diff --git a/fuel-vm/Cargo.toml b/fuel-vm/Cargo.toml
index 510dc39ddf..17306dca0b 100644
--- a/fuel-vm/Cargo.toml
+++ b/fuel-vm/Cargo.toml
@@ -15,6 +15,11 @@ name = "execution"
 harness = false
 required-features = ["std"]
 
+[[bench]]
+name = "meq_performance"
+harness = false
+required-features = ["std"]
+
 [dependencies]
 anyhow = { version = "1.0", optional = true }
 async-trait = "0.1"
@@ -110,6 +115,7 @@ test-helpers = [
     "tai64",
     "fuel-crypto/test-helpers",
 ]
+experimental = []
 
 [lints.rust]
 unexpected_cfgs = { level = "warn", check-cfg = ['cfg(fuzzing)'] }
diff --git a/fuel-vm/benches/meq_performance.rs b/fuel-vm/benches/meq_performance.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..9ed2d54621
--- /dev/null
+++ b/fuel-vm/benches/meq_performance.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,95 @@
+use criterion::{
+    criterion_group,
+    criterion_main,
+    Criterion,
+};
+use fuel_asm::{
+    op,
+    Instruction,
+    RegId,
+};
+use fuel_tx::{
+    Finalizable,
+    GasCosts,
+    Script,
+    TransactionBuilder,
+};
+use fuel_types::{
+    Immediate12,
+    Word,
+};
+use fuel_vm::{
+    interpreter::{
+        Interpreter,
+        InterpreterParams,
+    },
+    prelude::{
+        IntoChecked,
+        MemoryInstance,
+        MemoryStorage,
+    },
+};
+
+/// from; fuel-vm/src/tests/test_helpers.rs
+/// Set a register `r` to a Word-sized number value using left-shifts
+pub fn set_full_word(r: RegId, v: Word) -> Vec<Instruction> {
+    let r = r.to_u8();
+    let mut ops = vec![op::movi(r, 0)];
+    for byte in v.to_be_bytes() {
+        ops.push(op::ori(r, r, byte as Immediate12));
+        ops.push(op::slli(r, r, 8));
+    }
+    ops.pop().unwrap(); // Remove last shift
+    ops
+}
+
+fn meq_performance(c: &mut Criterion) {
+    let benchmark_matrix = [
+        1, 10, 100, 1000, 10_000, 50_000, 100_000, 500_000, 1_000_000, 2_000_000,
+        2_500_000, 5_000_000, 10_000_000, 15_000_000, 20_000_000,
+        // some exact multiples of 8 to verify alignment perf
+        8, 16, 64, 128, 256, 512, 1024, 2048, 4096, 8192, 16384, 32768, 65536, 131072,
+        262144, 524288, 1048576, 2097152, 4194304, 8388608,
+    ];
+
+    for size in benchmark_matrix.iter() {
+        let mut interpreter = Interpreter::<_, _, Script>::with_storage(
+            MemoryInstance::new(),
+            MemoryStorage::default(),
+            InterpreterParams {
+                gas_costs: GasCosts::free(),
+                ..Default::default()
+            },
+        );
+
+        let reg_len = RegId::new_checked(0x13).unwrap();
+
+        let mut script = set_full_word(reg_len, *size as Word);
+        script.extend(vec![
+            op::cfe(0x13),
+            op::meq(RegId::WRITABLE, RegId::ZERO, RegId::ZERO, reg_len),
+            op::jmpb(RegId::ZERO, 0),
+        ]);
+
+        let tx_builder_script =
+            TransactionBuilder::script(script.into_iter().collect(), vec![])
+                .max_fee_limit(0)
+                .add_fee_input()
+                .finalize();
+        let script = tx_builder_script
+            .into_checked_basic(Default::default(), &Default::default())
+            .unwrap();
+        let script = script.test_into_ready();
+
+        interpreter.init_script(script).unwrap();
+
+        c.bench_function(&format!("meq_performance_{}", size), |b| {
+            b.iter(|| {
+                interpreter.execute().unwrap();
+            });
+        });
+    }
+}
+
+criterion_group!(benches, meq_performance);
+criterion_main!(benches);
diff --git a/fuel-vm/src/interpreter/memory.rs b/fuel-vm/src/interpreter/memory.rs
index cfb4f78338..3b6dec7f9e 100644
--- a/fuel-vm/src/interpreter/memory.rs
+++ b/fuel-vm/src/interpreter/memory.rs
@@ -1023,6 +1023,272 @@ pub(crate) fn memcopy(
     Ok(inc_pc(pc)?)
