diff --git a/src/app/airdrops/error.tsx b/src/app/airdrops/error.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c72dcf3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/app/airdrops/error.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+"use client";
+
+import RouteError from "@/components/RouteError/RouteError";
+
+export default function AirdropsError(props: {
+  error: Error & { digest?: string };
+  reset: () => void;
+}) {
+  return <RouteError {...props} routeName="Airdrops" />;
+}
diff --git a/src/app/alerts/error.tsx b/src/app/alerts/error.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..de4f6ae
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/app/alerts/error.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+"use client";
+
+import RouteError from "@/components/RouteError/RouteError";
+
+export default function AlertsError(props: {
+  error: Error & { digest?: string };
+  reset: () => void;
+}) {
+  return <RouteError {...props} routeName="Alerts" />;
+}
diff --git a/src/app/contributors/error.tsx b/src/app/contributors/error.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6a6dea0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/app/contributors/error.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+"use client";
+
+import RouteError from "@/components/RouteError/RouteError";
+
+export default function ContributorsError(props: {
+  error: Error & { digest?: string };
+  reset: () => void;
+}) {
+  return <RouteError {...props} routeName="Contributors" />;
+}
diff --git a/src/app/farm/error.tsx b/src/app/farm/error.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..440cf6d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/app/farm/error.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+"use client";
+
+import RouteError from "@/components/RouteError/RouteError";
+
+export default function FarmError(props: {
+  error: Error & { digest?: string };
+  reset: () => void;
+}) {
+  return <RouteError {...props} routeName="Farm" />;
+}
diff --git a/src/app/history/error.tsx b/src/app/history/error.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d0db251
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/app/history/error.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+"use client";
+
+import RouteError from "@/components/RouteError/RouteError";
+
+export default function HistoryError(props: {
+  error: Error & { digest?: string };
+  reset: () => void;
+}) {
+  return <RouteError {...props} routeName="History" />;
+}
diff --git a/src/app/leaderboard/error.tsx b/src/app/leaderboard/error.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..09815c1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/app/leaderboard/error.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+"use client";
+
+import RouteError from "@/components/RouteError/RouteError";
+
+export default function LeaderboardError(props: {
+  error: Error & { digest?: string };
+  reset: () => void;
+}) {
+  return <RouteError {...props} routeName="Leaderboard" />;
+}
diff --git a/src/app/prices/error.tsx b/src/app/prices/error.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..eb0e3c1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/app/prices/error.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+"use client";
+
+import RouteError from "@/components/RouteError/RouteError";
+
+export default function PricesError(props: {
+  error: Error & { digest?: string };
+  reset: () => void;
+}) {
+  return <RouteError {...props} routeName="Prices" />;
+}
diff --git a/src/app/webhooks/error.tsx b/src/app/webhooks/error.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1b1077d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/app/webhooks/error.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+"use client";
+
+import RouteError from "@/components/RouteError/RouteError";
+
+export default function WebhooksError(props: {
+  error: Error & { digest?: string };
+  reset: () => void;
+}) {
+  return <RouteError {...props} routeName="Webhooks" />;
+}
diff --git a/src/components/AppShell/AppShell.tsx b/src/components/AppShell/AppShell.tsx
index d7bdbdc..9d6ba1a 100644
--- a/src/components/AppShell/AppShell.tsx
+++ b/src/components/AppShell/AppShell.tsx
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import ConnectWalletButton from "@/components/ConnectWalletButton/ConnectWalletB
 import Footer from "@/components/Footer/Footer";
