diff --git a/docker-compose-prod.yml b/docker-compose-prod.yml
index e84e812f..33a46eab 100644
--- a/docker-compose-prod.yml
+++ b/docker-compose-prod.yml
@@ -7,9 +7,11 @@ services:
     volumes:
       - ./federator-env/${FED_ENV}/:/app/federator/config
       - ./federator-env/${FED_ENV}/db:/app/federator/db
-    # environment:
-    #   - PM2_PUBLIC_KEY=${PM2_PUBLIC_KEY}
-    #   - PM2_SECRET_KEY=${PM2_SECRET_KEY}
+    environment:
+      - NODEREAL_BSC_FEDERATOR_API=${NODEREAL_BSC_FEDERATOR_API:-}
+      - NODEREAL_ETH_FEDERATOR_API=${NODEREAL_ETH_FEDERATOR_API:-}
+      # - PM2_PUBLIC_KEY=${PM2_PUBLIC_KEY}
+      # - PM2_SECRET_KEY=${PM2_SECRET_KEY}
   
   datadog:
     container_name: datadog-agent
diff --git a/federator-env/mainnet-BSC-RSK/bmainnet.json b/federator-env/mainnet-BSC-RSK/bmainnet.json
index 979507d4..0931cb78 100644
--- a/federator-env/mainnet-BSC-RSK/bmainnet.json
+++ b/federator-env/mainnet-BSC-RSK/bmainnet.json
@@ -4,6 +4,6 @@
     "multiSig": "0xec3fabc3517e64e07669dd1d2d673f466f93a328",
     "allowTokens": "0xc4b5178Cc086E764568AdfB2dacCBB0d973e8132",
     "erc777Converter": "0x9D46B33171eA7124aEE472bFe61B5B7084B55069",
-    "host": "https://bsc.sovryn.app/mainnet",
+    "host": "https://bsc-mainnet.nodereal.io/v1/${NODEREAL_BSC_FEDERATOR_API}",
     "fromBlock": 52652645
 }
diff --git a/federator-env/mainnet-BSC-RSK/config.js b/federator-env/mainnet-BSC-RSK/config.js
index 707d52fc..adc6c019 100644
--- a/federator-env/mainnet-BSC-RSK/config.js
+++ b/federator-env/mainnet-BSC-RSK/config.js
@@ -1,4 +1,21 @@
 const fs = require('fs');
+
+function expandEnv(value) {
+    return value.replace(/\$\{([A-Z0-9_]+)\}/g, (_, name) => {
+        const envValue = process.env[name];
+        if (!envValue) throw new Error(`Missing required environment variable ${name}`);
+        return envValue;
+    });
+}
+
+function loadChainConfig(path) {
+    const chainConfig = require(path);
+    return {
+        ...chainConfig,
+        host: expandEnv(chainConfig.host),
+    };
+}
+
 let telegramToken;
 try {
     telegramToken = fs.readFileSync(`${__dirname}/telegram.key`, 'utf8').trim();
@@ -7,8 +24,8 @@ try {
     telegramToken = '';
 }
 module.exports = {
-    mainchain: require('./rskmainnet.json'), //the json containing the smart contract addresses in rsk
-    sidechain: require('./bmainnet.json'), //the json containing the smart contract addresses in eth
+    mainchain: loadChainConfig('./rskmainnet.json'), //the json containing the smart contract addresses in rsk
+    sidechain: loadChainConfig('./bmainnet.json'), //the json containing the smart contract addresses in bsc
     runEvery: 2, // In minutes,
     confirmations: 120, // Number of blocks before processing it, if working with ganache set as 0
     privateKey: fs.readFileSync(`${__dirname}/federator.key`, 'utf8').trim(),
@@ -1235,4 +1252,3 @@ module.exports = {
         }
     }
 }
-
diff --git a/federator-env/mainnet-ETH-RSK/config.js b/federator-env/mainnet-ETH-RSK/config.js
index b1ff36d3..92d7240c 100644
--- a/federator-env/mainnet-ETH-RSK/config.js
+++ b/federator-env/mainnet-ETH-RSK/config.js
@@ -1,4 +1,21 @@
 const fs = require('fs');
+
+function expandEnv(value) {
+    return value.replace(/\$\{([A-Z0-9_]+)\}/g, (_, name) => {
+        const envValue = process.env[name];
+        if (!envValue) throw new Error(`Missing required environment variable ${name}`);
+        return envValue;
+    });
+}
+
+function loadChainConfig(path) {
