diff --git a/app/bounty/page.tsx b/app/bounty/page.tsx
index 0db3e8b..f55de18 100644
--- a/app/bounty/page.tsx
+++ b/app/bounty/page.tsx
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ import {
 import { Checkbox } from "@/components/ui/checkbox";
 import { Label } from "@/components/ui/label";
 import { Search, Filter } from "lucide-react";
+import { MiniLeaderboard } from "@/components/leaderboard/mini-leaderboard";
 
 export default function BountiesPage() {
   const { data, isLoading, isError, error, refetch } = useBounties();
@@ -209,15 +210,15 @@ export default function BountiesPage() {
                     rewardRange[0] !== 0 ||
                     rewardRange[1] !== 5000 ||
                     statusFilter !== "open") && (
-                    <Button
-                      variant="ghost"
-                      size="sm"
-                      onClick={clearFilters}
-                      className="h-6 text-[10px] text-primary hover:text-primary/80 p-0 hover:bg-transparent"
-                    >
-                      Reset
-                    </Button>
-                  )}
+                      <Button
+                        variant="ghost"
+                        size="sm"
+                        onClick={clearFilters}
+                        className="h-6 text-[10px] text-primary hover:text-primary/80 p-0 hover:bg-transparent"
+                      >
+                        Reset
+                      </Button>
+                    )}
                 </div>
 
                 <div className="space-y-6">
@@ -423,6 +424,10 @@ export default function BountiesPage() {
                   </Accordion>
                 </div>
               </div>
+
+              <div className="hidden lg:block">
+                <MiniLeaderboard className="w-full" />
+              </div>
             </div>
           </aside>
 
@@ -498,7 +503,7 @@ export default function BountiesPage() {
             )}
           </main>
         </div>
-      </div>
-    </div>
+      </div >
+    </div >
   );
 }
diff --git a/components/global-navbar.tsx b/components/global-navbar.tsx
index 7cb9f55..2751825 100644
--- a/components/global-navbar.tsx
+++ b/components/global-navbar.tsx
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 import Link from "next/link"
 import { SearchCommand } from "@/components/search-command"
 import { usePathname } from "next/navigation"
+import { NavRankBadge } from "@/components/leaderboard/nav-rank-badge"
 
 export function GlobalNavbar() {
     const pathname = usePathname()
@@ -25,10 +26,14 @@ export function GlobalNavbar() {
                         <Link href="/projects" className={pathname?.startsWith('/projects') ? "text-black" : "text-gray-500 hover:text-black transition-colors"}>
                             Projects
                         </Link>
+                        <Link href="/leaderboard" className={pathname?.startsWith('/leaderboard') ? "text-black" : "text-gray-500 hover:text-black transition-colors"}>
+                            Leaderboard
+                        </Link>
                     </div>
                 </div>
 
                 <div className="flex items-center gap-2">
+                    <NavRankBadge userId="user-1" className="hidden sm:flex" /> {/* TODO: Replace with actual auth user ID */}
                     <SearchCommand />
                 </div>
             </div>
diff --git a/components/leaderboard/leaderboard-filters.tsx b/components/leaderboard/leaderboard-filters.tsx
index 03ae4e8..3483053 100644
--- a/components/leaderboard/leaderboard-filters.tsx
+++ b/components/leaderboard/leaderboard-filters.tsx
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ export function LeaderboardFilters({ filters, onFilterChange }: LeaderboardFilte
     };
 