 }
 
+#[cfg(feature = "experimental")]
+#[cfg(all(target_arch = "aarch64", target_feature = "neon"))]
+fn slices_equal_neon(a: &[u8], b: &[u8]) -> bool {
+    use std::arch::aarch64::*;
+
+    if a.len() != b.len() {
+        return false;
+    }
+
+    let len = a.len();
+    let mut i = 0;
+    const CHUNK: usize = 96;
+
+    // if the slices are small, we don't need to
+    // use SIMD instructions due to overhead
+    if a.len() < CHUNK {
+        return slices_equal_fallback(a, b);
+    }
+
+    unsafe {
+        while i + CHUNK <= len {
+            let mut cmp =
+                vceqq_u8(vld1q_u8(a.as_ptr().add(i)), vld1q_u8(b.as_ptr().add(i)));
+
+            cmp = vandq_u8(
+                cmp,
+                vceqq_u8(
+                    vld1q_u8(a.as_ptr().add(i + 16)),
+                    vld1q_u8(b.as_ptr().add(i + 16)),
+                ),
+            );
+            cmp = vandq_u8(
+                cmp,
+                vceqq_u8(
+                    vld1q_u8(a.as_ptr().add(i + 32)),
+                    vld1q_u8(b.as_ptr().add(i + 32)),
+                ),
+            );
+            cmp = vandq_u8(
+                cmp,
+                vceqq_u8(
+                    vld1q_u8(a.as_ptr().add(i + 48)),
+                    vld1q_u8(b.as_ptr().add(i + 48)),
+                ),
+            );
+            cmp = vandq_u8(
+                cmp,
+                vceqq_u8(
+                    vld1q_u8(a.as_ptr().add(i + 64)),
+                    vld1q_u8(b.as_ptr().add(i + 64)),
+                ),
+            );
+            cmp = vandq_u8(
+                cmp,
+                vceqq_u8(
+                    vld1q_u8(a.as_ptr().add(i + 80)),
+                    vld1q_u8(b.as_ptr().add(i + 80)),
+                ),
+            );
+
+            if vmaxvq_u8(cmp) != 0xFF {
+                return false;
+            }
+
+            i += CHUNK;
+        }
+
+        // Scalar comparison for the remainder
+        a[i..] == b[i..]
+    }
+}
+
+#[cfg(feature = "experimental")]
+#[cfg(all(target_arch = "x86_64", target_feature = "avx2"))]
+fn slices_equal_avx2(a: &[u8], b: &[u8]) -> bool {
+    use std::arch::x86_64::*;
+
+    if a.len() != b.len() {
+        return false;
+    }
+
+    let len = a.len();
+    let mut i = 0;
+    const CHUNK: usize = 256;
+
+    // if the slices are small, we don't need to
+    // use SIMD instructions due to overhead
+    if a.len() < CHUNK {
+        return slices_equal_fallback(a, b);
+    }
+
+    unsafe {
+        let mut aggregate_mask_a = -1i32;
+        let mut aggregate_mask_b = -1i32;
+        let mut aggregate_mask_c = -1i32;
+        let mut aggregate_mask_d = -1i32;
+        let mut aggregate_mask_a_b = -1i32;
+        let mut aggregate_mask_c_d = -1i32;
+
+        while i + CHUNK <= len {
+            let simd_a1 = _mm256_loadu_si256(a.as_ptr().add(i) as *const _);
+            let simd_b1 = _mm256_loadu_si256(b.as_ptr().add(i) as *const _);
+
+            let simd_a2 = _mm256_loadu_si256(a.as_ptr().add(i + 32) as *const _);
+            let simd_b2 = _mm256_loadu_si256(b.as_ptr().add(i + 32) as *const _);
+
+            let simd_a3 = _mm256_loadu_si256(a.as_ptr().add(i + 64) as *const _);
+            let simd_b3 = _mm256_loadu_si256(b.as_ptr().add(i + 64) as *const _);
+
