diff --git a/core/Cargo.lock b/core/Cargo.lock
index f2323973..694de8f8 100644
--- a/core/Cargo.lock
+++ b/core/Cargo.lock
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ checksum = "a23eb6b1614318a8071c9b2521f36b424b2c83db5eb3a0fead4a6c0809af6e61"
 
 [[package]]
 name = "archipelago"
-version = "1.4.0"
+version = "1.5.0"
 dependencies = [
  "anyhow",
  "archipelago-container",
diff --git a/core/archipelago/Cargo.toml b/core/archipelago/Cargo.toml
index bc38b694..ef7faef5 100644
--- a/core/archipelago/Cargo.toml
+++ b/core/archipelago/Cargo.toml
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 [package]
 name = "archipelago"
-version = "1.4.0"
+version = "1.5.0"
 edition = "2021"
 description = "Archipelago Bitcoin Node OS - Native backend"
 authors = ["Archipelago Team"]
diff --git a/core/archipelago/src/api/rpc/federation/handlers.rs b/core/archipelago/src/api/rpc/federation/handlers.rs
index d7a0c751..27cd89d8 100644
--- a/core/archipelago/src/api/rpc/federation/handlers.rs
+++ b/core/archipelago/src/api/rpc/federation/handlers.rs
@@ -485,6 +485,8 @@ impl RpcHandler {
             last_seen: None,
             last_state: None,
             fips_npub,
+            last_transport: None,
+            last_transport_at: None,
         };
 
         federation::add_node(&self.config.data_dir, node).await?;
diff --git a/core/archipelago/src/federation/invites.rs b/core/archipelago/src/federation/invites.rs
index 1d96206f..692c1f90 100644
--- a/core/archipelago/src/federation/invites.rs
+++ b/core/archipelago/src/federation/invites.rs
@@ -163,6 +163,8 @@ pub async fn accept_invite(
         last_seen: None,
         last_state: None,
         fips_npub: fips_npub.clone(),
+        last_transport: None,
+        last_transport_at: None,
     };
 
     add_node(data_dir, node.clone()).await?;
diff --git a/core/archipelago/src/federation/mod.rs b/core/archipelago/src/federation/mod.rs
index dae72565..278ab66e 100644
--- a/core/archipelago/src/federation/mod.rs
+++ b/core/archipelago/src/federation/mod.rs
@@ -12,9 +12,10 @@ mod types;
 
 // Re-export all public items so `crate::federation::*` continues to work.
 pub use invites::{accept_invite, create_invite};
+#[allow(unused_imports)]
 pub use storage::{
-    add_node, fips_npub_for_onion, load_nodes, remove_node, save_nodes, set_trust_level,
-    update_node,
+    add_node, fips_npub_for_onion, load_nodes, record_peer_transport, remove_node, save_nodes,
+    set_trust_level, update_node,
 };
 pub use sync::{build_local_state, deploy_to_peer, sync_with_peer};
 pub use types::{AppStatus, FederatedNode, NodeStateSnapshot, TrustLevel};
diff --git a/core/archipelago/src/federation/storage.rs b/core/archipelago/src/federation/storage.rs
index dc0eded3..c643302a 100644
--- a/core/archipelago/src/federation/storage.rs
+++ b/core/archipelago/src/federation/storage.rs
@@ -60,6 +60,43 @@ pub async fn fips_npub_for_onion(data_dir: &Path, onion: &str) -> Option<String>
         .and_then(|n| n.fips_npub.clone())
 }
 
+/// Record the transport used on the most recent successful peer reach.
+/// Used for the "FIPS"/"Tor" badge on each node card in the UI — we write
+/// what we actually used, not what was predicted.
+///
+/// Matches by DID first (precise) and falls back to onion (when the
+/// caller didn't carry the DID through). No-op if the peer isn't in
+/// our federation list.
+pub async fn record_peer_transport(
+    data_dir: &Path,
+    did: Option<&str>,
+    onion: Option<&str>,
+    transport: &str,
+) -> Result<()> {
+    let mut nodes = load_nodes(data_dir).await?;
+    let now = chrono::Utc::now().to_rfc3339();
+    let onion_target = onion.map(|o| o.trim_end_matches(".onion"));
+
+    let mut modified = false;
+    for node in nodes.iter_mut() {
+        let did_match = did.is_some_and(|d| d == node.did);
+        let onion_match = onion_target
+            .is_some_and(|t| node.onion.trim_end_matches(".onion") == t);
+        if did_match || onion_match {
+            node.last_transport = Some(transport.to_string());
+            node.last_transport_at = Some(now.clone());
+            node.last_seen = Some(now.clone());
+            modified = true;
+            break;
+        }
+    }
+
+    if modified {
+        save_nodes(data_dir, &nodes).await?;
+    }
+    Ok(())
+}
+
 pub async fn save_nodes(data_dir: &Path, nodes: &[FederatedNode]) -> Result<()> {
     let dir = ensure_dir(data_dir).await?;
     let file = NodesFile {
@@ -186,6 +223,8 @@ mod tests {
             last_seen: None,
             last_state: None,
             fips_npub: None,
+            last_transport: None,
+            last_transport_at: None,
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/core/archipelago/src/federation/sync.rs b/core/archipelago/src/federation/sync.rs
index cdcf8972..18dec72a 100644
--- a/core/archipelago/src/federation/sync.rs
+++ b/core/archipelago/src/federation/sync.rs
@@ -43,6 +43,16 @@ pub async fn sync_with_peer(
         anyhow::bail!("Peer returned {} (via {})", resp.status(), transport);
     }
 