 import Navbar from "@/components/Navbar/Navbar";
 import NetworkMismatchBanner from "@/components/NetworkMismatchBanner/NetworkMismatchBanner";
+import RefetchIndicator from "@/components/RefetchIndicator/RefetchIndicator";
 import RpcUnreachableBanner from "@/components/RpcUnreachableBanner/RpcUnreachableBanner";
 import ContextProvider from "@/context";
 import {
@@ -46,6 +47,7 @@ function LayoutWrapper({ children }: { children: React.ReactNode }) {
         md: 0,
       }}
     >
+      <RefetchIndicator />
       <Navbar />
       <RpcUnreachableBanner />
       <NetworkMismatchBanner />
diff --git a/src/components/RefetchIndicator/RefetchIndicator.tsx b/src/components/RefetchIndicator/RefetchIndicator.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2454fdd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/components/RefetchIndicator/RefetchIndicator.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,46 @@
+"use client";
+
+import { keyframes } from "@emotion/react";
+import { Box } from "@chakra-ui/react";
+import { useIsFetching } from "@tanstack/react-query";
+
+const slide = keyframes`
+  0% { transform: translateX(-100%); }
+  100% { transform: translateX(250%); }
+`;
+
+/**
+ * A thin bar at the top of the viewport while cached data is being refreshed
+ * (#499). Only queries that already hold data count, so first loads (which
+ * have their own spinners) don't trigger it; the old data stays on screen and
+ * this shows it is being updated. The animation is dropped for users who
+ * prefer reduced motion, leaving a static bar.
+ */
+export default function RefetchIndicator() {
+  const refetching =
+    useIsFetching({ predicate: (query) => query.state.data !== undefined }) > 0;
+
+  return (
+    <Box
+      aria-hidden="true"
+      position="fixed"
+      top={0}
+      left={0}
+      right={0}
+      h="2px"
+      zIndex="toast"
+      overflow="hidden"
+      pointerEvents="none"
+      opacity={refetching ? 1 : 0}
+      transition="opacity 0.2s ease"
+    >
+      <Box
+        h="100%"
+        w="40%"
+        bg="app.accent"
+        animation={refetching ? `${slide} 1.2s ease-in-out infinite` : undefined}
+        sx={{ "@media (prefers-reduced-motion: reduce)": { animation: "none", w: "100%" } }}
+      />
+    </Box>
+  );
+}
diff --git a/src/components/RouteError/RouteError.tsx b/src/components/RouteError/RouteError.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0dba041
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/components/RouteError/RouteError.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+"use client";
+
+import { useEffect } from "react";
+import { Box, Button, Heading, Text, VStack } from "@chakra-ui/react";
+import { UnknownError, errorLogger } from "@/lib/error-handler";
+
+interface RouteErrorProps {
+  error: Error & { digest?: string };
+  reset: () => void;
+  routeName: string;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Fallback rendered by a route's `error.tsx` (#497). Because it replaces only
+ * that route's content, a crash in one page leaves the navbar, footer and the
+ * rest of the app usable instead of showing an app-wide error page.
+ */
+export default function RouteError({ error, reset, routeName }: RouteErrorProps) {
+  useEffect(() => {
+    errorLogger.log(
+      new UnknownError(`The ${routeName} page encountered an error`, error),
+      `Route error boundary: ${routeName}`,
+    );
+  }, [error, routeName]);
+
+  return (
+    <Box
+      w="100%"
+      display="flex"
+      alignItems="center"
+      justifyContent="center"
+      px={4}
+      py={16}
+      color="app.text"
+    >
+      <VStack spacing={5} textAlign="center" maxW="md">
+        <Heading size="lg">Something went wrong</Heading>
+        <Text color="app.muted">
+          The {routeName} page ran into an unexpected error. The rest of the app
+          is still available.
+        </Text>
+        <Button onClick={reset} bg="app.accent" color="app.onAccent" _hover={{ opacity: 0.9 }}>
+          Try again
+        </Button>
+      </VStack>
+    </Box>
+  );
+}
diff --git a/src/components/TvlChart/TvlChart.tsx b/src/components/TvlChart/TvlChart.tsx
index ffe32b0..2153e84 100644
--- a/src/components/TvlChart/TvlChart.tsx
+++ b/src/components/TvlChart/TvlChart.tsx
@@ -10,7 +10,6 @@ import {
   Tooltip,
   ResponsiveContainer,
 } from "recharts";
-import { sorobanService } from "@/lib/soroban";
 
