diff --git a/backend/src/ingestion/youtubei.ts b/backend/src/ingestion/youtubei.ts
index 343e562..7c965c3 100644
--- a/backend/src/ingestion/youtubei.ts
+++ b/backend/src/ingestion/youtubei.ts
@@ -65,9 +65,9 @@ export async function bootstrapInnertube(videoId: string): Promise<IngestionCont
 
   liveChat.on('chat-update', (action: any) => {
     // Log the complete raw action data from YouTube (commented out for production)
-    console.log('=== YOUTUBE RAW MESSAGE DATA ===');
-    console.log('Action type:', action?.type);
-    console.log('Complete action object:', JSON.stringify(action, null, 2));
+    //console.log('=== YOUTUBE RAW MESSAGE DATA ===');
+    //console.log('Action type:', action?.type);
+    //console.log('Complete action object:', JSON.stringify(action, null, 2));
     
     const normalized = normalizeAction(action);
     if (normalized) {
@@ -233,6 +233,24 @@ function extractBadgesFromHeader(header: any): Badge[] {
   return badges;
 }
 
+function extractLeaderboardRank(item: any): number | undefined {
+  // Check for before_content_buttons array (where leaderboard badge appears)
+  if (!Array.isArray(item.before_content_buttons)) return undefined;
+  
+  for (const button of item.before_content_buttons) {
+    // Look for CROWN icon (leaderboard indicator)
+    if (button.icon_name === 'CROWN' && button.title) {
+      // Title is like "#3", "#1", etc.
+      const match = String(button.title).match(/#(\d+)/);
+      if (match && match[1]) {
+        return parseInt(match[1], 10);
+      }
+    }
+  }
+  
+  return undefined;
+}
+
 function extractSuperChatInfo(item: any): SuperChatInfo | undefined {
   const superTypes = new Set([
     'LiveChatPaidMessage',
@@ -439,6 +457,9 @@ function normalizeAction(action: any): ChatMessage | null {
     // Use timestamp_usec (microseconds) as it's more accurate than timestamp (milliseconds)
     const timestampToUse = item.timestamp_usec ?? item.timestamp;
 
+    // Extract leaderboard rank if present
+    const leaderboardRank = extractLeaderboardRank(item);
+    
     return {
       id: String(item.id ?? item.timestamp_usec ?? Date.now()),
       author: authorName,
@@ -455,7 +476,8 @@ function normalizeAction(action: any): ChatMessage | null {
       membershipGift: isMembership,
       membershipGiftPurchase: isGiftPurchase,
       membershipLevel,
-      giftCount
+      giftCount,
+      leaderboardRank
     };
   }
 
diff --git a/client/app/dashboard/page.tsx b/client/app/dashboard/page.tsx
index 8f5a3c8..6c07efc 100644
--- a/client/app/dashboard/page.tsx
+++ b/client/app/dashboard/page.tsx
@@ -616,6 +616,11 @@ function ChatItem({ message, isSelected, onSelect, onLinkClick, isPreviouslySele
               <span className="chatItem__membership">{message.membershipLevel}:</span>
             )}
             <span className="chatItem__author">{message.author}</span>
+            {message.leaderboardRank && (
+              <span className="badge badge--leaderboard" title={`#${message.leaderboardRank} on leaderboard`}>
+                👑 #{message.leaderboardRank}
+              </span>
+            )}
             {message.badges && message.badges.map((badge, i) => (
               badge.imageUrl ? (
                 <img key={i} src={proxyImageUrl(badge.imageUrl)} alt={badge.label} className="badge badge--image" title={badge.label} />
diff --git a/client/app/globals.css b/client/app/globals.css
index f018c9c..cd7c61b 100644
--- a/client/app/globals.css
+++ b/client/app/globals.css
@@ -784,6 +784,12 @@ main {
   color: #93c5fd;
 }
 
+.badge--leaderboard {
+  background: rgba(251, 191, 36, 0.2);
+  color: #fcd34d;
+  font-weight: 600;
+}
+
 .memberItem {
   display: flex;
   flex-direction: column;
diff --git a/client/app/overlay/page.tsx b/client/app/overlay/page.tsx
index 51aa4a5..c3673e2 100644
--- a/client/app/overlay/page.tsx
+++ b/client/app/overlay/page.tsx
@@ -170,6 +170,11 @@ export default function OverlayPage() {
                 <div>
                   <div className="overlay__authorLine">
                     <span className="overlay__author">{displayMessage.author}</span>
+                    {displayMessage.leaderboardRank && (
+                      <span className="overlay__badge overlay__badge--leaderboard" title={`#${displayMessage.leaderboardRank} on leaderboard`}>
+                        👑 #{displayMessage.leaderboardRank}
+                      </span>
+                    )}
                     {displayMessage.badges && displayMessage.badges.map((badge, i) => (
                       badge.imageUrl ? (
                         <img key={i} src={proxyImageUrl(badge.imageUrl)} alt={badge.label} className="overlay__badge overlay__badge--image" title={badge.label} />
diff --git a/shared/chat.ts b/shared/chat.ts
index 7f92cdc..3c8d374 100644
--- a/shared/chat.ts
+++ b/shared/chat.ts
@@ -36,4 +36,5 @@ export type ChatMessage = {
   membershipGiftPurchase?: boolean;
   membershipLevel?: string; // e.g., "New member", "Member (6 months)", etc.
   giftCount?: number; // Number of memberships gifted
+  leaderboardRank?: number; // YouTube leaderboard rank (1, 2, 3, etc.)
 };