diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..45bac514f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+# Root task runner for YieldVault-RWA.
+# Thin wrappers around the existing pnpm/cargo scripts so contributors have one
+# entry point. Works with GNU make on Linux, macOS and Git Bash on Windows.
+
+PNPM ?= pnpm
+
+.DEFAULT_GOAL := help
+.PHONY: help install test lint build format validate
+
+help: ## List available targets
+	@echo "Usage: make <target>"
+	@echo ""
+	@awk 'BEGIN { FS = ":.*## " } /^[a-zA-Z_-]+:.*## / { printf "  %-10s %s\n", $$1, $$2 }' $(MAKEFILE_LIST)
+
+install: ## Install workspace dependencies (backend, frontend, packages)
+	$(PNPM) check:pnpm-version
+	$(PNPM) install
+
+test: ## Run backend, frontend and root script tests
+	$(PNPM) test:all
+
+lint: ## Lint backend and frontend with ESLint
+	$(PNPM) --filter backend lint
+	$(PNPM) --filter frontend lint
+
+build: ## Build API schemas, backend and frontend
+	$(PNPM) build
+
+format: ## Format backend sources (and Rust contracts when cargo is installed)
+	$(PNPM) --filter backend format
+	@if command -v cargo >/dev/null 2>&1; then cargo fmt --all; else echo "cargo not found, skipping cargo fmt"; fi
+
+validate: ## Run repository convention and governance validators
+	$(PNPM) validate:contribution-standards
+	$(PNPM) validate:testing-strategy
+	$(PNPM) validate:sprint-and-triage
+	$(PNPM) validate:release-notes
+	$(PNPM) validate:nfr-baselines
+	$(PNPM) validate:codeowners
+	$(PNPM) validate:pr-template
+	$(PNPM) validate:renovate
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 845a54112..0b9f98d79 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -91,6 +91,22 @@ For detailed setup instructions, prerequisites, validation steps, and troublesho
 
 For a complete environment variable reference with defaults, required flags, and production recommendations, see **[Environment Variable Matrix](./docs/ENV_VARIABLE_MATRIX.md)**.
 
+### Makefile Targets
+
+The root `Makefile` wraps the existing pnpm scripts so common tasks have one entry point. Run `make` (or `make help`) to list them:
+
+| Command         | What it runs                                                                 |
+| --------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
+| `make help`     | Lists all targets (default goal)                                             |
+| `make install`  | `pnpm check:pnpm-version` then `pnpm install` for the whole workspace        |
+| `make test`     | `pnpm test:all` (backend Jest, frontend Vitest, root script tests)           |
+| `make lint`     | ESLint for `backend` and `frontend`                                          |
+| `make build`    | `pnpm build` (API schemas, backend, frontend)                                |
+| `make format`   | Prettier for `backend`, plus `cargo fmt --all` when `cargo` is installed     |
+| `make validate` | Contribution, testing-strategy, triage, release-notes, NFR, CODEOWNERS, PR template and Renovate validators |
+
+The targets use GNU make and POSIX shell, so they run on Linux, macOS and Git Bash on Windows. Git Bash does not ship `make`; install it with `choco install make`, `scoop install make`, or `winget install ezwinports.make`. Set `PNPM` to override the pnpm binary, for example `make install PNPM="corepack pnpm"`.
+
 ## API Documentation
 
 Generate contract and frontend API docs:
diff --git a/scripts/makefile.test.ts b/scripts/makefile.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..ef07702a4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/makefile.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+import { describe, it, expect } from 'vitest';
+import { readFileSync, existsSync } from 'node:fs';
+import { resolve } from 'node:path';
+
+const rootDir = resolve(__dirname, '..');
+const TARGETS = ['help', 'install', 'test', 'lint', 'build', 'format', 'validate'];
+
+describe('Root Makefile', () => {
+  const makefilePath = resolve(rootDir, 'Makefile');
+
+  it('exists at the repository root', () => {
+    expect(existsSync(makefilePath)).toBe(true);
+  });
+
+  it('declares every target as phony and defaults to help', () => {
+    const makefile = readFileSync(makefilePath, 'utf8');
+    const phony = makefile.match(/^\.PHONY:(.*)$/m)?.[1].split(/\s+/) ?? [];
+    for (const target of TARGETS) {
+      expect(phony).toContain(target);
+      expect(makefile).toMatch(new RegExp(`^${target}:.*## `, 'm'));
+    }
+    expect(makefile).toMatch(/^\.DEFAULT_GOAL := help$/m);
+  });
+
+  it('uses tab-indented recipes and LF line endings', () => {
+    const makefile = readFileSync(makefilePath, 'utf8');
+    expect(makefile).not.toContain('\r');
+    expect(makefile).not.toMatch(/^ +(@|\$\(PNPM\))/m);
+  });
+
+  it('is documented in README.md', () => {
+    const readme = readFileSync(resolve(rootDir, 'README.md'), 'utf8');
+    for (const target of TARGETS) {
+      expect(readme).toContain(`make ${target}`);
+    }
+  });
+});