 const ACCENT = "#4ae292";
 
@@ -34,8 +33,8 @@ export default function TvlChart({ poolId }: TvlChartProps) {
   useEffect(() => {
     let cancelled = false;
     setLoading(true);
-    sorobanService
-      .getPoolHistory(poolId, 7)
+    import("@/lib/soroban")
+      .then(({ sorobanService }) => sorobanService.getPoolHistory(poolId, 7))
       .then((history) => {
         if (!cancelled) {
           setData(history);
diff --git a/src/hooks/useLeaderboard.ts b/src/hooks/useLeaderboard.ts
index f2c10e7..e641ef7 100644
--- a/src/hooks/useLeaderboard.ts
+++ b/src/hooks/useLeaderboard.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 import { useCallback, useEffect, useState } from "react";
-import { sorobanService } from "@/lib/soroban";
 
 export type SortKey = "credits" | "stake";
 
@@ -21,7 +20,10 @@ export function fetchLeaderboard(
   sortKey: SortKey,
   search?: string
 ): Promise<{ entries: LeaderboardEntry[]; total: number }> {
-  return sorobanService.getLeaderboard(offset, limit, sortKey, search);
+  // #498 — loaded on first use rather than at import time.
+  return import("@/lib/soroban").then(({ sorobanService }) =>
+    sorobanService.getLeaderboard(offset, limit, sortKey, search),
+  );
 }
 
 export function useLeaderboard(publicKey: string | null) {
diff --git a/src/hooks/useSorobanQuery.ts b/src/hooks/useSorobanQuery.ts
index beaba1d..ce6dffb 100644
--- a/src/hooks/useSorobanQuery.ts
+++ b/src/hooks/useSorobanQuery.ts
@@ -5,18 +5,15 @@
 
 import { useEffect, useRef, useState } from 'react';
 import { useQuery, useMutation, useQueryClient } from '@tanstack/react-query';
-import {
-  getStellarBalance,
-  rpcServer,
-  simulateLockAssets,
-  simulateUnlockAssets,
-  sorobanService,
-  type UserPosition,
-  type TransactionResult,
-} from '@/lib/soroban';
+import type { UserPosition, TransactionResult } from '@/lib/soroban';
 import { useStellarWallet } from '@/context/StellarWalletContext';
 import { useToast } from '@chakra-ui/react';
 
+// #498 — the Soroban service is loaded on first use instead of when this module
+// is imported, so the RPC client is not created during app boot before any
+// query needs it.
+const loadSoroban = () => import('@/lib/soroban');
+
 // Query Keys
 export const QUERY_KEYS = {
   POOLS: 'pools',
@@ -32,7 +29,7 @@ export const QUERY_KEYS = {
 export const usePools = () => {
   return useQuery({
     queryKey: [QUERY_KEYS.POOLS],
-    queryFn: () => sorobanService.getFactoryPools(),
+    queryFn: async () => (await loadSoroban()).sorobanService.getFactoryPools(),
     staleTime: 30000, // 30 seconds
     gcTime: 5 * 60 * 1000, // 5 minutes
     refetchInterval: 60000, // 1 minute
@@ -50,7 +47,7 @@ export const usePools = () => {
 export const usePoolDepositors = (poolId: string, limit: number = 20) => {
   return useQuery({
     queryKey: ['poolDepositors', poolId, limit],
-    queryFn: () => sorobanService.getPoolDepositors(poolId, limit),
+    queryFn: async () => (await loadSoroban()).sorobanService.getPoolDepositors(poolId, limit),
     enabled: !!poolId,
     staleTime: 30000,
     gcTime: 5 * 60 * 1000,
@@ -67,7 +64,7 @@ export const useUserPosition = (poolId: string, enabled: boolean = true) => {
 
   return useQuery({
     queryKey: [QUERY_KEYS.USER_POSITION, poolId, publicKey],
-    queryFn: () => sorobanService.getUserPosition(poolId, publicKey!),
+    queryFn: async () => (await loadSoroban()).sorobanService.getUserPosition(poolId, publicKey!),
     enabled: enabled && !!publicKey && !!poolId,
     staleTime: 15000, // 15 seconds
     gcTime: 5 * 60 * 1000,
@@ -84,7 +81,7 @@ export const useUserCredits = (poolId: string, enabled: boolean = true) => {
 
   return useQuery({
     queryKey: [QUERY_KEYS.USER_CREDITS, poolId, publicKey],
-    queryFn: () => sorobanService.calculateUserCredits(poolId, publicKey!),
+    queryFn: async () => (await loadSoroban()).sorobanService.calculateUserCredits(poolId, publicKey!),
     enabled: enabled && !!publicKey && !!poolId,
     staleTime: 5000, // 5 seconds (credits change frequently)
     gcTime: 5 * 60 * 1000,
@@ -96,7 +93,7 @@ export const useUserCredits = (poolId: string, enabled: boolean = true) => {
 export const useStellarBalance = (publicKey?: string) => {
   return useQuery({
     queryKey: ['stellarBalance', publicKey],
-    queryFn: ({ signal }) => getStellarBalance(publicKey!, signal),
+    queryFn: async ({ signal }) => (await loadSoroban()).getStellarBalance(publicKey!, signal),
     enabled: !!publicKey,
     staleTime: 15000,
     gcTime: 5 * 60 * 1000,
@@ -152,8 +149,8 @@ export const useLockAssetsFeePreview = (args: {
       args.poolContractId,
       debouncedAmount,
     ],
-    queryFn: () =>
-      simulateLockAssets({
+    queryFn: async () =>
+      (await loadSoroban()).simulateLockAssets({
         publicKey: args.publicKey!,
         poolContractId: args.poolContractId!,
         amount: debouncedAmount,
@@ -203,8 +200,8 @@ export const useUnlockAssetsFeePreview = (args: {
       args.poolContractId,
       debouncedAmount,
     ],
-    queryFn: () =>
-      simulateUnlockAssets({
+    queryFn: async () =>
+      (await loadSoroban()).simulateUnlockAssets({
         publicKey: args.publicKey!,
         poolContractId: args.poolContractId!,
         amount: debouncedAmount,
@@ -250,6 +247,7 @@ export const useLockAssets = (options?: {
       if (!walletApi || !publicKey) {
         throw new Error('Wallet not connected. Please connect Freighter before depositing.');
       }
+      const { sorobanService } = await loadSoroban();
       const result = await sorobanService.lockAssets(
         poolId,
         publicKey,
@@ -324,6 +322,7 @@ export const useUnlockAssets = () => {
       if (!walletApi || !publicKey) {
         throw new Error('Wallet not connected');
       }
+      const { sorobanService } = await loadSoroban();
       return sorobanService.unlockAssets(
         poolId,
         publicKey,
@@ -404,6 +403,7 @@ export const useSetBoost = () => {
       if (!walletApi || !publicKey) {
         throw new Error('Wallet not connected');
       }
+      const { sorobanService } = await loadSoroban();
       return sorobanService.setBoost(poolId, publicKey, allocationPercentage, walletApi);
     },
     onSuccess: (result: TransactionResult, variables) => {
@@ -460,6 +460,7 @@ export const useAllUserPositions = () => {
     queryFn: async () => {
       if (!publicKey || !pools) return [];
 
