diff --git a/index.js b/index.js
deleted file mode 100644
index 07efc17880..0000000000
--- a/index.js
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-module.exports = require('./lib/index.js')
diff --git a/lib/index.js b/lib/index.ts
similarity index 81%
rename from lib/index.js
rename to lib/index.ts
index dc890fba63..1088593c3b 100644
--- a/lib/index.js
+++ b/lib/index.ts
@@ -1,13 +1,21 @@
-const Buffer = require('safe-buffer').Buffer
+import BN = require('bn.js')
+import { StateManager } from './state'
+import Common from 'ethereumjs-common'
+import Account from 'ethereumjs-account'
 const promisify = require('util.promisify')
-const ethUtil = require('ethereumjs-util')
-const { StateManager } = require('./state')
-const Common = require('ethereumjs-common').default
-const Blockchain = require('ethereumjs-blockchain')
-const Account = require('ethereumjs-account').default
 const AsyncEventEmitter = require('async-eventemitter')
+const Blockchain = require('ethereumjs-blockchain')
 const Trie = require('merkle-patricia-tree/secure.js')
-const BN = ethUtil.BN
+
+export interface VMOpts {
+  chain?: string
+  hardfork?: string
+  stateManager?: StateManager
+  state?: any // TODO
+  blockchain?: any // TODO
+  activatePrecompiles?: boolean
+  allowUnlimitedContractSize?: boolean
+}
 
 /**
  * VM Class, `new VM(opts)` creates a new VM object
@@ -21,8 +29,14 @@ const BN = ethUtil.BN
  * @param {Boolean} opts.activatePrecompiles create entries in the state tree for the precompiled contracts
  * @param {Boolean} opts.allowUnlimitedContractSize allows unlimited contract sizes while debugging. By setting this to `true`, the check for contract size limit of 24KB (see [EIP-170](https://git.io/vxZkK)) is bypassed. (default: `false`; ONLY set to `true` during debugging)
  */
-module.exports = class VM extends AsyncEventEmitter {
-  constructor (opts = {}) {
+export default class VM extends AsyncEventEmitter {
+  opts: VMOpts
+  _common: Common
+  stateManager: StateManager
+  blockchain: any
+  allowUnlimitedContractSize: boolean
+
+  constructor (opts: VMOpts = {}) {
     super()
 
     this.opts = opts
@@ -61,11 +75,11 @@ module.exports = class VM extends AsyncEventEmitter {
     this.runBlockchain = require('./runBlockchain.js').bind(this)
   }
 
-  copy () {
+  copy (): VM {
     return new VM({ stateManager: this.stateManager.copy(), blockchain: this.blockchain })
   }
 
-  async _emit (topic, data) {
+  async _emit (topic: string, data: any) {
     return promisify(this.emit.bind(this))(topic, data)
   }
 }
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 3fdb0025b5..80346e2869 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -56,6 +56,7 @@
     "@ethereumjs/config-prettier": "^1.1.1",
     "@types/bn.js": "^4.11.5",
     "@types/core-js": "^2.5.0",
+    "@types/lru-cache": "^5.1.0",
     "@types/node": "^11.13.4",
     "browserify": "^16.2.3",
     "coveralls": "^3.0.0",
diff --git a/tests/BlockchainTestsRunner.js b/tests/BlockchainTestsRunner.js
index 21bb0e1fd8..80734be9c1 100644
--- a/tests/BlockchainTestsRunner.js
+++ b/tests/BlockchainTestsRunner.js
@@ -28,9 +28,9 @@ module.exports = function runBlockchainTest (options, testData, t, cb) {
   }
   var VM
   if (options.dist) {
-    VM = require('../dist/index.js')
+    VM = require('../dist/index.js').default
   } else {
-    VM = require('../lib/index.js')
+    VM = require('../lib/index.js').default
   }
   var vm = new VM({
     state: state,
diff --git a/tests/GeneralStateTestsRunner.js b/tests/GeneralStateTestsRunner.js
index 4ac4150adf..d6e1ff29c1 100644
--- a/tests/GeneralStateTestsRunner.js
+++ b/tests/GeneralStateTestsRunner.js
@@ -51,9 +51,9 @@ function runTestCase (options, testData, t, cb) {
     function (done) {
       var VM
       if (options.dist) {
-        VM = require('../dist/index.js')
+        VM = require('../dist/index.js').default
       } else {
-        VM = require('../lib/index.js')
+        VM = require('../lib/index').default
       }
       vm = new VM({
         state: state,
diff --git a/tests/api/index.js b/tests/api/index.js
index 6da5142cea..9980f49355 100644
--- a/tests/api/index.js
+++ b/tests/api/index.js
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ const tape = require('tape')
 const util = require('ethereumjs-util')
 const Block = require('ethereumjs-block')
 const Trie = require('merkle-patricia-tree/secure')
-const VM = require('../../dist/index')
+const VM = require('../../dist/index').default
 const { setupVM } = require('./utils')
 const { setupPreConditions } = require('../util')
 const testData = require('./testdata.json')
diff --git a/tests/api/runCode.js b/tests/api/runCode.js
index 6efa895e6e..f8d9d2225e 100644
--- a/tests/api/runCode.js
+++ b/tests/api/runCode.js
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 const tape = require('tape')
 const async = require('async')
 const BN = require('bn.js')
-const VM = require('../../dist/index')
+const VM = require('../../dist/index').default
 
 const STOP = '00'
 const JUMP = '56'
diff --git a/tests/api/runTx.js b/tests/api/runTx.js
index 8ce01d3b95..7df9f91449 100644
--- a/tests/api/runTx.js
+++ b/tests/api/runTx.js
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ const Transaction = require('ethereumjs-tx')
 const ethUtil = require('ethereumjs-util')
 const runTx = require('../../dist/runTx')
 const { StateManager } = require('../../dist/state')
-const VM = require('../../dist/index')
+const VM = require('../../dist/index').default
 const { createAccount } = require('./utils')
 
 function setup (vm = null) {
diff --git a/tests/api/utils.js b/tests/api/utils.js
index 8010a510c0..0720989050 100644
--- a/tests/api/utils.js
+++ b/tests/api/utils.js
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ const Block = require('ethereumjs-block')
 const Account = require('ethereumjs-account').default
 const level = require('level-mem')
 const Blockchain = require('ethereumjs-blockchain')
-const VM = require('../../dist/index')
+const VM = require('../../dist/index').default
 
 function createGenesis (opts = {}) {
   opts.chain = opts.chain ? opts.chain : 'mainnet'