-chain/src/transaction/serialize.rs b/zebra-chain/src/transaction/serialize.rs
index 88f25b041..7e40b6fa3 100644
--- a/zebra-chain/src/transaction/serialize.rs
+++ b/zebra-chain/src/transaction/serialize.rs
@@ -2,7 +2,10 @@
 //! transaction types, so that all of the serialization logic is in one place.
 
 use byteorder::{LittleEndian, ReadBytesExt, WriteBytesExt};
-use std::io::{self, Read};
+use std::{
+    io::{self, Read},
+    sync::Arc,
+};
 
 use crate::notes;
 use crate::proofs::ZkSnarkProof;
@@ -564,3 +567,21 @@ impl ZcashDeserialize for Transaction {
         }
     }
 }
+
+impl<T> ZcashDeserialize for Arc<T>
+where
+    T: ZcashDeserialize,
+{
+    fn zcash_deserialize<R: io::Read>(reader: R) -> Result<Self, SerializationError> {
+        Ok(Arc::new(T::zcash_deserialize(reader)?))
+    }
+}
+
+impl<T> ZcashSerialize for Arc<T>
+where
+    T: ZcashSerialize,
+{
+    fn zcash_serialize<W: io::Write>(&self, writer: W) -> Result<(), io::Error> {
+        T::zcash_serialize(self, writer)
+    }
+}
diff --git a/zebra-network/src/protocol/external/message.rs b/zebra-network/src/protocol/external/message.rs
index 4bed54b51..4f6f04e1e 100644
--- a/zebra-network/src/protocol/external/message.rs
+++ b/zebra-network/src/protocol/external/message.rs
@@ -236,7 +236,7 @@ pub enum Message {
     /// A `tx` message.
     ///
     /// [Bitcoin reference](https://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/Protocol_documentation#tx)
-    Tx(Box<Transaction>),
+    Tx(Arc<Transaction>),
 
     /// A `mempool` message.
     ///