     const handleTagToggle = (tag: string) => {
-        const currentTags = filters.tags || [];
+        const currentTags = filters.tags ?? [];
         const newTags = currentTags.includes(tag)
             ? currentTags.filter((t) => t !== tag)
             : [...currentTags, tag];
diff --git a/components/leaderboard/mini-leaderboard.tsx b/components/leaderboard/mini-leaderboard.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..79316b2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/components/leaderboard/mini-leaderboard.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,106 @@
+"use client";
+
+import { useTopContributors } from "@/hooks/use-leaderboard";
+import { Card, CardContent, CardHeader, CardTitle } from "@/components/ui/card";
+import { Avatar, AvatarFallback, AvatarImage } from "@/components/ui/avatar";
+import { Skeleton } from "@/components/ui/skeleton";
+import { Button } from "@/components/ui/button";
+import { TierBadge } from "./tier-badge";
+import { Trophy, ChevronRight, AlertCircle } from "lucide-react";
+import Link from "next/link";
+import { cn } from "@/lib/utils";
+
+interface MiniLeaderboardProps {
+    className?: string;
+    limit?: number;
+    title?: string;
+}
+
+export function MiniLeaderboard({
+    className,
+    limit = 5,
+    title = "Top Contributors"
+}: MiniLeaderboardProps) {
+    const { data: contributors, isLoading, error } = useTopContributors(limit);
+
+    if (error) {
+        // Quiet failure for sidebars - or minimal error state
+        return (
+            <Card className={cn("border-border/50 bg-background-card", className)}>
+                <CardContent className="py-6 text-center text-white/70 text-sm flex flex-col items-center gap-2">
+                    <AlertCircle className="h-4 w-4" />
+                    <span>Failed to load leaderboard</span>
+                </CardContent>
+            </Card>
+        );
+    }
+
+    return (
+        <Card className={cn("border-border/50 bg-background-card overflow-hidden", className)}>
+            <CardHeader className="pb-3 pt-4 px-4 flex flex-row items-center justify-between space-y-0">
+                <CardTitle className="text-base font-semibold text-white flex items-center gap-2">
+                    <Trophy className="h-4 w-4 text-yellow-500" />
+                    {title}
+                </CardTitle>
+                <Link href="/leaderboard" className="text-xs text-white/70 hover:text-white transition-colors flex items-center">
+                    View All <ChevronRight className="h-3 w-3 ml-0.5" />
+                </Link>
+            </CardHeader>
+            <CardContent className="p-0">
+                {isLoading ? (
+                    <div className="space-y-1 p-2">
+                        {Array.from({ length: limit }).map((_, i) => (
+                            <div key={i} className="flex items-center gap-3 p-2">
+                                <Skeleton className="h-8 w-8 rounded-full" />
+                                <div className="space-y-1 flex-1">
+                                    <Skeleton className="h-3 w-24" />
+                                    <Skeleton className="h-2 w-16" />
+                                </div>
+                            </div>
+                        ))}
+                    </div>
+                ) : (
+                    <div className="flex flex-col">
+                        {contributors?.map((contributor, index) => (
+                            <Link
+                                key={contributor.id}
+                                href={`/profile/${contributor.userId}`}
+                                className="flex items-center gap-3 px-4 py-3 hover:bg-muted/50 transition-colors border-b border-border/40 last:border-0 group"
+                            >
+                                <div className="flex-shrink-0 relative">
+                                    <Avatar className="h-9 w-9 border border-border/50">
+                                        <AvatarImage src={contributor.avatarUrl || undefined} />
+                                        <AvatarFallback>{contributor.displayName?.[0] ?? "?"}</AvatarFallback>
+                                    </Avatar>
+                                    <div className="absolute -top-1 -left-1 text-white/70 flex items-center justify-center w-4 h-4 rounded-full bg-background border border-border text-[10px] font-bold">
+                                        {index + 1}
+                                    </div>
+                                </div>
+                                <div className="flex-1 min-w-0">
+                                    <div className="flex items-center gap-2">