+    const chainConfig = require(path);
+    return {
+        ...chainConfig,
+        host: expandEnv(chainConfig.host),
+    };
+}
+
 let telegramToken;
 try {
     telegramToken = fs.readFileSync(`${__dirname}/telegram.key`, 'utf8').trim();
@@ -15,8 +32,8 @@ try {
 }
 
 module.exports = {
-    mainchain: require('./rskmainnet.json'), //the json containing the smart contract addresses in rsk
-    sidechain: require('./mainnet.json'), //the json containing the smart contract addresses in eth
+    mainchain: loadChainConfig('./rskmainnet.json'), //the json containing the smart contract addresses in rsk
+    sidechain: loadChainConfig('./mainnet.json'), //the json containing the smart contract addresses in eth
     runEvery: 2, // In minutes,
     gasApiRunEvery: 5, // In Seconds,
     avgGasRunEvery: 10, // In Seconds,
@@ -753,4 +770,3 @@ module.exports = {
         }
     }
 }
-
diff --git a/federator-env/mainnet-ETH-RSK/mainnet.json b/federator-env/mainnet-ETH-RSK/mainnet.json
index 061fed64..14244b29 100644
--- a/federator-env/mainnet-ETH-RSK/mainnet.json
+++ b/federator-env/mainnet-ETH-RSK/mainnet.json
@@ -4,6 +4,6 @@
     "multiSig": "0x062c74f9d27b1178bb76186c1756128ccb3ccd2e",
     "allowTokens": "0xf9A59a649859A27d664C8bDb51fA53bCb268545C",
     "erc777Converter": "0xC0b2A9E31f69e4F0bC24584C678C582714a4fA1b",
-    "host": "https://eth.sovryn.app/mainnet",
+    "host": "https://eth-mainnet.nodereal.io/v1/${NODEREAL_ETH_FEDERATOR_API}",
     "fromBlock": 22838052
 }
diff --git a/ops/docs/federator-nodereal-secrets.md b/ops/docs/federator-nodereal-secrets.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..4516dc99
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ops/docs/federator-nodereal-secrets.md
@@ -0,0 +1,238 @@
+# Federator NodeReal Secrets
+
+This runbook describes how to configure private NodeReal RPC keys for federator nodes without committing keys to git.
+
+The federator configs use these environment variables:
+
+- `NODEREAL_BSC_FEDERATOR_API`
+- `NODEREAL_ETH_FEDERATOR_API`
+
+The public JSON files contain placeholders such as:
+
+```json
+"host": "https://bsc-mainnet.nodereal.io/v1/${NODEREAL_BSC_FEDERATOR_API}"
+```
+
+At runtime, `config.js` expands the placeholder from the environment. If the required variable is missing, the federator fails fast instead of falling back to the public overloaded endpoint.
+
+## Recommended Emergency Setup: Local `.env`
+
+Docker Compose automatically reads a `.env` file from the same directory where `docker-compose-prod.yml` is executed.
+
+On each federator node:
+
+```sh
+cd /home/ubuntu/Bridge-SC
+```
+
+Create or update `.env`:
+
+```sh
+cat > .env <<'EOF'
+NODEREAL_BSC_FEDERATOR_API=<BSC_NODE_REAL_API_KEY>
+NODEREAL_ETH_FEDERATOR_API=<ETH_NODE_REAL_API_KEY>
+EOF
+```
+
+Lock down permissions:
+
+```sh
+chmod 600 .env
+```
+
+Make sure `.env` is not committed:
+
+```sh
+git status --short .env
+```
+
+If it appears in git status, add it to the local exclude file:
+
+```sh
+echo .env >> .git/info/exclude
+```
+
+## Restart BSC Federator
+
+Restart only the federator container:
+
+```sh
+cd /home/ubuntu/Bridge-SC
+export FED_ENV=mainnet-BSC-RSK
+docker-compose -f docker-compose-prod.yml up -d --force-recreate federation
+```
+
+Do not use `start.sh` for a simple hot restart unless you intentionally want its full reset behavior. It calls `reset.sh`, which deletes federator DB progress and performs git hard resets.