+            let simd_a4 = _mm256_loadu_si256(a.as_ptr().add(i + 96) as *const _);
+            let simd_b4 = _mm256_loadu_si256(b.as_ptr().add(i + 96) as *const _);
+
+            let simd_a5 = _mm256_loadu_si256(a.as_ptr().add(i + 128) as *const _);
+            let simd_b5 = _mm256_loadu_si256(b.as_ptr().add(i + 128) as *const _);
+
+            let simd_a6 = _mm256_loadu_si256(a.as_ptr().add(i + 160) as *const _);
+            let simd_b6 = _mm256_loadu_si256(b.as_ptr().add(i + 160) as *const _);
+
+            let simd_a7 = _mm256_loadu_si256(a.as_ptr().add(i + 192) as *const _);
+            let simd_b7 = _mm256_loadu_si256(b.as_ptr().add(i + 192) as *const _);
+
+            let simd_a8 = _mm256_loadu_si256(a.as_ptr().add(i + 224) as *const _);
+            let simd_b8 = _mm256_loadu_si256(b.as_ptr().add(i + 224) as *const _);
+
+            let cmp1 = _mm256_movemask_epi8(_mm256_cmpeq_epi8(simd_a1, simd_b1));
+            let cmp2 = _mm256_movemask_epi8(_mm256_cmpeq_epi8(simd_a2, simd_b2));
+            let cmp3 = _mm256_movemask_epi8(_mm256_cmpeq_epi8(simd_a3, simd_b3));
+            let cmp4 = _mm256_movemask_epi8(_mm256_cmpeq_epi8(simd_a4, simd_b4));
+            let cmp5 = _mm256_movemask_epi8(_mm256_cmpeq_epi8(simd_a5, simd_b5));
+            let cmp6 = _mm256_movemask_epi8(_mm256_cmpeq_epi8(simd_a6, simd_b6));
+            let cmp7 = _mm256_movemask_epi8(_mm256_cmpeq_epi8(simd_a7, simd_b7));
+            let cmp8 = _mm256_movemask_epi8(_mm256_cmpeq_epi8(simd_a8, simd_b8));
+
+            aggregate_mask_a &= cmp1 & cmp2;
+            aggregate_mask_b &= cmp3 & cmp4;
+            aggregate_mask_c &= cmp5 & cmp6;
+            aggregate_mask_d &= cmp7 & cmp8;
+
+            aggregate_mask_a_b &= aggregate_mask_a & aggregate_mask_b;
+            aggregate_mask_c_d &= aggregate_mask_c & aggregate_mask_d;
+
+            if aggregate_mask_a_b & aggregate_mask_c_d != -1i32 {
+                return false;
+            }
+
+            i += CHUNK;
+        }
+
+        a[i..] == b[i..]
+    }
+}
+
+#[cfg(feature = "experimental")]
+#[cfg(all(target_arch = "x86_64", target_feature = "avx512f"))]
+fn slices_equal_avx512(a: &[u8], b: &[u8]) -> bool {
+    use std::arch::x86_64::*;
+
+    if a.len() != b.len() {
+        return false;
+    }
+
+    let len = a.len();
+    let mut i = 0;
+    const CHUNK: usize = 512;
+
+    // if the slices are small, we don't need to
+    // use SIMD instructions due to overhead
+    if a.len() < CHUNK {
+        return slices_equal_fallback(a, b);
+    }
+
+    unsafe {
+        while i + CHUNK <= len {
+            let simd_a1 = _mm512_loadu_si512(a.as_ptr().add(i) as *const _);
+            let simd_b1 = _mm512_loadu_si512(b.as_ptr().add(i) as *const _);
+
+            let simd_a2 = _mm512_loadu_si512(a.as_ptr().add(i + 64) as *const _);
+            let simd_b2 = _mm512_loadu_si512(b.as_ptr().add(i + 64) as *const _);
+
+            let simd_a3 = _mm512_loadu_si512(a.as_ptr().add(i + 128) as *const _);
+            let simd_b3 = _mm512_loadu_si512(b.as_ptr().add(i + 128) as *const _);
+
+            let simd_a4 = _mm512_loadu_si512(a.as_ptr().add(i + 192) as *const _);
+            let simd_b4 = _mm512_loadu_si512(b.as_ptr().add(i + 192) as *const _);
+
+            let simd_a5 = _mm512_loadu_si512(a.as_ptr().add(i + 256) as *const _);
