diff --git a/backend/src/__tests__/poolRoutes.authorization.test.ts b/backend/src/__tests__/poolRoutes.authorization.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..cf2377c7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/src/__tests__/poolRoutes.authorization.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,183 @@
+import express from 'express';
+import request from 'supertest';
+import { jest } from '@jest/globals';
+import jwt from 'jsonwebtoken';
+
+const LENDER_KEY = 'GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAWHF';
+const ADMIN_KEY = 'GCWEPACYJLN7S3ZUXSVMXZBFKYXSHRGZ6O326HDDPDKBKZPXD45XNHC3';
+const OTHER_KEY = 'GBRPYHIL2CI3FNQ4BXLFMNDLFJUNPU2HY3ZMFSHONUCEOASW7QC7OX2H';
+const JWT_SECRET = 'test-jwt-secret-pool-routes';
+
+process.env.JWT_SECRET = JWT_SECRET;
+process.env.LENDER_WALLETS = LENDER_KEY;
+process.env.ADMIN_WALLETS = ADMIN_KEY;
+
+const mockQuery = jest.fn<(...args: unknown[]) => Promise<{ rows: unknown[]; rowCount: number }>>();
+const mockBuildWithdrawTx =
+  jest.fn<
+    (
+      depositorPublicKey: string,
+      token: string,
+      amount: number,
+      minAssetsOut: number,
+    ) => Promise<{ unsignedTxXdr: string; networkPassphrase: string }>
+  >();
+const mockBuildEmergencyWithdrawTx =
+  jest.fn<
+    (
+      depositorPublicKey: string,
+      token: string,
+      shares: number,
+      minAssetsOut: number,
+    ) => Promise<{ unsignedTxXdr: string; networkPassphrase: string }>
+  >();
+const mockSubmitSignedTx =
+  jest.fn<(signedTxXdr: string) => Promise<{ txHash: string; status: string }>>();
+const mockWithStellarAndDbTransaction = jest.fn(
+  async (stellarOperation: () => Promise<unknown>) => ({
+    stellarResult: await stellarOperation(),
+  }),
+);
+
+jest.unstable_mockModule('../db/connection.js', () => ({
+  query: mockQuery,
+  default: { query: mockQuery },
+}));
+
+jest.unstable_mockModule('../db/transaction.js', () => ({
+  withStellarAndDbTransaction: mockWithStellarAndDbTransaction,
+}));
+
+jest.unstable_mockModule('../services/cacheService.js', () => ({
+  cacheService: {
+    get: jest.fn<() => Promise<null>>().mockResolvedValue(null),
+    delete: jest.fn<() => Promise<void>>().mockResolvedValue(undefined),
+  },
+}));
+
+jest.unstable_mockModule('../services/sorobanService.js', () => ({
+  sorobanService: {
+    buildWithdrawTx: mockBuildWithdrawTx,
+    buildEmergencyWithdrawTx: mockBuildEmergencyWithdrawTx,
+    submitSignedTx: mockSubmitSignedTx,
+  },
+}));
+
+const { default: poolRoutes } = await import('../routes/poolRoutes.js');
+const { errorHandler } = await import('../middleware/errorHandler.js');
+const { pauseGuard, setPauseState } = await import('../middleware/pauseGuard.js');
+
+const app = express();
+app.use(express.json());
+app.use(pauseGuard);
+app.use('/api/pool', poolRoutes);
+app.use(errorHandler);
+
+const token = (publicKey: string): string => {
+  const scopes = publicKey === ADMIN_KEY ? ['admin:all'] : ['read:pool'];
+  return jwt.sign({ publicKey, role: 'unused', scopes, jti: 'pool-route-test' }, JWT_SECRET, {
+    expiresIn: '1h',
+    algorithm: 'HS256',
+  });
+};
+
+const lenderToken = token(LENDER_KEY);
+const adminToken = token(ADMIN_KEY);
+
+beforeEach(async () => {
+  jest.clearAllMocks();
+  mockQuery.mockResolvedValue({ rows: [], rowCount: 1 });
+  mockBuildWithdrawTx.mockResolvedValue({
+    unsignedTxXdr: 'unsigned-withdraw-xdr',
+    networkPassphrase: 'test-network',
+  });
