diff --git a/src/kernel/bitcoinkernel.cpp b/src/kernel/bitcoinkernel.cpp
index 4aa2c176d8..8f29ac8163 100644
--- a/src/kernel/bitcoinkernel.cpp
+++ b/src/kernel/bitcoinkernel.cpp
@@ -7,8 +7,11 @@
 #include <kernel/bitcoinkernel.h>
 
 #include <consensus/amount.h>
+#include <kernel/chainparams.h>
+#include <kernel/checks.h>
 #include <kernel/context.h>
 #include <kernel/cs_main.h>
+#include <kernel/notifications_interface.h>
 #include <logging.h>
 #include <primitives/transaction.h>
 #include <script/interpreter.h>
@@ -16,6 +19,8 @@
 #include <serialize.h>
 #include <streams.h>
 #include <tinyformat.h>
+#include <util/result.h>
+#include <util/signalinterrupt.h>
 #include <util/translation.h>
 
 #include <cassert>
@@ -24,6 +29,7 @@
 #include <exception>
 #include <functional>
 #include <list>
+#include <memory>
 #include <span>
 #include <string>
 #include <utility>
@@ -212,12 +218,40 @@ struct LoggingConnection {
     }
 };
 
+struct ContextOptions {
+};
+
+class Context
+{
+public:
+    std::unique_ptr<kernel::Context> m_context;
+
+    std::unique_ptr<kernel::Notifications> m_notifications;
+
+    std::unique_ptr<util::SignalInterrupt> m_interrupt;
+
+    std::unique_ptr<const CChainParams> m_chainparams;
+
+    Context(const ContextOptions* options, bool& sane)
+        : m_context{std::make_unique<kernel::Context>()},
+          m_notifications{std::make_unique<kernel::Notifications>()},
+          m_interrupt{std::make_unique<util::SignalInterrupt>()},
+          m_chainparams{CChainParams::Main()}
+    {
+        if (!kernel::SanityChecks(*m_context)) {
+            sane = false;
+        }
+    }
+};
+
 } // namespace
 
 struct btck_Transaction : Handle<btck_Transaction, std::shared_ptr<const CTransaction>> {};
 struct btck_TransactionOutput : Handle<btck_TransactionOutput, CTxOut> {};
 struct btck_ScriptPubkey : Handle<btck_ScriptPubkey, CScript> {};
 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>> {};
 
 btck_Transaction* btck_transaction_create(const void* raw_transaction, size_t raw_transaction_len)
 {
@@ -413,3 +447,35 @@ void btck_logging_connection_destroy(btck_LoggingConnection* connection)
 {
     delete connection;
 }
+
+btck_ContextOptions* btck_context_options_create()
+{
+    return btck_ContextOptions::create();
+}
+
+void btck_context_options_destroy(btck_ContextOptions* options)
+{
+    delete options;
+}
+
+btck_Context* btck_context_create(const btck_ContextOptions* options)
+{
+    bool sane{true};
+    const ContextOptions* opts = options ? &btck_ContextOptions::get(options) : nullptr;
+    auto context{std::make_shared<const Context>(opts, sane)};
+    if (!sane) {
+        LogError("Kernel context sanity check failed.");
+        return nullptr;
+    }
+    return btck_Context::create(context);
+}
+
+btck_Context* btck_context_copy(const btck_Context* context)
+{
+    return btck_Context::copy(context);
+}
+
+void btck_context_destroy(btck_Context* context)
+{
+    delete context;
+}
diff --git a/src/kernel/bitcoinkernel.h b/src/kernel/bitcoinkernel.h
index 1576b79edd..2cf714db16 100644
--- a/src/kernel/bitcoinkernel.h
+++ b/src/kernel/bitcoinkernel.h
@@ -57,6 +57,9 @@ extern "C" {
  * otherwise "context-free" operations. This means that the user is not
  * required to initialize their own context before using the library.
  *
+ * The user should create their own context for passing it to state-rich validation
+ * functions and holding callbacks for kernel events.
+ *
  * @section error Error handling
  *
  * Functions communicate an error through their return types, usually returning
@@ -112,6 +115,30 @@ typedef struct btck_TransactionOutput btck_TransactionOutput;
  */
 typedef struct btck_LoggingConnection btck_LoggingConnection;
 
