diff --git a/src/hooks/__tests__/useAuth.test.ts b/src/hooks/__tests__/useAuth.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..6b947d53
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/hooks/__tests__/useAuth.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,81 @@
+import { renderHook, waitFor } from "@testing-library/react";
+import { useWalletStore } from "@/store/walletStore";
+import { useAuth } from "../useAuth";
+
+jest.mock("@/store/walletStore", () => ({
+  useWalletStore: jest.fn(),
+}));
+
+const mockUseWalletStore = useWalletStore as jest.MockedFunction<
+  typeof useWalletStore
+>;
+
+const connectedAddress = "0x1234567890123456789012345678901234567890";
+
+const setWalletState = (
+  overrides: Partial<ReturnType<typeof useWalletStore>> = {},
+) => {
+  mockUseWalletStore.mockReturnValue({
+    address: null,
+    isConnected: false,
+    ...overrides,
+  } as ReturnType<typeof useWalletStore>);
+};
+
+describe("useAuth", () => {
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    jest.clearAllMocks();
+    document.cookie = "";
+    setWalletState();
+  });
+
+  it("reports an unauthenticated state with no connected wallet and no cookie", async () => {
+    const { result } = renderHook(() => useAuth());
+
+    await waitFor(() => expect(result.current.isLoading).toBe(false));
+
+    expect(result.current.isAuthenticated).toBe(false);
+    expect(result.current.userAddress).toBeNull();
+  });
+
+  it("does not authenticate from cookie presence alone", async () => {
+    document.cookie = "auth-token=garbage-token";
+    const { result } = renderHook(() => useAuth());
+
+    await waitFor(() => expect(result.current.isLoading).toBe(false));
+
+    expect(result.current.isAuthenticated).toBe(false);
+    expect(result.current.userAddress).toBeNull();
+  });
+
+  it("does not authenticate from an expired or invalid cookie payload", async () => {
+    document.cookie = "auth-token=eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.invalid-payload";
+    const { result } = renderHook(() => useAuth());
+
+    await waitFor(() => expect(result.current.isLoading).toBe(false));
+
+    expect(result.current.isAuthenticated).toBe(false);
+    expect(result.current.userAddress).toBeNull();
+  });
+
+  it("authenticates with the connected wallet address", async () => {
+    setWalletState({ address: connectedAddress, isConnected: true });
+    const { result } = renderHook(() => useAuth());
+
+    await waitFor(() => expect(result.current.isLoading).toBe(false));
+
+    expect(result.current.isAuthenticated).toBe(true);
+    expect(result.current.userAddress).toBe(connectedAddress);
+    expect(result.current.userAddress).not.toBe("0x...");
+  });
+
+  it("does not authenticate when the wallet has an address but is disconnected", async () => {
+    setWalletState({ address: connectedAddress, isConnected: false });
+    const { result } = renderHook(() => useAuth());
+
+    await waitFor(() => expect(result.current.isLoading).toBe(false));
+
+    expect(result.current.isAuthenticated).toBe(false);
+    expect(result.current.userAddress).toBeNull();
+  });
+});
diff --git a/src/hooks/useAuth.ts b/src/hooks/useAuth.ts
index 39f9f8ee..0b5cadb0 100644
--- a/src/hooks/useAuth.ts
+++ b/src/hooks/useAuth.ts
@@ -1,9 +1,9 @@
-'use client';
+"use client";
 
-import { useState, useEffect } from 'react';
+import { useEffect, useState } from "react";
+import { useWalletStore } from "@/store/walletStore";
 
-const SESSION_DURATION_MS = 30 * 60 * 1000; // 30 minutes
-const WARN_BEFORE_MS = 5 * 60 * 1000;       // warn 5 minutes before expiry
+const WARN_BEFORE_MS = 5 * 60 * 1000;
 
 interface AuthState {
   isAuthenticated: boolean;
@@ -13,56 +13,20 @@ interface AuthState {
 }
 
 export function useAuth() {
-  const [authState, setAuthState] = useState<AuthState>({
-    isAuthenticated: false,
-    isLoading: true,
-    userAddress: null,
-    sessionExpiresAt: null,
-  });
+  const { address, isConnected } = useWalletStore();
+  const [isHydrated, setIsHydrated] = useState(false);
 
   useEffect(() => {
-    const checkAuth = async () => {
-      try {
-        const tokenMatch = document.cookie.match(/auth-token=([^;]+)/);
-        const token = tokenMatch ? tokenMatch[1] : null;
-        let isValid = false;
-        let expiresAt = null;
-        let address = null;
-
-        if (token) {
-          try {
-            const payloadBase64 = token.split('.')[1];
-            if (payloadBase64) {
-              const payload = JSON.parse(atob(payloadBase64));
-              if (payload.exp && payload.exp * 1000 > Date.now()) {
-                isValid = true;
-                expiresAt = payload.exp * 1000;
-                address = payload.address || '0x...';
-              }
-            }
-          } catch (e) {
-            // Invalid token format
-          }
-        }
-
-        setAuthState({
-          isAuthenticated: isValid,
-          isLoading: false,
-          userAddress: address,
-          sessionExpiresAt: expiresAt,
-        });
-      } catch {
-        setAuthState({
-          isAuthenticated: false,
-          isLoading: false,
-          userAddress: null,
-          sessionExpiresAt: null,
-        });
-      }
-    };
-
-    checkAuth();
+    setIsHydrated(true);
   }, []);
 
-  return { ...authState, WARN_BEFORE_MS };
+  const hasVerifiedWallet = isHydrated && isConnected && Boolean(address);
+
+  return {
+    isAuthenticated: hasVerifiedWallet,
+    isLoading: !isHydrated,
+    userAddress: hasVerifiedWallet ? address : null,
+    sessionExpiresAt: null,
+    WARN_BEFORE_MS,
+  } satisfies AuthState & { WARN_BEFORE_MS: number };
 }
diff --git a/useAuth.ts b/useAuth.ts
index b174950f..426a40ca 100644
--- a/useAuth.ts
+++ b/useAuth.ts
@@ -1,47 +1 @@
-'use client';
-
-import { useState, useEffect } from 'react';
-import { useWalletConnector } from './useWalletConnector';
-
-interface AuthState {
-  isAuthenticated: boolean;
-  isLoading: boolean;
-  userAddress: string | null;
-}
-
-export function useAuth() {
-  const { connectWallet } = useWalletConnector();
-  const [authState, setAuthState] = useState<AuthState>({
-    isAuthenticated: false,
-    isLoading: true,
-    userAddress: null,
-  });
-
-  useEffect(() => {
-    // Check for existing session/token on mount
-    const checkAuth = async () => {
-      try {
-        // In a real Web3 app, we'd check if the wallet is still connected 
-        // and if a valid session token exists in cookies
-        const hasToken = document.cookie.includes('auth-token=');
-        
-        // Mocking check - in production, validate JWT or wallet state here
-        setAuthState({
-          isAuthenticated: hasToken,
-          isLoading: false,
-          userAddress: hasToken ? '0x...' : null, // Get from wallet provider
-        });
-      } catch (error) {
-        setAuthState({
-          isAuthenticated: false,
-          isLoading: false,
-          userAddress: null,
-        });
-      }
-    };
-
-    checkAuth();
-  }, []);
-
-  return authState;
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+export { useAuth } from "./src/hooks/useAuth";