+  mockBuildEmergencyWithdrawTx.mockResolvedValue({
+    unsignedTxXdr: 'unsigned-emergency-withdraw-xdr',
+    networkPassphrase: 'test-network',
+  });
+  mockSubmitSignedTx.mockResolvedValue({ txHash: 'pool-transaction-hash', status: 'SUCCESS' });
+  await setPauseState(false, []);
+});
+
+describe('pool route authorization', () => {
+  it('allows a lender to read their own depositor portfolio', async () => {
+    const response = await request(app)
+      .get(`/api/pool/depositor/${LENDER_KEY}`)
+      .set('Authorization', `Bearer ${lenderToken}`)
+      .send();
+
+    expect(response.status).toBe(200);
+    expect(response.body.data.address).toBe(LENDER_KEY);
+  });
+
+  it('rejects a lender reading another depositor portfolio', async () => {
+    const response = await request(app)
+      .get(`/api/pool/depositor/${OTHER_KEY}`)
+      .set('Authorization', `Bearer ${lenderToken}`)
+      .send();
+
+    expect(response.status).toBe(403);
+    expect(response.body).toMatchObject({
+      success: false,
+      message: 'You are not authorized to access this resource',
+      error: {
+        code: 'FORBIDDEN',
+        message: 'You are not authorized to access this resource',
+      },
+    });
+    expect(mockBuildWithdrawTx).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
+
+  it('rejects an admin building a withdrawal for another wallet', async () => {
+    const response = await request(app)
+      .post('/api/pool/build-withdraw')
+      .set('Authorization', `Bearer ${adminToken}`)
+      .send({ depositorPublicKey: OTHER_KEY, token: LENDER_KEY, amount: 100 });
+
+    expect(response.status).toBe(403);
+    expect(response.body.message).toBe('depositorPublicKey must match your authenticated wallet');
+    expect(mockBuildWithdrawTx).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
+
+  it.each([
+    {
+      path: '/api/pool/build-withdraw',
+      body: { depositorPublicKey: ADMIN_KEY, token: OTHER_KEY, amount: 100 },
+    },
+    {
+      path: '/api/pool/build-emergency-withdraw',
+      body: { depositorPublicKey: ADMIN_KEY, token: OTHER_KEY, shares: 100 },
+    },
+    { path: '/api/pool/submit', body: { signedTxXdr: 'cG9vbC10eA==' } },
+  ])('allows an admin to use the privileged route $path', async ({ path, body }) => {
+    const response = await request(app)
+      .post(path)
+      .set('Authorization', `Bearer ${adminToken}`)
+      .send(body);
+
+    expect(response.status).toBe(200);
+    expect(response.body.success).toBe(true);
+  });
+
+  it('rejects pool writes while paused with the public service-unavailable contract', async () => {
+    await setPauseState(true, ['LENDING_POOL'], 'security incident');
+
+    const response = await request(app)
+      .post('/api/pool/build-withdraw')
+      .set('Authorization', `Bearer ${lenderToken}`)
+      .send({ depositorPublicKey: LENDER_KEY, token: OTHER_KEY, amount: 100 });
+
+    expect(response.status).toBe(503);
+    expect(response.body).toMatchObject({
+      success: false,
+      message:
+        'Contract operations are temporarily paused. Reason: security incident. Affected contracts: LENDING_POOL',
+      error: {
+        code: 'SERVICE_UNAVAILABLE',
+        message:
+          'Contract operations are temporarily paused. Reason: security incident. Affected contracts: LENDING_POOL',
+      },
+    });
+    expect(mockBuildWithdrawTx).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
+});