+                                        <span className="font-medium text-white text-sm truncate group-hover:text-primary transition-colors">
+                                            {contributor.displayName}
+                                        </span>
+                                    </div>
+                                    <div className="flex items-center gap-2 mt-0.5">
+                                        <TierBadge tier={contributor.tier} className="h-4 text-[10px] px-1.5 py-0" />
+                                        <span className="text-[10px] text-white/70 font-mono">
+                                            {contributor.totalScore.toLocaleString()} pts
+                                        </span>
+                                    </div>
+                                </div>
+                            </Link>
+                        ))}
+                        <div className="p-2">
+                            <Button variant="ghost" className="w-full text-xs h-8 text-white/70 hover:text-black" asChild>
+                                <Link href="/leaderboard">
+                                    See full rankings
+                                </Link>
+                            </Button>
+                        </div>
+                    </div>
+                )}
+            </CardContent>
+        </Card>
+    );
+}
diff --git a/components/leaderboard/nav-rank-badge.tsx b/components/leaderboard/nav-rank-badge.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8941eb1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/components/leaderboard/nav-rank-badge.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,42 @@
+"use client";
+
+import { useUserRank } from "@/hooks/use-leaderboard";
+import { Badge } from "@/components/ui/badge";
+import { Trophy } from "lucide-react";
+import { Skeleton } from "@/components/ui/skeleton";
+import Link from "next/link";
+import { cn } from "@/lib/utils";
+
+interface NavRankBadgeProps {
+    userId?: string;
+    className?: string;
+}
+
+export function NavRankBadge({ userId, className }: NavRankBadgeProps) {
+    const { data, isLoading } = useUserRank(userId);
+
+    if (!userId) return null;
+
+    if (isLoading) {
+        return <Skeleton className="h-6 w-16 rounded-full" />;
+    }
+
+    if (!data || !data.rank) return null;
+
+    return (
+        <Link href="/leaderboard">
+            <Badge
+                variant="secondary"
+                className={cn(
+                    "gap-1.5 pl-1.5 pr-2.5 py-0.5 hover:bg-secondary/80 transition-colors cursor-pointer",
+                    className
+                )}
+            >
+                <div className="bg-yellow-500/10 text-yellow-500 rounded-full p-0.5">
+                    <Trophy className="h-3 w-3" />
+                </div>
+                <span className="font-mono font-medium">#{data.rank}</span>
+            </Badge>
+        </Link>
+    );
+}
diff --git a/hooks/use-leaderboard.ts b/hooks/use-leaderboard.ts
index 2532507..7d75394 100644
--- a/hooks/use-leaderboard.ts
+++ b/hooks/use-leaderboard.ts
@@ -16,8 +16,8 @@ export const useLeaderboard = (filters: LeaderboardFilters, limit: number = 20)
         queryFn: ({ pageParam = 1 }) =>
             leaderboardApi.fetchLeaderboard(filters, { page: pageParam, limit }),
         getNextPageParam: (lastPage, allPages) => {
-            const loadedCount = allPages.flatMap(p => p.entries).length;
-            if (loadedCount < lastPage.totalCount) {
+            // Optimization: Use simple math instead of iterating all entries
+            if (allPages.length * limit < lastPage.totalCount) {
                 return allPages.length + 1;
             }
             return undefined;
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ export const useLeaderboard = (filters: LeaderboardFilters, limit: number = 20)
 export const useUserRank = (userId?: string) => {
     return useQuery({
         queryKey: LEADERBOARD_KEYS.user(userId || ''),
-        queryFn: () => leaderboardApi.fetchUserRank(userId!),
+        queryFn: () => leaderboardApi.fetchUserRank(userId),
         enabled: !!userId,
     });
 };
diff --git a/lib/api/leaderboard.ts b/lib/api/leaderboard.ts
index 51e17df..85023ad 100644
--- a/lib/api/leaderboard.ts
+++ b/lib/api/leaderboard.ts
@@ -24,7 +24,8 @@ export const leaderboardApi = {
         return get<LeaderboardResponse>(LEADERBOARD_ENDPOINT, { params });
     },
 
-    fetchUserRank: async (userId: string): Promise<{ rank: number, contributor: LeaderboardContributor }> => {
+    fetchUserRank: async (userId?: string): Promise<{ rank: number, contributor: LeaderboardContributor } | null> => {
+        if (!userId) return null;
         return get<{ rank: number, contributor: LeaderboardContributor }>(`${LEADERBOARD_ENDPOINT}/user/${userId}`);
     },