+
+## Restart ETH Federator
+
+```sh
+cd /home/ubuntu/Bridge-SC
+export FED_ENV=mainnet-ETH-RSK
+docker-compose -f docker-compose-prod.yml up -d --force-recreate federation
+```
+
+## Verify The Container Has The Variables
+
+Do not print the actual values. Check only whether they are present:
+
+```sh
+docker-compose -f docker-compose-prod.yml exec federation sh -lc \
+  'test -n "$NODEREAL_BSC_FEDERATOR_API" && echo BSC key present || true'
+```
+
+```sh
+docker-compose -f docker-compose-prod.yml exec federation sh -lc \
+  'test -n "$NODEREAL_ETH_FEDERATOR_API" && echo ETH key present || true'
+```
+
+For a BSC-only node, only the BSC variable needs to be present. For an ETH-only node, only the ETH variable needs to be present.
+
+## Verify RPC Access From The Host
+
+BSC:
+
+```sh
+. ./.env
+
+curl -sS "https://bsc-mainnet.nodereal.io/v1/$NODEREAL_BSC_FEDERATOR_API" \
+  -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
+  --data '{"jsonrpc":"2.0","id":1,"method":"eth_chainId","params":[]}' | jq
+
+unset NODEREAL_BSC_FEDERATOR_API NODEREAL_ETH_FEDERATOR_API
+```
+
+Expected BSC mainnet result:
+
+```json
+{
+  "jsonrpc": "2.0",
+  "id": 1,
+  "result": "0x38"
+}
+```
+
+ETH:
+
+```sh
+. ./.env
+
+curl -sS "https://eth-mainnet.nodereal.io/v1/$NODEREAL_ETH_FEDERATOR_API" \
+  -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
+  --data '{"jsonrpc":"2.0","id":1,"method":"eth_chainId","params":[]}' | jq
+
+unset NODEREAL_BSC_FEDERATOR_API NODEREAL_ETH_FEDERATOR_API
+```
+
+Expected ETH mainnet result:
+
+```json
+{
+  "jsonrpc": "2.0",
+  "id": 1,
+  "result": "0x1"
+}
+```
+
+## Check Federator Logs
+
+```sh
+docker-compose -f docker-compose-prod.yml logs --tail=100 -f federation
+```
+
+The app currently logs the sidechain host as `ETH Host` even when it is BSC. The URL should show the NodeReal domain, not `bsc.sovryn.app` or `eth.sovryn.app`.
+
+## Optional Hardening: AWS Secrets Manager
+
+AWS Secrets Manager is useful for long-term operations, auditability, and controlled rotation. It is not required for emergency recovery.
+
+`start.sh` can load these secrets from AWS Secrets Manager if the environment variables are not already set:
+
+- Secret name: `NODEREAL_BSC_FEDERATOR_API`
+- Secret value: raw BSC NodeReal API key
+- Secret name: `NODEREAL_ETH_FEDERATOR_API`
+- Secret value: raw ETH NodeReal API key
+
+Each AWS account that runs federator nodes must create its own secrets and IAM permissions.
+
+Create secrets:
+
+```sh
+aws secretsmanager create-secret \
+  --region us-east-2 \
+  --name NODEREAL_BSC_FEDERATOR_API \
+  --secret-string '<BSC_NODE_REAL_API_KEY>'
+```
+
+```sh
+aws secretsmanager create-secret \
+  --region us-east-2 \
+  --name NODEREAL_ETH_FEDERATOR_API \
+  --secret-string '<ETH_NODE_REAL_API_KEY>'
+```
+
+If the secret already exists, update it:
+
+```sh
+aws secretsmanager put-secret-value \
+  --region us-east-2 \
+  --secret-id NODEREAL_BSC_FEDERATOR_API \
+  --secret-string '<BSC_NODE_REAL_API_KEY>'
+```
+
+```sh
+aws secretsmanager put-secret-value \
+  --region us-east-2 \
+  --secret-id NODEREAL_ETH_FEDERATOR_API \
+  --secret-string '<ETH_NODE_REAL_API_KEY>'
+```
+
+Attach this inline policy to the federator EC2 instance role. Replace `<ACCOUNT_ID>`:
+
+```json
+{
+  "Version": "2012-10-17",
+  "Statement": [
+    {
+      "Sid": "ReadFederatorNodeRealSecrets",
+      "Effect": "Allow",
+      "Action": "secretsmanager:GetSecretValue",
+      "Resource": [
+        "arn:aws:secretsmanager:us-east-2:<ACCOUNT_ID>:secret:NODEREAL_BSC_FEDERATOR_API-*",
+        "arn:aws:secretsmanager:us-east-2:<ACCOUNT_ID>:secret:NODEREAL_ETH_FEDERATOR_API-*"
+      ]
+    }
+  ]
+}
+```
+
+The trailing `-*` is required because Secrets Manager appends a random suffix to secret ARNs.
