diff --git a/core/state/database.go b/core/state/database.go
index 58d0ccfe829..82bb877f226 100644
--- a/core/state/database.go
+++ b/core/state/database.go
@@ -99,6 +99,11 @@ type Trie interface {
 	// in the trie with provided address.
 	UpdateAccount(address common.Address, account *types.StateAccount, codeLen int) error
 
+	// UpdateAccountAsync will abstract the write of an account to the secure trie.
+	// The actual value of the account is not resolved from the passed function until
+	// it is needed when hashing the trie.
+	UpdateAccountAsync(address common.Address, accountResolver func() (*types.StateAccount, int)) error
+
 	// UpdateStorage associates key with value in the trie. If value has length zero,
 	// any existing value is deleted from the trie. The value bytes must not be modified
 	// by the caller while they are stored in the trie. If a node was not found in the
diff --git a/core/state/statedb.go b/core/state/statedb.go
index b770698255e..086ab289c94 100644
--- a/core/state/statedb.go
+++ b/core/state/statedb.go
@@ -566,14 +566,11 @@ func (s *StateDB) GetTransientState(addr common.Address, key common.Hash) common
 // Setting, updating & deleting state object methods.
 //
 
-// updateStateObject writes the given object to the trie.
-func (s *StateDB) updateStateObject(obj *stateObject) {
-	// Encode the account and update the account trie
-	if err := s.trie.UpdateAccount(obj.Address(), &obj.data, len(obj.code)); err != nil {
-		s.setError(fmt.Errorf("updateStateObject (%x) error: %v", obj.Address(), err))
-	}
-	if obj.dirtyCode {
-		s.trie.UpdateContractCode(obj.Address(), common.BytesToHash(obj.CodeHash()), obj.code)
+// updateStateObject writes the given object to the trie.  The actual value is
+// only resolved from the provided function when it is needed during trie hashing.
+func (s *StateDB) updateStateObject(addr common.Address, resolver func() (*types.StateAccount, int)) {
+	if err := s.trie.UpdateAccountAsync(addr, resolver); err != nil {
+		s.setError(fmt.Errorf("updateStateObject (%x) error: %v", addr, err))
 	}
 }
 
@@ -829,11 +826,18 @@ func (s *StateDB) IntermediateRoot(deleteEmptyObjects bool) common.Hash {
 		// later time.
 		workers.SetLimit(1)
 	}
+
+	type stateAccountWithCodeLen struct {
+		*types.StateAccount
+		codeLen int
+	}
+	stateObjectsResolve := make(map[common.Address]func() (*types.StateAccount, int))
 	for addr, op := range s.mutations {
 		if op.applied || op.isDelete() {
 			continue
 		}
 		obj := s.stateObjects[addr] // closure for the task runner below
+		complete := make(chan stateAccountWithCodeLen)
 		workers.Go(func() error {
 			if s.db.TrieDB().IsVerkle() {
 				obj.updateTrie()
@@ -846,8 +850,14 @@ func (s *StateDB) IntermediateRoot(deleteEmptyObjects bool) common.Hash {
 					s.witness.AddState(obj.trie.Witness())
 				}
 			}
+			complete <- stateAccountWithCodeLen{&obj.data, 0}
 			return nil
 		})
+
+		stateObjectsResolve[addr] = func() (*types.StateAccount, int) {
+			res := <-complete
+			return res.StateAccount, res.codeLen
+		}
 	}
 	// If witness building is enabled, gather all the read-only accesses.
 	// Skip witness collection in Verkle mode, they will be gathered
@@ -898,7 +908,7 @@ func (s *StateDB) IntermediateRoot(deleteEmptyObjects bool) common.Hash {
 			}
 		}
 	}
-	workers.Wait()
+
 	s.StorageUpdates += time.Since(start)
 