+    // Record transport used so the UI badge on this peer's card reflects
+    // the transport that actually carried the call, not a prediction.
+    let _ = super::storage::record_peer_transport(
+        data_dir,
+        Some(&peer.did),
+        Some(&peer.onion),
+        &transport.to_string(),
+    )
+    .await;
+
     let result: serde_json::Value = resp.json().await.context("Invalid response from peer")?;
     let state_val = result
         .get("result")
@@ -113,6 +123,8 @@ async fn merge_transitive_peers(
             last_seen: None,
             last_state: None,
             fips_npub: hint.fips_npub.clone(),
+            last_transport: None,
+            last_transport_at: None,
         });
         added += 1;
     }
@@ -284,6 +296,8 @@ mod tests {
                 last_seen: None,
                 last_state: None,
                 fips_npub: Some("npub1a".into()),
+                last_transport: None,
+                last_transport_at: None,
             },
             FederatedNode {
                 did: "did:key:zObserver".into(),
@@ -295,6 +309,8 @@ mod tests {
                 last_seen: None,
                 last_state: None,
                 fips_npub: Some("npub1b".into()),
+                last_transport: None,
+                last_transport_at: None,
             },
             FederatedNode {
                 did: "did:key:zUntrusted".into(),
@@ -306,6 +322,8 @@ mod tests {
                 last_seen: None,
                 last_state: None,
                 fips_npub: None,
+                last_transport: None,
+                last_transport_at: None,
             },
         ];
         let state = build_local_state(
diff --git a/core/archipelago/src/federation/types.rs b/core/archipelago/src/federation/types.rs
index 5aef877f..8a3cc9ee 100644
--- a/core/archipelago/src/federation/types.rs
+++ b/core/archipelago/src/federation/types.rs
@@ -39,6 +39,16 @@ pub struct FederatedNode {
     /// Lets the transport router prefer FIPS over Tor for peer traffic.
     #[serde(default)]
     pub fips_npub: Option<String>,
+    /// Transport kind used on the most recent successful reach
+    /// ("fips" | "tor" | "mesh" | "lan"). Written after each successful
+    /// PeerRequest so the UI can show a ground-truth badge ("this peer
+    /// is currently being reached over FIPS") instead of a prediction
+    /// based on available addresses.
+    #[serde(default)]
+    pub last_transport: Option<String>,
+    /// RFC 3339 timestamp of the last_transport value.
+    #[serde(default)]
+    pub last_transport_at: Option<String>,
 }
 
 /// State snapshot received from a federated peer during sync.
@@ -140,6 +150,8 @@ mod tests {
             last_seen: None,
             last_state: None,
             fips_npub: None,
+            last_transport: None,
+            last_transport_at: None,
         };
         let json = serde_json::to_string(&node).unwrap();
         let parsed: FederatedNode = serde_json::from_str(&json).unwrap();
diff --git a/neode-ui/src/views/federation/NodeList.vue b/neode-ui/src/views/federation/NodeList.vue
index 6f26a1b6..b35fd1d7 100644
--- a/neode-ui/src/views/federation/NodeList.vue
+++ b/neode-ui/src/views/federation/NodeList.vue
@@ -53,10 +53,11 @@
                 <div class="w-2.5 h-2.5 rounded-full shrink-0" :class="isOnline(node) ? 'bg-green-400' : 'bg-white/30'"></div>
                 <span class="text-sm font-medium text-white truncate" :title="node.did">{{ nodeName(node) }}</span>
                 <span
-                  class="text-xs shrink-0"
-                  :class="nodeTransportIcon(node.did).color"
-                  :title="'Transport: ' + nodeTransportIcon(node.did).label"
-                >{{ nodeTransportIcon(node.did).icon }}</span>
+                  v-if="transportBadge(node)"
+                  class="text-[10px] font-semibold uppercase tracking-wider px-1.5 py-0.5 rounded shrink-0"
+                  :class="transportBadge(node)!.cls"
+                  :title="transportBadge(node)!.title"
+                >{{ transportBadge(node)!.label }}</span>
               </div>
               <span
                 class="text-xs px-2 py-0.5 rounded-full shrink-0"
@@ -114,6 +115,12 @@
               <div class="flex items-center gap-3 min-w-0">
                 <div class="w-2.5 h-2.5 rounded-full shrink-0" :class="isOnline(node) ? 'bg-green-400' : 'bg-white/30'"></div>
                 <span class="text-sm font-medium text-white truncate" :title="node.did">{{ nodeName(node) }}</span>
+                <span
+                  v-if="transportBadge(node)"
+                  class="text-[10px] font-semibold uppercase tracking-wider px-1.5 py-0.5 rounded shrink-0"
+                  :class="transportBadge(node)!.cls"
+                  :title="transportBadge(node)!.title"
+                >{{ transportBadge(node)!.label }}</span>
               </div>
               <span class="text-xs px-2 py-0.5 rounded-full shrink-0" :class="trustBadgeClass(node.trust_level)">{{ node.trust_level }}</span>
             </div>
@@ -130,7 +137,6 @@
 
