diff --git a/lib/rate-limit.ts b/lib/rate-limit.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..95eb64cb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/rate-limit.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+import { createServerClient } from "./supabase";
+
+/**
+ * DB-based rate limiter (serverless-safe, atomic).
+ * Uses a Supabase RPC function that counts + inserts in a single transaction.
+ * Returns true if the request is allowed, false if rate limited.
+ */
+export async function checkRateLimit(
+  ip: string,
+  endpoint: string,
+  maxRequests = 5,
+  windowMs = 60_000,
+): Promise<boolean> {
+  const supabase = createServerClient();
+  if (!supabase) return true; // fail open if DB unavailable
+
+  const key = `${endpoint}:${ip}`;
+
+  const { data, error } = await supabase.rpc("check_rate_limit", {
+    p_key: key,
+    p_max_requests: maxRequests,
+    p_window_ms: windowMs,
+  });
+
+  if (error) return true; // fail open on error
+  return data as boolean;
+}
+
+/** Extract client IP from request headers (Vercel x-forwarded-for). */
+export function getClientIp(req: Request): string {
+  return req.headers.get("x-forwarded-for")?.split(",")[0]?.trim() ?? "unknown";
+}
diff --git a/lib/supabase.ts b/lib/supabase.ts
index 25646197..e347c2c8 100644
--- a/lib/supabase.ts
+++ b/lib/supabase.ts
@@ -523,6 +523,24 @@ export interface Database {
         };
         Relationships: [];
       };
+      rate_limits: {
+        Row: {
+          id: number;
+          key: string;
+          created_at: string;
+        };
+        Insert: {
+          id?: never;
+          key: string;
+          created_at?: string;
+        };
+        Update: {
+          id?: never;
+          key?: string;
+          created_at?: string;
+        };
+        Relationships: [];
+      };
       trade_history: {
         Row: {
           id: number;
@@ -724,6 +742,10 @@ export interface Database {
         Args: { sid: number; caddr: string };
         Returns: void;
       };
+      check_rate_limit: {
+        Args: { p_key: string; p_max_requests: number; p_window_ms: number };
+        Returns: boolean;
+      };
     };
     Enums: {
       [_ in never]: never;
diff --git a/package-lock.json b/package-lock.json
index 443ba0b0..042ceaaf 100644
--- a/package-lock.json
+++ b/package-lock.json
@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
 {
   "name": "plotlink",
-  "version": "0.1.53",
+  "version": "0.1.54",
   "lockfileVersion": 3,
   "requires": true,
   "packages": {
     "": {
       "name": "plotlink",
-      "version": "0.1.53",
+      "version": "0.1.54",
       "workspaces": [
         "packages/*"
       ],
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index fb7002aa..3a3abcae 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "plotlink",
-  "version": "0.1.53",
+  "version": "0.1.54",
   "private": true,
   "workspaces": [
     "packages/*"
diff --git a/src/app/api/airdrop/checkin/route.ts b/src/app/api/airdrop/checkin/route.ts
index 5d7d8a80..b92f0906 100644
--- a/src/app/api/airdrop/checkin/route.ts
+++ b/src/app/api/airdrop/checkin/route.ts
@@ -12,8 +12,14 @@ import { createServerClient } from "../../../../../lib/supabase";
 import { AIRDROP_CONFIG } from "../../../../../lib/airdrop/config";
 import { getStreakBoost, dropOneTier, getNextTier } from "../../../../../lib/airdrop/streak";
 import { verifyWalletOwnership } from "../../../../../lib/airdrop/verify-wallet";
+import { checkRateLimit, getClientIp } from "../../../../../lib/rate-limit";
 
 export async function POST(req: Request) {
+  const ip = getClientIp(req);
+  if (!(await checkRateLimit(ip, "airdrop/checkin"))) {
+    return NextResponse.json({ error: "Too many requests" }, { status: 429 });
+  }
+
   const supabase = createServerClient();
   if (!supabase) {
     return NextResponse.json({ error: "Supabase not configured" }, { status: 500 });
diff --git a/src/app/api/airdrop/leaderboard/route.ts b/src/app/api/airdrop/leaderboard/route.ts
index d2e476b7..626f5de7 100644
--- a/src/app/api/airdrop/leaderboard/route.ts
+++ b/src/app/api/airdrop/leaderboard/route.ts
@@ -63,5 +63,7 @@ export async function GET(req: NextRequest) {
     userRank = idx >= 0 ? idx + 1 : null;
   }
 
-  return NextResponse.json({ entries, userRank });
+  return NextResponse.json({ entries, userRank }, {
+    headers: { "Cache-Control": "public, s-maxage=30, stale-while-revalidate=15" },
+  });
 }
diff --git a/src/app/api/airdrop/points/route.ts b/src/app/api/airdrop/points/route.ts
index 524a4ae0..7772da90 100644
--- a/src/app/api/airdrop/points/route.ts
+++ b/src/app/api/airdrop/points/route.ts
@@ -110,5 +110,7 @@ export async function GET(req: NextRequest) {
       referredUsersCount: referredUsersCount ?? 0,
     },
     estimatedAirdrop,
+  }, {
+    headers: { "Cache-Control": "public, s-maxage=10, stale-while-revalidate=5" },
   });
 }
diff --git a/src/app/api/airdrop/referral-code/route.ts b/src/app/api/airdrop/referral-code/route.ts
index 6653887d..9689a4da 100644
--- a/src/app/api/airdrop/referral-code/route.ts
+++ b/src/app/api/airdrop/referral-code/route.ts
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ import { NextResponse, type NextRequest } from "next/server";
 import { nanoid } from "nanoid";
 import { createServerClient } from "../../../../../lib/supabase";
 import { verifyWalletOwnership } from "../../../../../lib/airdrop/verify-wallet";
+import { checkRateLimit, getClientIp } from "../../../../../lib/rate-limit";
 