 	// Now we're about to start to write changes to the trie. The trie is so far
@@ -939,7 +949,7 @@ func (s *StateDB) IntermediateRoot(deleteEmptyObjects bool) common.Hash {
 		if op.isDelete() {
 			deletedAddrs = append(deletedAddrs, addr)
 		} else {
-			s.updateStateObject(s.stateObjects[addr])
+			s.updateStateObject(addr, stateObjectsResolve[addr])
 			s.AccountUpdated += 1
 		}
 		usedAddrs = append(usedAddrs, addr) // Copy needed for closure
@@ -966,6 +976,7 @@ func (s *StateDB) IntermediateRoot(deleteEmptyObjects bool) common.Hash {
 			s.witnessStats.Add(witness, common.Hash{})
 		}
 	}
+
 	return hash
 }
 
diff --git a/trie/committer.go b/trie/committer.go
index 2a2142e0ffa..46ed7179772 100644
--- a/trie/committer.go
+++ b/trie/committer.go
@@ -157,8 +157,8 @@ func (c *committer) store(path []byte, n node) node {
 	// length of leaves should be exactly same.
 	if c.collectLeaf {
 		if sn, ok := n.(*shortNode); ok {
-			if val, ok := sn.Val.(valueNode); ok {
-				c.nodes.AddLeaf(nhash, val)
+			if val, ok := sn.Val.(*valueNode); ok {
+				c.nodes.AddLeaf(nhash, val.resolve())
 			}
 		}
 	}
@@ -182,7 +182,7 @@ func forGatherChildren(n node, onChild func(hash common.Hash)) {
 		}
 	case hashNode:
 		onChild(common.BytesToHash(n))
-	case valueNode, nil:
+	case *valueNode, nil:
 	default:
 		panic(fmt.Sprintf("unknown node type: %T", n))
 	}
diff --git a/trie/hasher.go b/trie/hasher.go
index a2a1f5b662c..be9ba4c4c88 100644
--- a/trie/hasher.go
+++ b/trie/hasher.go
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ func (h *hasher) encodeShortNode(n *shortNode) []byte {
 	if hasTerm(n.Key) {
 		var ln leafNodeEncoder
 		ln.Key = hexToCompact(n.Key)
-		ln.Val = n.Val.(valueNode)
+		ln.Val = n.Val.(*valueNode).resolve()
 		ln.encode(h.encbuf)
 		return h.encodedBytes()
 	}
@@ -162,7 +162,7 @@ func (h *hasher) encodeFullNode(n *fullNode) []byte {
 		}
 	}
 	if n.Children[16] != nil {
-		fn.Children[16] = n.Children[16].(valueNode)
+		fn.Children[16] = n.Children[16].(*valueNode).resolve()
 	}
 	fn.encode(h.encbuf)
 	fnEncoderPool.Put(fn)
diff --git a/trie/iterator.go b/trie/iterator.go
index 3d3191ffba8..e45a7c07b4d 100644
--- a/trie/iterator.go
+++ b/trie/iterator.go
@@ -215,7 +215,7 @@ func (it *nodeIterator) Leaf() bool {
 
 func (it *nodeIterator) LeafKey() []byte {
 	if len(it.stack) > 0 {
-		if _, ok := it.stack[len(it.stack)-1].node.(valueNode); ok {
+		if _, ok := it.stack[len(it.stack)-1].node.(*valueNode); ok {
 			return hexToKeybytes(it.path)
 		}
 	}
@@ -224,8 +224,8 @@ func (it *nodeIterator) LeafKey() []byte {
 
 func (it *nodeIterator) LeafBlob() []byte {
 	if len(it.stack) > 0 {
-		if node, ok := it.stack[len(it.stack)-1].node.(valueNode); ok {
-			return node
+		if node, ok := it.stack[len(it.stack)-1].node.(*valueNode); ok {
+			return node.resolve()
 		}
 	}
 	panic("not at leaf")
@@ -233,7 +233,7 @@ func (it *nodeIterator) LeafBlob() []byte {
 
 func (it *nodeIterator) LeafProof() [][]byte {
 	if len(it.stack) > 0 {
-		if _, ok := it.stack[len(it.stack)-1].node.(valueNode); ok {
+		if _, ok := it.stack[len(it.stack)-1].node.(*valueNode); ok {
 			hasher := newHasher(false)
 			defer returnHasherToPool(hasher)
 			proofs := make([][]byte, 0, len(it.stack))
diff --git a/trie/node.go b/trie/node.go
index 74fac4fd4ea..60fe034c636 100644
--- a/trie/node.go
+++ b/trie/node.go
@@ -44,7 +44,10 @@ type (
 		flags nodeFlag
 	}
 	hashNode  []byte
-	valueNode []byte
+	valueNode struct {
+		resolver func() []byte
+		val      []byte
+	}
 
 	// fullnodeEncoder is a type used exclusively for encoding fullNode.
 	// Briefly instantiating a fullnodeEncoder and initializing with
@@ -68,6 +71,19 @@ type (
 	}
 )
 