 <script setup lang="ts">
 import { computed } from 'vue'
-import { useTransportStore } from '@/stores/transport'
 import type { FederatedNode, SyncResult } from './types'
 import { nodeName, nodeNameFromDid, timeAgo, formatTimeAgo, trustBadgeClass, isOnline } from './utils'
 
@@ -149,19 +155,44 @@ defineEmits<{
   'cleanup-dead': []
 }>()
 
-const transportStore = useTransportStore()
-
 const trustedNodes = computed(() => props.nodes.filter(n => n.trust_level === 'trusted'))
 const peerNodes = computed(() => props.nodes.filter(n => n.trust_level !== 'trusted'))
 
-function nodeTransportIcon(did: string): { icon: string; color: string; label: string } {
-  const peer = transportStore.peers.find(p => p.did === did)
-  if (!peer) return { icon: '?', color: 'text-white/30', label: 'unknown' }
-  switch (peer.preferred_transport) {
-    case 'mesh': return { icon: '\u{1F4E1}', color: 'text-orange-400', label: 'mesh' }
-    case 'lan': return { icon: '\u{1F310}', color: 'text-green-400', label: 'lan' }
-    case 'tor': return { icon: '\u{1F9C5}', color: 'text-purple-400', label: 'tor' }
-    default: return { icon: '?', color: 'text-white/30', label: 'unknown' }
+// Badge showing the actual transport the most recent reach used —
+// NOT a prediction. If we've never reached the peer, return null so
+// the badge stays hidden rather than lying. When the transport is
+// fips, the tooltip also shows how recent the reading is so stale
+// data is visible at a glance.
+function transportBadge(node: FederatedNode): { label: string; cls: string; title: string } | null {
+  if (!node.last_transport) return null
+  const age = node.last_transport_at ? timeAgo(node.last_transport_at) : 'unknown'
+  switch (node.last_transport) {
+    case 'fips':
+      return {
+        label: 'FIPS',
+        cls: 'bg-cyan-500/20 text-cyan-300 ring-1 ring-cyan-400/40',
+        title: `Last reached via FIPS mesh · ${age}`,
+      }
+    case 'tor':
+      return {
+        label: 'TOR',
+        cls: 'bg-purple-500/20 text-purple-300 ring-1 ring-purple-400/40',
+        title: `Last reached via Tor · ${age}`,
+      }
+    case 'lan':
+      return {
+        label: 'LAN',
+        cls: 'bg-green-500/20 text-green-300 ring-1 ring-green-400/40',
+        title: `Last reached via LAN · ${age}`,
+      }
+    case 'mesh':
+      return {
+        label: 'MESH',
+        cls: 'bg-orange-500/20 text-orange-300 ring-1 ring-orange-400/40',
+        title: `Last reached via mesh radio · ${age}`,
+      }
+    default:
+      return null
   }
 }
 </script>
diff --git a/neode-ui/src/views/federation/types.ts b/neode-ui/src/views/federation/types.ts
index 743ac65b..b6aa24c6 100644
--- a/neode-ui/src/views/federation/types.ts
+++ b/neode-ui/src/views/federation/types.ts
@@ -25,6 +25,12 @@ export interface FederatedNode {
   name?: string
   last_seen?: string
   last_state?: NodeState
+  /** bech32 FIPS npub this peer advertised (when known). */
+  fips_npub?: string
+  /** Transport used on the most recent successful reach: 'fips' | 'tor' | 'mesh' | 'lan'. */
+  last_transport?: 'fips' | 'tor' | 'mesh' | 'lan'
+  /** RFC 3339 timestamp of last_transport. */
+  last_transport_at?: string
 }
 
 export interface DwnStatus {