diff --git a/src/widgets/landing/video-section/VideoSection.tsx b/src/widgets/landing/video-section/VideoSection.tsx
index 5986d7e2..a3a79c46 100644
--- a/src/widgets/landing/video-section/VideoSection.tsx
+++ b/src/widgets/landing/video-section/VideoSection.tsx
@@ -7,8 +7,10 @@
  * Only the video for the active viewport is mounted — no double-fetch.
  * Aspect-ratio box reserved to prevent CLS during SSR → client transition.
  * Reduced motion: autoplay suppressed; poster shown with native controls.
+ * Mobile: autoplay disabled entirely so preload="none" actually defers the
+ * 2.7MB fetch. Poster shown with native controls for tap-to-play affordance.
  * Off-screen: IntersectionObserver pauses video when scrolled out of view
- * and resumes when scrolled back in (skipped under reduced-motion).
+ * and resumes when scrolled back in (skipped under reduced-motion or mobile).
  */
 
 'use client'
@@ -37,9 +39,10 @@ export function VideoSection() {
   }, [])
 
   // Pause the off-screen video to avoid wasting data/battery.
-  // Skip entirely under reduced-motion — videos aren't autoplaying anyway.
+  // Skip under reduced-motion or mobile — videos aren't autoplaying in those cases.
   useEffect(() => {
     if (prefersReducedMotion) return
+    if (isMobile) return
     if (typeof window === 'undefined') return
 
     const section = sectionRef.current
@@ -62,7 +65,7 @@ export function VideoSection() {
 
     observer.observe(section)
     return () => observer.disconnect()
-  }, [prefersReducedMotion])
+  }, [prefersReducedMotion, isMobile])
 
   const videoSrc = isMobile ? '/video/voidpay-9x16-v2.mp4' : '/video/voidpay-16x9-v2.mp4'
   const wrapperClassName = isMobile
@@ -98,11 +101,11 @@ export function VideoSection() {
               src={videoSrc}
               poster="/video/poster-scene5.webp"
               muted
-              autoPlay={!prefersReducedMotion}
+              autoPlay={!prefersReducedMotion && !isMobile}
               loop
               playsInline
               preload="none"
-              controls={prefersReducedMotion}
+              controls={prefersReducedMotion || isMobile}
               aria-label="VoidPay product walkthrough: creating and paying a crypto invoice"
               onPlay={handlePlay}
             />
diff --git a/src/widgets/landing/video-section/__tests__/VideoSection.test.tsx b/src/widgets/landing/video-section/__tests__/VideoSection.test.tsx
index fdd34eba..6fe4e9d0 100644
--- a/src/widgets/landing/video-section/__tests__/VideoSection.test.tsx
+++ b/src/widgets/landing/video-section/__tests__/VideoSection.test.tsx
@@ -172,6 +172,25 @@ describe('VideoSection', () => {
       expect(video).toHaveAttribute('controls')
     })
 
+    it('mobile path: should NOT have autoplay attribute', () => {
+      stubMobileViewport()
+      render(<VideoSection />)
+      const video = document.querySelector('video')
+      // On mobile, autoPlay is disabled so preload="none" actually defers the fetch
+      expect(video).not.toHaveAttribute('autoplay')
+    })
+
+    it('mobile path: should show controls for tap-to-play affordance', () => {
+      stubMobileViewport()
+      render(<VideoSection />)
+      const video = document.querySelector('video')
+      expect(video).toHaveAttribute('controls')
+    })
+
+    // Desktop autoplay when reduced-motion is off cannot be tested in this suite:
+    // useReducedMotion is globally mocked to return true (vitest.setup.ts).
+    // The mobile-specific cases above cover the new branching logic.
+
     it('should have an accessible aria-label on the video', () => {
       render(<VideoSection />)
       const video = document.querySelector('video')
@@ -236,7 +255,8 @@ describe('VideoSection', () => {
 
     it('should register an IntersectionObserver when reduced-motion is off', () => {
       // Note: global mock returns prefersReducedMotion=true, so observer is NOT registered.
-      // This test documents that the observer is skipped in reduced-motion mode.
+      // Observer is also skipped on mobile. This test documents that the observer is
+      // skipped in reduced-motion mode (global mock).
       render(<VideoSection />)
       // Under global reduced-motion mock (true), IntersectionObserver should NOT be called
       expect(IntersectionObserver).not.toHaveBeenCalled()