+      const { sorobanService } = await loadSoroban();
       const positions = await Promise.allSettled(
         pools.map(pool => sorobanService.getUserPosition(pool.id, publicKey))
       );
@@ -490,6 +491,7 @@ export const useTotalUserCredits = () => {
     queryFn: async () => {
       if (!publicKey || !pools) return '0';
 
+      const { sorobanService } = await loadSoroban();
       const credits = await Promise.allSettled(
         pools.map(pool => sorobanService.calculateUserCredits(pool.id, publicKey))
       );
@@ -566,6 +568,7 @@ export function usePlatformStats(initialData?: UIPlatformStats) {
   return useQuery<UIPlatformStats>({
     queryKey: [QUERY_KEYS.PLATFORM_STATS],
     queryFn: async () => {
+      const { sorobanService } = await loadSoroban();
       const [stats, velocity] = await Promise.all([
         sorobanService.getPlatformStats(),
         sorobanService.getCreditVelocity(24)
@@ -599,7 +602,7 @@ export function usePlatformStats(initialData?: UIPlatformStats) {
 export function useRpcHealth() {
   const query = useQuery({
     queryKey: ['rpcHealth'],
-    queryFn: () => rpcServer.getHealth(),
+    queryFn: async () => (await loadSoroban()).rpcServer.getHealth(),
     staleTime: 15000,
     gcTime: 5 * 60 * 1000,
     refetchInterval: 30000,
diff --git a/src/lib/soroban.ts b/src/lib/soroban.ts
index b152d26..bab3729 100644
--- a/src/lib/soroban.ts
+++ b/src/lib/soroban.ts
@@ -2113,6 +2113,11 @@ export const formatCredits = (credits: string): string => {
   return Number(formattedCredits) === 0 ? normalizedCredits : formattedCredits;
 };
 
+// #496 — one number formatter for the lock-time and asset-amount helpers, with
+// a fixed locale so both format numbers the same way for every user.
+const NUMBER_FORMAT = new Intl.NumberFormat('en-US', { maximumFractionDigits: 7 });
+const formatNumber = (value: number): string => NUMBER_FORMAT.format(value);
+
 export const formatLockTime = (timestamp: number): string => {
   const now = Date.now();
   const diff = timestamp - now;
@@ -2125,9 +2130,9 @@ export const formatLockTime = (timestamp: number): string => {
   const days = Math.floor(hours / 24);
   
   if (days > 0) {
-    return `${days} day${days > 1 ? 's' : ''} remaining`;
+    return `${formatNumber(days)} day${days > 1 ? 's' : ''} remaining`;
   } else if (hours > 0) {
-    return `${hours} hour${hours > 1 ? 's' : ''} remaining`;
+    return `${formatNumber(hours)} hour${hours > 1 ? 's' : ''} remaining`;
   } else {
     return 'Less than 1 hour';
   }
@@ -2135,7 +2140,7 @@ export const formatLockTime = (timestamp: number): string => {
 
 export const formatAssetAmount = (amount: string, asset: AssetInfo): string => {
   const num = parseFloat(amount);
-  return `${num.toLocaleString()} ${asset.code}`;
+  return `${formatNumber(num)} ${asset.code}`;
 };
 
 /** Convenience wrapper — call lock_assets on a pool and await on-chain confirmation. */