+func newValueNode(resolver func() []byte) *valueNode {
+	return &valueNode{
+		resolver: resolver,
+	}
+}
+
+func (n *valueNode) resolve() []byte {
+	if n.val == nil {
+		n.val = n.resolver()
+	}
+	return n.val
+}
+
 // EncodeRLP encodes a full node into the consensus RLP format.
 func (n *fullNode) EncodeRLP(w io.Writer) error {
 	eb := rlp.NewEncoderBuffer(w)
@@ -91,13 +107,13 @@ func (n nodeFlag) copy() nodeFlag {
 func (n *fullNode) cache() (hashNode, bool)  { return n.flags.hash, n.flags.dirty }
 func (n *shortNode) cache() (hashNode, bool) { return n.flags.hash, n.flags.dirty }
 func (n hashNode) cache() (hashNode, bool)   { return nil, true }
-func (n valueNode) cache() (hashNode, bool)  { return nil, true }
+func (n *valueNode) cache() (hashNode, bool) { return nil, true }
 
 // Pretty printing.
 func (n *fullNode) String() string  { return n.fstring("") }
 func (n *shortNode) String() string { return n.fstring("") }
 func (n hashNode) String() string   { return n.fstring("") }
-func (n valueNode) String() string  { return n.fstring("") }
+func (n *valueNode) String() string { return n.fstring("") }
 
 func (n *fullNode) fstring(ind string) string {
 	resp := fmt.Sprintf("[\n%s  ", ind)
@@ -117,8 +133,8 @@ func (n *shortNode) fstring(ind string) string {
 func (n hashNode) fstring(ind string) string {
 	return fmt.Sprintf("<%x> ", []byte(n))
 }
-func (n valueNode) fstring(ind string) string {
-	return fmt.Sprintf("%x ", []byte(n))
+func (n *valueNode) fstring(ind string) string {
+	return fmt.Sprintf("%x ", n.resolve())
 }
 
 // mustDecodeNode is a wrapper of decodeNode and panic if any error is encountered.
@@ -185,7 +201,7 @@ func decodeShort(hash, elems []byte) (node, error) {
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, fmt.Errorf("invalid value node: %v", err)
 		}
-		return &shortNode{key, valueNode(val), flag}, nil
+		return &shortNode{key, newValueNode(func() []byte { return val }), flag}, nil
 	}
 	r, _, err := decodeRef(rest)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -208,7 +224,7 @@ func decodeFull(hash, elems []byte) (*fullNode, error) {
 		return n, err
 	}
 	if len(val) > 0 {
-		n.Children[16] = valueNode(val)
+		n.Children[16] = newValueNode(func() []byte { return val })
 	}
 	return n, nil
 }
diff --git a/trie/node_enc.go b/trie/node_enc.go
index 02b93ee6f3e..719bd987474 100644
--- a/trie/node_enc.go
+++ b/trie/node_enc.go
@@ -101,6 +101,6 @@ func (n hashNode) encode(w rlp.EncoderBuffer) {
 	w.WriteBytes(n)
 }
 
