diff --git a/.env.example b/.env.example
index 63aa1b0..0592894 100644
--- a/.env.example
+++ b/.env.example
@@ -12,3 +12,8 @@ AI_API_KEY=your_nvidia_api_key_here
 AI_MODEL=qwen/qwen3.5-397b-a17b
 # Set to 'true' to enable detailed AI prompt/response logging
 AI_DEBUG=false
+
+# New Relic APM — set ENABLED=true and provide your license key to activate
+NEW_RELIC_ENABLED=false
+NEW_RELIC_LICENSE_KEY=your_new_relic_license_key_here
+NEW_RELIC_APP_NAME=HOALedgerIQ_App
diff --git a/backend/Dockerfile b/backend/Dockerfile
index c8fac84..52774f6 100644
--- a/backend/Dockerfile
+++ b/backend/Dockerfile
@@ -17,10 +17,16 @@ WORKDIR /app
 COPY package*.json ./
 RUN npm ci --omit=dev && npm cache clean --force
 
-# Copy compiled output from builder
+# Copy compiled output and New Relic preload from builder
 COPY --from=builder /app/dist ./dist
+COPY --from=builder /app/newrelic-preload.js ./newrelic-preload.js
+
+# New Relic agent — configured entirely via environment variables
+ENV NEW_RELIC_NO_CONFIG_FILE=true
+ENV NEW_RELIC_DISTRIBUTED_TRACING_ENABLED=true
+ENV NEW_RELIC_LOG=stdout
 
 EXPOSE 3000
 
-# Run the compiled JS directly — no ts-node, no watch, no devDeps
-CMD ["node", "dist/main"]
+# Preload the New Relic agent (activates only when NEW_RELIC_ENABLED=true)
+CMD ["node", "-r", "./newrelic-preload.js", "dist/main"]
diff --git a/backend/Dockerfile.dev b/backend/Dockerfile.dev
index eb830df..032b2ca 100644
--- a/backend/Dockerfile.dev
+++ b/backend/Dockerfile.dev
@@ -7,6 +7,11 @@ RUN npm install
 
 COPY . .
 
+# New Relic agent — configured entirely via environment variables
+ENV NEW_RELIC_NO_CONFIG_FILE=true
+ENV NEW_RELIC_DISTRIBUTED_TRACING_ENABLED=true
+ENV NEW_RELIC_LOG=stdout
+
 EXPOSE 3000
 
 CMD ["npm", "run", "start:dev"]
diff --git a/backend/newrelic-preload.js b/backend/newrelic-preload.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2767be1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/newrelic-preload.js
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+// Conditionally load the New Relic agent before any other modules.
+// Controlled by the NEW_RELIC_ENABLED environment variable (.env).
+'use strict';
+
+if (process.env.NEW_RELIC_ENABLED === 'true') {
+  require('newrelic');
+}
diff --git a/backend/package.json b/backend/package.json
index fb86991..5f9b694 100644
--- a/backend/package.json
+++ b/backend/package.json
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
     "start": "nest start",
     "start:dev": "nest start --watch",
     "start:debug": "nest start --debug --watch",
-    "start:prod": "node dist/main",
+    "start:prod": "node -r ./newrelic-preload.js dist/main",
     "lint": "eslint \"{src,apps,libs,test}/**/*.ts\"",
     "test": "jest",
     "test:watch": "jest --watch",
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@
     "reflect-metadata": "^0.2.2",
     "rxjs": "^7.8.1",
     "typeorm": "^0.3.20",
+    "newrelic": "latest",
     "uuid": "^9.0.1"
   },
   "devDependencies": {
diff --git a/docker-compose.prod.yml b/docker-compose.prod.yml
index 37891d9..1550a01 100644
--- a/docker-compose.prod.yml
+++ b/docker-compose.prod.yml
@@ -37,6 +37,9 @@ services:
       - AI_API_KEY=${AI_API_KEY}
       - AI_MODEL=${AI_MODEL}
       - AI_DEBUG=${AI_DEBUG:-false}
+      - NEW_RELIC_ENABLED=${NEW_RELIC_ENABLED:-false}
+      - NEW_RELIC_LICENSE_KEY=${NEW_RELIC_LICENSE_KEY:-}
+      - NEW_RELIC_APP_NAME=${NEW_RELIC_APP_NAME:-HOALedgerIQ_App}
     deploy:
       resources:
         limits:
diff --git a/docker-compose.yml b/docker-compose.yml
index 922339e..553e54d 100644
--- a/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/docker-compose.yml
@@ -26,6 +26,9 @@ services:
       - AI_API_KEY=${AI_API_KEY}
       - AI_MODEL=${AI_MODEL}
       - AI_DEBUG=${AI_DEBUG:-false}
+      - NEW_RELIC_ENABLED=${NEW_RELIC_ENABLED:-false}
+      - NEW_RELIC_LICENSE_KEY=${NEW_RELIC_LICENSE_KEY:-}
+      - NEW_RELIC_APP_NAME=${NEW_RELIC_APP_NAME:-HOALedgerIQ_App}
     volumes:
       - ./backend/src:/app/src
       - ./backend/nest-cli.json:/app/nest-cli.json