diff --git a/frontend/src/App.jsx b/frontend/src/App.jsx
index a45774d..8e4ead4 100644
--- a/frontend/src/App.jsx
+++ b/frontend/src/App.jsx
@@ -1268,39 +1268,41 @@ function App() {
                     >
                       {loading === 'balance' ? 'Checking Balance…' : 'Check Balance'}
                     </motion.button>
-                    <AnimatePresence mode="wait">
-                      {loading === 'balance' ? (
-                        <SkeletonBalance key="loading-balance" />
-                      ) : balance ? (
-                        <motion.div
-                          key="balance-list"
-                          variants={v.pop}
-                          initial="hidden"
-                          animate="visible"
-                          exit="exit"
-                          style={{ marginTop: 10 }}
-                          aria-label="Account balances"
-                          role="list"
-                        >
-                          {balance.balances.map((b, i) => (
-                            <motion.p
-                              key={i}
-                              variants={v.fadeSlide}
-                              className="balance-row"
-                              role="listitem"
-                            >
-                              <span className="balance-asset">
-                                {b.asset}
-                                {b.asset === 'XLM' && <XLMInfoIcon />}
-                              </span>
-                              <span className="balance-amount">
-                                {formatBalanceWithAsset(b.balance, b.asset)}
-                              </span>
-                            </motion.p>
-                          ))}
-                        </motion.div>
-                      ) : null}
-                    </AnimatePresence>
+                    <div role="status" aria-label="Account balance" aria-live="polite" aria-atomic="false">
+                      <AnimatePresence mode="wait">
+                        {loading === 'balance' ? (
+                          <SkeletonBalance key="loading-balance" />
+                        ) : balance ? (
+                          <motion.div
+                            key="balance-list"
+                            variants={v.pop}
+                            initial="hidden"
+                            animate="visible"
+                            exit="exit"
+                            style={{ marginTop: 10 }}
+                            aria-label="Account balances"
+                            role="list"
+                          >
+                            {balance.balances.map((b, i) => (
+                              <motion.p
+                                key={i}
+                                variants={v.fadeSlide}
+                                className="balance-row"
+                                role="listitem"
+                              >
+                                <span className="balance-asset">
+                                  {b.asset}
+                                  {b.asset === 'XLM' && <XLMInfoIcon />}
+                                </span>
+                                <span className="balance-amount">
+                                  {formatBalanceWithAsset(b.balance, b.asset)}
+                                </span>
+                              </motion.p>
+                            ))}
+                          </motion.div>
+                        ) : null}
+                      </AnimatePresence>
+                    </div>
                   </motion.section>
 
                   {/* Send Payment */}
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/StatusMessage.jsx b/frontend/src/components/StatusMessage.jsx
index 79ad421..4c64f8f 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/StatusMessage.jsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/StatusMessage.jsx
@@ -9,13 +9,14 @@ const VARIANTS = {
 };
 
 function Message({ msg, onRemove, onRetry }) {
+  const isUrgent = msg.type === 'error' || msg.type === 'warning';
   return (
     <motion.div
       className={`sm-item sm-${msg.type}`}
       variants={VARIANTS}
       initial="hidden" animate="visible" exit="exit"
       layout
-      role="alert"
+      role={isUrgent ? 'alert' : 'status'}
       aria-atomic="true"
     >
       <span className="sm-icon" aria-hidden="true">{msg.icon}</span>
diff --git a/frontend/src/index.css b/frontend/src/index.css
index 4acec67..5d44d09 100644
--- a/frontend/src/index.css
+++ b/frontend/src/index.css
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@
     top: -100%;
     left: 0;
     background: var(--primary);
-    color: #fff;
+    color: var(--on-primary);
     padding: 8px 16px;
     font-weight: 600;
     z-index: 10000;
@@ -58,6 +58,11 @@
   --info: #0369a1;
   --link: #0b69d7;
   --shadow: 0 8px 32px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.12);
+
+  /* ── Focus ring tokens (issue #741) ─────────────────────────────────────── */
+  --focus-ring-color: #2563eb;
+  --focus-ring-width: 2px;
+  --focus-ring-offset: 2px;
 }
 
 .theme-dark {
@@ -81,6 +86,8 @@
   --ws-disconnected: #f87171;
   --ws-reconnecting: #fbbf24;
   --ws-failed: #a78bfa;
+  /* Focus ring: #93c5fd on dark bg (#020617) → 11.4:1, passes WCAG AA */
+  --focus-ring-color: #93c5fd;
 }
 
 * {
@@ -217,7 +224,8 @@ input {
 }
 
 input:focus-visible {
-  outline: none;
+  outline: var(--focus-ring-width) solid var(--focus-ring-color);
+  outline-offset: 0;
   border-color: var(--primary);
 }
 
@@ -489,7 +497,7 @@ select {
 
 .qr-pubkey {
   font-size: 10px;
-  color: #666;
+  color: var(--muted);
   word-break: break-all;
   text-align: center;
   max-width: 220px;
@@ -677,7 +685,7 @@ select {
 .sm-history-toggle {
   background: none;
   border: none;
-  color: #666;
+  color: var(--muted);
   font-size: 12px;
   cursor: pointer;
   padding: 4px 0;
@@ -1023,7 +1031,7 @@ select {
 }
 .balance-asset {
   font-weight: 600;
-  color: #555;
+  color: var(--muted);
 }
 .balance-amount {
   font-variant-numeric: tabular-nums;
@@ -1526,7 +1534,10 @@ kbd {
   transition:
     border-color 0.2s,
     background 0.2s;
-  outline: none;
+}
+.fu-dropzone:focus-visible {
+  outline: var(--focus-ring-width) solid var(--focus-ring-color);
+  outline-offset: var(--focus-ring-offset);
 }
 .fu-dropzone:hover,
 .fu-dropzone:focus-visible {