-func (n valueNode) encode(w rlp.EncoderBuffer) {
-	w.WriteBytes(n)
+func (n *valueNode) encode(w rlp.EncoderBuffer) {
+	w.WriteBytes(n.resolve())
 }
diff --git a/trie/proof.go b/trie/proof.go
index 1a06ed5d5e3..1e6f1e777be 100644
--- a/trie/proof.go
+++ b/trie/proof.go
@@ -128,8 +128,8 @@ func VerifyProof(rootHash common.Hash, key []byte, proofDb ethdb.KeyValueReader)
 		case hashNode:
 			key = keyrest
 			copy(wantHash[:], cld)
-		case valueNode:
-			return cld, nil
+		case *valueNode:
+			return cld.resolve(), nil
 		}
 	}
 }
@@ -191,8 +191,8 @@ func proofToPath(rootHash common.Hash, root node, key []byte, proofDb ethdb.KeyV
 			if err != nil {
 				return nil, nil, err
 			}
-		case valueNode:
-			valnode = cld
+		case *valueNode:
+			valnode = cld.resolve()
 		}
 		// Link the parent and child.
 		switch pnode := parent.(type) {
@@ -298,7 +298,7 @@ findFork:
 		}
 		// Only one proof points to non-existent key.
 		if shortForkRight != 0 {
-			if _, ok := rn.Val.(valueNode); ok {
+			if _, ok := rn.Val.(*valueNode); ok {
 				// The fork point is root node, unset the entire trie
 				if parent == nil {
 					return true, nil
@@ -309,7 +309,7 @@ findFork:
 			return false, unset(rn, rn.Val, left[pos:], len(rn.Key), false)
 		}
 		if shortForkLeft != 0 {
-			if _, ok := rn.Val.(valueNode); ok {
+			if _, ok := rn.Val.(*valueNode); ok {
 				// The fork point is root node, unset the entire trie
 				if parent == nil {
 					return true, nil
@@ -396,7 +396,7 @@ func unset(parent node, child node, key []byte, pos int, removeLeft bool) error
 			}
 			return nil
 		}
-		if _, ok := cld.Val.(valueNode); ok {
+		if _, ok := cld.Val.(*valueNode); ok {
 			fn := parent.(*fullNode)
 			fn.Children[key[pos-1]] = nil
 			return nil
@@ -432,7 +432,7 @@ func hasRightElement(node node, key []byte) bool {
 				return bytes.Compare(rn.Key, key[pos:]) > 0
 			}
 			node, pos = rn.Val, pos+len(rn.Key)
-		case valueNode:
+		case *valueNode:
 			return false // We have resolved the whole path
 		default:
 			panic(fmt.Sprintf("%T: invalid node: %v", node, node)) // hashnode
@@ -612,7 +612,7 @@ func get(tn node, key []byte, skipResolved bool) ([]byte, node) {
 			return key, n
 		case nil:
 			return key, nil
-		case valueNode:
+		case *valueNode:
 			return nil, n
 		default:
 			panic(fmt.Sprintf("%T: invalid node: %v", tn, tn))
diff --git a/trie/secure_trie.go b/trie/secure_trie.go
index 7c7bd184bf8..461b163a1c4 100644
--- a/trie/secure_trie.go
+++ b/trie/secure_trie.go
@@ -226,6 +226,28 @@ func (t *StateTrie) UpdateAccount(address common.Address, acc *types.StateAccoun
 	return nil
 }
 
+// UpdateAccountAsync will abstract the write of an account to the secure trie.
+// The actual value of the account is not resolved from the passed function until
+// it is needed when hashing the trie.
+func (t *StateTrie) UpdateAccountAsync(address common.Address, accountResolve func() (*types.StateAccount, int)) error {
+	hk := crypto.Keccak256(address.Bytes())
+	resolve := func() []byte {
+		acc, _ := accountResolve()
+		data, err := rlp.EncodeToBytes(acc)
+		if err != nil {
+			panic(err) // TODO: what do do here?
+		}
+		return data
+	}
+	if err := t.trie.UpdateAsync(hk, resolve); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	if t.preimages != nil {
+		t.secKeyCache[common.Hash(hk)] = address.Bytes()
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
 func (t *StateTrie) UpdateContractCode(_ common.Address, _ common.Hash, _ []byte) error {
 	return nil
 }
diff --git a/trie/sync.go b/trie/sync.go
index 404d67f154a..ed4f8d7bc46 100644
--- a/trie/sync.go
+++ b/trie/sync.go
@@ -612,7 +612,7 @@ func (s *Sync) children(req *nodeRequest, object node) ([]*nodeRequest, error) {
 	for _, child := range children {
 		// Notify any external watcher of a new key/value node
 		if req.callback != nil {
-			if node, ok := (child.node).(valueNode); ok {
+			if node, ok := (child.node).(*valueNode); ok {
 				var paths [][]byte
 				if len(child.path) == 2*common.HashLength {
 					paths = append(paths, hexToKeybytes(child.path))
@@ -620,7 +620,7 @@ func (s *Sync) children(req *nodeRequest, object node) ([]*nodeRequest, error) {
 					paths = append(paths, hexToKeybytes(child.path[:2*common.HashLength]))
 					paths = append(paths, hexToKeybytes(child.path[2*common.HashLength:]))
 				}
-				if err := req.callback(paths, child.path, node, req.hash, req.path); err != nil {
+				if err := req.callback(paths, child.path, node.resolve(), req.hash, req.path); err != nil {
 					return nil, err
 				}
 			}
diff --git a/trie/transition.go b/trie/transition.go
index c6eecd39376..b53682add55 100644
--- a/trie/transition.go
+++ b/trie/transition.go
@@ -138,6 +138,10 @@ func (t *TransitionTrie) UpdateAccount(addr common.Address, account *types.State
 	// only needs to know what the account trie does now.
 	return t.overlay.UpdateAccount(addr, account, codeLen)
 }
+func (t *TransitionTrie) UpdateAccountAsync(address common.Address, accountResolver func() (*types.StateAccount, int)) error {
+	acct, codeLen := accountResolver()
+	return t.overlay.UpdateAccount(address, acct, codeLen)
+}
 
