diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 939e8f7c0..ee3720821 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -452,6 +452,7 @@ AC_CONFIG_FILES([Makefile
                  src/exchange/Makefile
                  src/exchange-tools/Makefile
                  src/exchange-lib/Makefile
+                 src/benchmark/Makefile
                  src/include/Makefile
                  src/json/Makefile
                  src/pq/Makefile
diff --git a/src/Makefile.am b/src/Makefile.am
index 74956a6ab..a1db78b48 100644
--- a/src/Makefile.am
+++ b/src/Makefile.am
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ pkgcfg_DATA = \
 EXTRA_DIST = \
   taler.conf
 
-SUBDIRS = include util json $(PQ_DIR) $(BANK_LIB) wire exchangedb exchange exchange-tools
+SUBDIRS = include util json $(PQ_DIR) $(BANK_LIB) wire exchangedb exchange exchange-tools benchmark
 if HAVE_LIBCURL
  SUBDIRS += exchange-lib
 else
diff --git a/src/benchmark/Makefile.am b/src/benchmark/Makefile.am
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..4deb81723
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/benchmark/Makefile.am
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+# This Makefile.am is in the public domain
+AM_CPPFLAGS = -I$(top_srcdir)/src/include
+
+if USE_COVERAGE
+  AM_CFLAGS = --coverage -O0
+  XLIB = -lgcov
+endif
+
+bin_PROGRAMS = \
+  taler-exchange-benchmark
+
+taler_exchange_benchmark_SOURCES = \
+  taler-exchange-benchmark.c
+taler_exchange_benchmark_LDADD = \
+  $(LIBGCRYPT_LIBS) \
+  -ltalerexchange \
+  -ltalerjson \
+  -ltalerutil \
+  -lgnunetjson \
+  -lgnunetcurl \
+  -lgnunetutil \
+  -ljansson
diff --git a/src/benchmark/taler-exchange-benchmark b/src/benchmark/taler-exchange-benchmark
new file mode 100755
index 000000000..a106ecbc5
Binary files /dev/null and b/src/benchmark/taler-exchange-benchmark differ
diff --git a/src/benchmark/taler-exchange-benchmark.c b/src/benchmark/taler-exchange-benchmark.c
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..213a0573d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/benchmark/taler-exchange-benchmark.c
@@ -0,0 +1,46 @@
+/*
+  This file is part of TALER
+  Copyright (C) 2014, 2015, 2016 GNUnet e.V. and INRIA
+
+  TALER is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the
+  terms of the GNU Lesser General Public License as published by the Free Software
+  Foundation; either version 2.1, or (at your option) any later version.
+
+  TALER is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY
+  WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR
+  A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU Lesser General Public License for more details.
+
+  You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public License along with
+  TALER; see the file COPYING.LGPL.  If not, If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>
+*/
+/**
+ * @file src/benchmark/taler-exchange-benchmark.c
+ * @brief exchange's benchmark
+ * @author Marcello Stanisci
+ */
+#include "platform.h"
+#include <taler/taler_util.h>
+#include <taler/taler_signatures.h>
+#include <taler/taler_exchange_service.h>
+#include <taler/taler_json_lib.h>
+#include <gnunet/gnunet_util_lib.h>
+#include <gnunet/gnunet_curl_lib.h>
+#include <microhttpd.h>
+
+/**
+ * URI under which the exchange is reachable during the benchmark.
+ */
+#define EXCHANGE_URI "http://localhost:8081/"
+/**
+
+ * Main function for the exchange's benchmark.
+ *
+ * @param argc expected to be 1
+ * @param argv expected to only contain the program name
+ */
+int
+main (int argc,
+      char * const *argv)
+{
+  return GNUNET_OK;
+}