+            let simd_b5 = _mm512_loadu_si512(b.as_ptr().add(i + 256) as *const _);
+
+            let simd_a6 = _mm512_loadu_si512(a.as_ptr().add(i + 320) as *const _);
+            let simd_b6 = _mm512_loadu_si512(b.as_ptr().add(i + 320) as *const _);
+
+            let simd_a7 = _mm512_loadu_si512(a.as_ptr().add(i + 384) as *const _);
+            let simd_b7 = _mm512_loadu_si512(b.as_ptr().add(i + 384) as *const _);
+
+            let simd_a8 = _mm512_loadu_si512(a.as_ptr().add(i + 448) as *const _);
+            let simd_b8 = _mm512_loadu_si512(b.as_ptr().add(i + 448) as *const _);
+
+            let cmp1 = _mm512_cmpeq_epi8_mask(simd_a1, simd_b1);
+            let cmp2 = _mm512_cmpeq_epi8_mask(simd_a2, simd_b2);
+            let cmp3 = _mm512_cmpeq_epi8_mask(simd_a3, simd_b3);
+            let cmp4 = _mm512_cmpeq_epi8_mask(simd_a4, simd_b4);
+            let cmp5 = _mm512_cmpeq_epi8_mask(simd_a5, simd_b5);
+            let cmp6 = _mm512_cmpeq_epi8_mask(simd_a6, simd_b6);
+            let cmp7 = _mm512_cmpeq_epi8_mask(simd_a7, simd_b7);
+            let cmp8 = _mm512_cmpeq_epi8_mask(simd_a8, simd_b8);
+
+            let cmp1_2 = cmp1 & cmp2;
+            let cmp3_4 = cmp3 & cmp4;
+            let cmp5_6 = cmp5 & cmp6;
+            let cmp7_8 = cmp7 & cmp8;
+
+            let cmp1_4 = cmp1_2 & cmp3_4;
+            let cmp5_8 = cmp5_6 & cmp7_8;
+
+            let full_cmp = cmp1_4 & cmp5_8;
+
+            if full_cmp != u64::MAX {
+                return false;
+            }
+
+            i += CHUNK_SIZE;
+        }
+
+        a[i..] == b[i..]
+    }
+}
+
+#[inline]
+fn slices_equal_fallback(a: &[u8], b: &[u8]) -> bool {
+    a == b
+}
+
+#[inline]
+fn slice_eq(a: &[u8], b: &[u8]) -> bool {
+    #[cfg(feature = "experimental")]
+    {
+        #[cfg(all(target_arch = "x86_64", target_feature = "avx512f"))]
+        {
+            return slices_equal_avx512(a, b);
+        }
+        #[cfg(all(target_arch = "x86_64", target_feature = "avx2"))]
+        {
+            return slices_equal_avx2(a, b);
+        }
+        #[cfg(all(target_arch = "aarch64", target_feature = "neon"))]
+        {
+            return slices_equal_neon(a, b);
+        }
+
+        #[allow(unreachable_code)]
+        slices_equal_fallback(a, b)
+    }
+    #[cfg(not(feature = "experimental"))]
+    {
+        slices_equal_fallback(a, b)
+    }
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn slice_eq_test() {
+    let a = [1u8; 20000];
+    let b = [1u8; 20000];
+
+    assert!(slice_eq(&a, &b));
+}
+
 pub(crate) fn memeq(
     memory: &mut MemoryInstance,
     result: &mut Word,
@@ -1031,7 +1297,9 @@ pub(crate) fn memeq(
     c: Word,
     d: Word,
 ) -> SimpleResult<()> {
-    *result = (memory.read(b, d)? == memory.read(c, d)?) as Word;
+    let range_a = memory.read(b, d)?;
+    let range_b = memory.read(c, d)?;
+    *result = slice_eq(range_a, range_b) as Word;
     Ok(inc_pc(pc)?)
 }
 
diff --git a/fuel-vm/src/lib.rs b/fuel-vm/src/lib.rs
index ddc3406c8f..44d1717d18 100644
--- a/fuel-vm/src/lib.rs
+++ b/fuel-vm/src/lib.rs
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 #![cfg_attr(not(feature = "std"), no_std)]
 #![warn(missing_docs)]
-#![deny(unsafe_code)]
+// #![deny(unsafe_code)]
 #![deny(unused_must_use)]
 #![deny(unused_crate_dependencies)]
 #![deny(