 // DeleteStorage removes any existing value for key from the trie. If a node was not
 // found in the database, a trie.MissingNodeError is returned.
diff --git a/trie/trie.go b/trie/trie.go
index 1ef2c2f1a66..eb64d1f7c96 100644
--- a/trie/trie.go
+++ b/trie/trie.go
@@ -193,8 +193,8 @@ func (t *Trie) get(origNode node, key []byte, pos int) (value []byte, newnode no
 	switch n := (origNode).(type) {
 	case nil:
 		return nil, nil, false, nil
-	case valueNode:
-		return n, n, false, nil
+	case *valueNode:
+		return n.resolve(), n, false, nil
 	case *shortNode:
 		if !bytes.HasPrefix(key[pos:], n.Key) {
 			// key not found in trie
@@ -322,7 +322,7 @@ func (t *Trie) getNode(origNode node, path []byte, pos int) (item []byte, newnod
 	}
 	// Path still needs to be traversed, descend into children
 	switch n := (origNode).(type) {
-	case valueNode:
+	case *valueNode:
 		// Path prematurely ended, abort
 		return nil, nil, 0, nil
 
@@ -382,12 +382,28 @@ func (t *Trie) Update(key, value []byte) error {
 	return t.update(key, value)
 }
 
+// UpdateAsync associates a key with value in the trie.  The actual value is
+// not resolved until needed (by calling Get, or Hash).
+func (t *Trie) UpdateAsync(key []byte, valueResolver func() []byte) error {
+	t.unhashed++
+	t.uncommitted++
+	k := keybytesToHex(key)
+
+	// NOTE: this does not support deletions (the length of the value is not known until it is resolved)
+	_, n, err := t.insert(t.root, nil, k, newValueNode(valueResolver))
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	t.root = n
+	return nil
+}
+
 func (t *Trie) update(key, value []byte) error {
 	t.unhashed++
 	t.uncommitted++
 	k := keybytesToHex(key)
 	if len(value) != 0 {
-		_, n, err := t.insert(t.root, nil, k, valueNode(value))
+		_, n, err := t.insert(t.root, nil, k, newValueNode(func() []byte { return value }))
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
@@ -404,9 +420,6 @@ func (t *Trie) update(key, value []byte) error {
 
 func (t *Trie) insert(n node, prefix, key []byte, value node) (bool, node, error) {
 	if len(key) == 0 {
-		if v, ok := n.(valueNode); ok {
-			return !bytes.Equal(v, value.(valueNode)), value, nil
-		}
 		return true, value, nil
 	}
 	switch n := n.(type) {
@@ -616,7 +629,7 @@ func (t *Trie) delete(n node, prefix, key []byte) (bool, node, error) {
 		// n still contains at least two values and cannot be reduced.
 		return true, n, nil
 
-	case valueNode:
+	case *valueNode:
 		return true, nil, nil
 
 	case nil:
@@ -646,8 +659,8 @@ func copyNode(n node) node {
 	switch n := (n).(type) {
 	case nil:
 		return nil
-	case valueNode:
-		return valueNode(common.CopyBytes(n))
+	case *valueNode:
+		return newValueNode(func() []byte { return common.CopyBytes(n.resolve()) })
 
 	case *shortNode:
 		return &shortNode{
diff --git a/trie/verkle.go b/trie/verkle.go
index 186ac1f642b..caf206f2981 100644
--- a/trie/verkle.go
+++ b/trie/verkle.go
@@ -177,6 +177,11 @@ func (t *VerkleTrie) UpdateAccount(addr common.Address, acc *types.StateAccount,
 	return nil
 }
 
+func (t *VerkleTrie) UpdateAccountAsync(address common.Address, accountResolver func() (*types.StateAccount, int)) error {
+	acct, codeSize := accountResolver()
+	return t.UpdateAccount(address, acct, codeSize)
+}
+
 // UpdateStorage implements state.Trie, writing the provided storage slot into
 // the tree. If the tree is corrupted, an error will be returned.
 func (t *VerkleTrie) UpdateStorage(address common.Address, key, value []byte) error {