diff --git a/cmd/neofs-node/config.go b/cmd/neofs-node/config.go
index 42210bca..8e4983f4 100644
--- a/cmd/neofs-node/config.go
+++ b/cmd/neofs-node/config.go
@@ -87,12 +87,16 @@ const (
 	cfgAccountingFee      = "accounting.fee"
 
 	// config keys for cfgNetmap
-	cfgNetmapContract = "netmap.scripthash"
-	cfgNetmapFee      = "netmap.fee"
+	cfgNetmapContract          = "netmap.scripthash"
+	cfgNetmapFee               = "netmap.fee"
+	cfgNetmapWorkerPoolEnabled = "netmap.async_worker.enabled"
+	cfgNetmapWorkerPoolSize    = "netmap.async_worker.size"
 
 	// config keys for cfgContainer
-	cfgContainerContract = "container.scripthash"
-	cfgContainerFee      = "container.fee"
+	cfgContainerContract          = "container.scripthash"
+	cfgContainerFee               = "container.fee"
+	cfgContainerWorkerPoolEnabled = "container.async_worker.enabled"
+	cfgContainerWorkerPoolSize    = "container.async_worker.size"
 
 	cfgGCQueueSize = "gc.queuesize"
 	cfgGCQueueTick = "gc.duration.sleep"
@@ -237,6 +241,7 @@ type cfgContainer struct {
 
 	parsers     map[event.Type]event.Parser
 	subscribers map[event.Type][]event.Handler
+	workerPool  util2.WorkerPool // pool for asynchronous handlers
 }
 
 type cfgNetmap struct {
@@ -248,6 +253,7 @@ type cfgNetmap struct {
 	parsers map[event.Type]event.Parser
 
 	subscribers map[event.Type][]event.Handler
+	workerPool  util2.WorkerPool // pool for asynchronous handlers
 
 	state *networkState
 
@@ -336,6 +342,13 @@ func initCfg(path string) *cfg {
 
 	state := newNetworkState()
 
+	// initialize async workers if it is configured so
+	containerWorkerPool, err := initContainerWorkerPool(viperCfg)
+	fatalOnErr(err)
+
+	netmapWorkerPool, err := initNetmapWorkerPool(viperCfg)
+	fatalOnErr(err)
+
 	c := &cfg{
 		ctx:         context.Background(),
 		internalErr: make(chan error),
@@ -351,11 +364,13 @@ func initCfg(path string) *cfg {
 		cfgContainer: cfgContainer{
 			scriptHash: u160Container,
 			fee:        fixedn.Fixed8(viperCfg.GetInt(cfgContainerFee)),
+			workerPool: containerWorkerPool,
 		},
 		cfgNetmap: cfgNetmap{
 			scriptHash:          u160Netmap,
 			fee:                 fixedn.Fixed8(viperCfg.GetInt(cfgNetmapFee)),
 			state:               state,
+			workerPool:          netmapWorkerPool,
 			reBootstrapInterval: viperCfg.GetUint64(cfgReBootstrapInterval),
 			reBootstrapEnabled:  viperCfg.GetBool(cfgReBootstrapEnabled),
 			goOfflineEnabled:    viperCfg.GetBool(cfgShutdownOfflineEnabled),
@@ -428,9 +443,13 @@ func defaultConfiguration(v *viper.Viper) {
 
 	v.SetDefault(cfgContainerContract, "9d2ca84d7fb88213c4baced5a6ed4dc402309039")
 	v.SetDefault(cfgContainerFee, "1")
+	v.SetDefault(cfgContainerWorkerPoolEnabled, true)
+	v.SetDefault(cfgContainerWorkerPoolSize, 10)
 
 	v.SetDefault(cfgNetmapContract, "75194459637323ea8837d2afe8225ec74a5658c3")
 	v.SetDefault(cfgNetmapFee, "1")
+	v.SetDefault(cfgNetmapWorkerPoolEnabled, true)
+	v.SetDefault(cfgNetmapWorkerPoolSize, 10)
 
 	v.SetDefault(cfgLogLevel, "info")
 	v.SetDefault(cfgLogFormat, "console")
@@ -716,6 +735,26 @@ func initObjectPool(cfg *viper.Viper) (pool cfgObjectRoutines) {
 	return pool
 }
 
+func initNetmapWorkerPool(v *viper.Viper) (util2.WorkerPool, error) {
+	if v.GetBool(cfgNetmapWorkerPoolEnabled) {
+		// return async worker pool
+		return ants.NewPool(v.GetInt(cfgNetmapWorkerPoolSize))
+	}
+
+	// return sync worker pool
+	return util2.SyncWorkerPool{}, nil
+}
+
+func initContainerWorkerPool(v *viper.Viper) (util2.WorkerPool, error) {
+	if v.GetBool(cfgContainerWorkerPoolEnabled) {
+		// return async worker pool
+		return ants.NewPool(v.GetInt(cfgContainerWorkerPoolSize))
+	}
+
+	// return sync worker pool
+	return util2.SyncWorkerPool{}, nil
+}
+
 func (c *cfg) LocalNodeInfo() (*netmapV2.NodeInfo, error) {
 	ni := c.localNodeInfo()
 	return ni.ToV2(), nil