+
+Verify from the instance:
+
+```sh
+aws secretsmanager get-secret-value \
+  --region us-east-2 \
+  --secret-id NODEREAL_BSC_FEDERATOR_API \
+  --query SecretString \
+  --output text >/dev/null
+```
+
+```sh
+aws secretsmanager get-secret-value \
+  --region us-east-2 \
+  --secret-id NODEREAL_ETH_FEDERATOR_API \
+  --query SecretString \
+  --output text >/dev/null
+```
+
+Both commands should exit with status `0`.
+
+## Operational Notes
+
+- Keep `.env` local to each federator node and never commit it.
+- Use `chmod 600 .env`.
+- Revoke the old leaked/public NodeReal key after federators are confirmed healthy on the new keys.
+- Monitor NodeReal CU usage per key after rollout.
+- Restrict NodeReal keys by source IP if NodeReal supports it for the account/plan.
+- Longer term, protect `https://bsc.sovryn.app/mainnet` at the proxy layer with rate limits, auth, IP allowlists, or a capped public fallback.
diff --git a/start.sh b/start.sh
index 508fae4a..0cf6caa1 100755
--- a/start.sh
+++ b/start.sh
@@ -7,6 +7,29 @@ export FED_ID=$2
 # Otherwise the errors can get uncaught and this wastes development time.
 set -e
 
+load_aws_secret_if_unset() {
+        ENV_NAME="$1"
+        DEFAULT_SECRET_ID="$2"
+        eval CURRENT_VALUE="\${$ENV_NAME:-}"
+        if [ -n "$CURRENT_VALUE" ]
+        then
+                return
+        fi
+
+        eval SECRET_ID_OVERRIDE="\${${ENV_NAME}_SECRET_ID:-}"
+        SECRET_ID="${SECRET_ID_OVERRIDE:-$DEFAULT_SECRET_ID}"
+
+        echo "loading $ENV_NAME from AWS Secrets Manager secret: $SECRET_ID"
+        SECRET_STRING=`aws secretsmanager get-secret-value --secret-id "$SECRET_ID" --region us-east-2 | jq -r .SecretString`
+        SECRET_VALUE=`printf '%s' "$SECRET_STRING" | jq -r --arg key "$ENV_NAME" 'try (fromjson | .[$key] // empty) catch empty'`
+        if [ -z "$SECRET_VALUE" ]
+        then
+                SECRET_VALUE="$SECRET_STRING"
+        fi
+
+        export "$ENV_NAME=$SECRET_VALUE"
+}
+
 if [ -z "$FED_ENV" ]
 then
         echo "ERROR: please choose the federator env config as first cmd arg."
@@ -58,9 +81,20 @@ echo using key named: $FED_KEY_NAME
 cat << EOF > /home/ubuntu/Bridge-SC/federator-env/$FED_ENV/federator.key
 $FED_KEY
 EOF
+
+if [ "$FED_ENV" = "mainnet-BSC-RSK" ]
+then
+        load_aws_secret_if_unset NODEREAL_BSC_FEDERATOR_API NODEREAL_BSC_FEDERATOR_API
+fi
+
+if [ "$FED_ENV" = "mainnet-ETH-RSK" ]
+then
+        load_aws_secret_if_unset NODEREAL_ETH_FEDERATOR_API NODEREAL_ETH_FEDERATOR_API
+fi
+
 echo "starting federator please wait... this takes"
 nohup 2>&1 docker-compose -f docker-compose-prod.yml up > federator.log  &
 sleep 90
 echo "federator logs: /home/ubuntu/Bridge-SC/federator.log"
 rm -rf /home/ubuntu/Bridge-SC/federator-env/$FED_ENV/federator.key
-tail -f /home/ubuntu/Bridge-SC/federator.log
\ No newline at end of file
+tail -f /home/ubuntu/Bridge-SC/federator.log