+/**
+ * Opaque data structure for holding options for creating a new kernel context.
+ *
+ * Once a kernel context has been created from these options, they may be
+ * destroyed. The options hold the notification and validation interface
+ * callbacks as well as the selected chain type until they are passed to the
+ * context. If no options are configured, the context will be instantiated with
+ * no callbacks and for mainnet. Their content and scope can be expanded over
+ * time.
+ */
+typedef struct btck_ContextOptions btck_ContextOptions;
+
+/**
+ * Opaque data structure for holding a kernel context.
+ *
+ * The kernel context is used to initialize internal state and hold the chain
+ * parameters and callbacks for handling error and validation events. Once
+ * other validation objects are instantiated from it, the context is kept in
+ * memory for the duration of their lifetimes.
+ *
+ * A constructed context can be safely used from multiple threads.
+ */
+typedef struct btck_Context btck_Context;
+
 /** Callback function types */
 
 /**
@@ -480,6 +507,53 @@ BITCOINKERNEL_API void btck_logging_connection_destroy(btck_LoggingConnection* l
 
 ///@}
 
+/** @name ContextOptions
+ * Functions for working with context options.
+ */
+///@{
+
+/**
+ * Creates an empty context options.
+ */
+BITCOINKERNEL_API btck_ContextOptions* BITCOINKERNEL_WARN_UNUSED_RESULT btck_context_options_create();
+
+/**
+ * Destroy the context options.
+ */
+BITCOINKERNEL_API void btck_context_options_destroy(btck_ContextOptions* context_options);
+
+///@}
+
+/** @name Context
+ * Functions for working with contexts.
+ */
+///@{
+
+/**
+ * @brief Create a new kernel context. If the options have not been previously
+ * set, their corresponding fields will be initialized to default values; the
+ * context will assume mainnet chain parameters and won't attempt to call the
+ * kernel notification callbacks.
+ *
+ * @param[in] context_options Nullable, created by @ref btck_context_options_create.
+ * @return                    The allocated kernel context, or null on error.
+ */
+BITCOINKERNEL_API btck_Context* BITCOINKERNEL_WARN_UNUSED_RESULT btck_context_create(
+    const btck_ContextOptions* context_options);
+
+/**
+ * Copy the context.
+ */
+BITCOINKERNEL_API btck_Context* BITCOINKERNEL_WARN_UNUSED_RESULT btck_context_copy(
+    const btck_Context* context) BITCOINKERNEL_ARG_NONNULL(1);
+
+/**
+ * Destroy the context.
+ */
+BITCOINKERNEL_API void btck_context_destroy(btck_Context* context);
+
+///@}
+
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 } // extern "C"
 #endif // __cplusplus
diff --git a/src/kernel/bitcoinkernel_wrapper.h b/src/kernel/bitcoinkernel_wrapper.h
index c828e9b3e7..070592d8fb 100644
--- a/src/kernel/bitcoinkernel_wrapper.h
+++ b/src/kernel/bitcoinkernel_wrapper.h
@@ -523,6 +523,22 @@ public:
     }
 };
 
+class ContextOptions : public UniqueHandle<btck_ContextOptions, btck_context_options_destroy>
+{
+public:
+    ContextOptions() : UniqueHandle{btck_context_options_create()} {}
+};
+
+class Context : public Handle<btck_Context, btck_context_copy, btck_context_destroy>
+{
+public:
+    Context(ContextOptions& opts)
+        : Handle{btck_context_create(opts.get())} {}
+
+    Context()
+        : Handle{btck_context_create(ContextOptions{}.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 ea7b2c741d..e349cedbc5 100644
--- a/src/test/kernel/test_kernel.cpp
+++ b/src/test/kernel/test_kernel.cpp
@@ -381,3 +381,17 @@ BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE(logging_tests)
     }
     Logger logger{std::make_unique<TestLog>()};
 }
+
+BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE(btck_context_tests)
+{
+    { // test default context
+        Context context{};
+        Context context2{};
+        CheckHandle(context, context2);
+    }
+
+    { // test with context options
+        ContextOptions options{};
+        Context context{options};
+    }
+}