 export async function GET(req: NextRequest) {
   const supabase = createServerClient();
@@ -36,6 +37,11 @@ export async function GET(req: NextRequest) {
 }
 
 export async function POST(req: Request) {
+  const ip = getClientIp(req);
+  if (!(await checkRateLimit(ip, "airdrop/referral-code"))) {
+    return NextResponse.json({ error: "Too many requests" }, { status: 429 });
+  }
+
   const supabase = createServerClient();
   if (!supabase) {
     return NextResponse.json({ error: "Supabase not configured" }, { status: 500 });
diff --git a/src/app/api/airdrop/register-referral/route.ts b/src/app/api/airdrop/register-referral/route.ts
index 41523a23..2b6e486f 100644
--- a/src/app/api/airdrop/register-referral/route.ts
+++ b/src/app/api/airdrop/register-referral/route.ts
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
 import { NextResponse, type NextRequest } from "next/server";
 import { createServerClient } from "../../../../../lib/supabase";
 import { verifyWalletOwnership } from "../../../../../lib/airdrop/verify-wallet";
+import { checkRateLimit, getClientIp } from "../../../../../lib/rate-limit";
 
 export async function GET(req: NextRequest) {
   const supabase = createServerClient();
@@ -52,6 +53,11 @@ export async function GET(req: NextRequest) {
 }
 
 export async function POST(req: Request) {
+  const ip = getClientIp(req);
+  if (!(await checkRateLimit(ip, "airdrop/register-referral"))) {
+    return NextResponse.json({ error: "Too many requests" }, { status: 429 });
+  }
+
   const supabase = createServerClient();
   if (!supabase) {
     return NextResponse.json({ error: "Supabase not configured" }, { status: 500 });
diff --git a/src/app/api/airdrop/snapshots/route.ts b/src/app/api/airdrop/snapshots/route.ts
index df3bb1e8..cc26f5d1 100644
--- a/src/app/api/airdrop/snapshots/route.ts
+++ b/src/app/api/airdrop/snapshots/route.ts
@@ -33,5 +33,7 @@ export async function GET() {
       mcapEnd: s.mcap_end,
       totalPlEarned: s.total_pl_earned,
     })),
+  }, {
+    headers: { "Cache-Control": "public, s-maxage=300, stale-while-revalidate=60" },
   });
 }
diff --git a/src/app/api/airdrop/status/route.ts b/src/app/api/airdrop/status/route.ts
index 94825e85..61570523 100644
--- a/src/app/api/airdrop/status/route.ts
+++ b/src/app/api/airdrop/status/route.ts
@@ -87,5 +87,7 @@ export async function GET() {
     totalPointsEarned,
     totalParticipants,
     lockerId: AIRDROP_CONFIG.LOCKER_ID,
+  }, {
+    headers: { "Cache-Control": "public, s-maxage=60, stale-while-revalidate=30" },
   });
 }
diff --git a/supabase/migrations/00037_rate_limits.sql b/supabase/migrations/00037_rate_limits.sql
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..58e3da2c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/supabase/migrations/00037_rate_limits.sql
@@ -0,0 +1,51 @@
+-- Rate limiting table for serverless-safe request throttling.
+-- Stores recent request timestamps per IP+endpoint key.
+CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS rate_limits (
+  id BIGINT GENERATED ALWAYS AS IDENTITY PRIMARY KEY,
+  key TEXT NOT NULL,
+  created_at TIMESTAMPTZ NOT NULL DEFAULT now()
+);
+
+CREATE INDEX idx_rate_limits_key_created ON rate_limits (key, created_at DESC);
+
+-- Auto-purge entries older than 5 minutes
+CREATE OR REPLACE FUNCTION purge_old_rate_limits() RETURNS TRIGGER AS $$
+BEGIN
+  DELETE FROM rate_limits WHERE created_at < now() - interval '5 minutes';
+  RETURN NEW;
+END;
+$$ LANGUAGE plpgsql;
+
+CREATE TRIGGER trg_purge_rate_limits
+  AFTER INSERT ON rate_limits
+  FOR EACH STATEMENT
+  EXECUTE FUNCTION purge_old_rate_limits();
+
+-- Atomic rate limit check: counts recent requests, inserts if under limit.
+-- Returns true if allowed, false if rate limited.
+-- Atomic rate limit check: uses advisory lock to serialize per key,
+-- counts recent requests, inserts if under limit.
+-- Returns true if allowed, false if rate limited.
+CREATE OR REPLACE FUNCTION check_rate_limit(
+  p_key TEXT,
+  p_max_requests INT DEFAULT 5,
+  p_window_ms INT DEFAULT 60000
+) RETURNS BOOLEAN AS $$
+DECLARE
+  v_count INT;
+  v_window_start TIMESTAMPTZ;
+  v_lock_id BIGINT;
+BEGIN
+  v_lock_id := hashtext(p_key);
+  PERFORM pg_advisory_xact_lock(v_lock_id);
+  v_window_start := now() - (p_window_ms || ' milliseconds')::interval;
+  SELECT count(*) INTO v_count
+    FROM rate_limits
+    WHERE key = p_key AND created_at >= v_window_start;
+  IF v_count >= p_max_requests THEN
+    RETURN false;
+  END IF;
+  INSERT INTO rate_limits (key) VALUES (p_key);
+  RETURN true;
+END;
+$$ LANGUAGE plpgsql;