diff --git a/dashboard/src/components/ActivityFeed.tsx b/dashboard/src/components/ActivityFeed.tsx
index 14afb512..146b7c40 100644
--- a/dashboard/src/components/ActivityFeed.tsx
+++ b/dashboard/src/components/ActivityFeed.tsx
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import { useState, useEffect, useCallback } from 'react';
 import { fetchActivityFeed, generateMockActivityEvents } from '../services/activityApi';
 import type { ActivityEvent, ActivityType } from '../types/activity';
-import { formatTimestamp } from '../utils/formatTime';
+import { formatRelativeTimestamp, formatTimestamp, parseToDate } from '../utils/formatTime';
 import { PaginationControls } from './PaginationControls';
 import { useWalletAccountSync } from '../hooks/useWalletAccountSync';
 import { EmptyState } from './EmptyState';
@@ -9,14 +9,14 @@ import { EmptyState } from './EmptyState';
 // Helper to get icon/color based on activity type
 const getActivityTypeStyle = (type: ActivityType) => {
   const styles: Record<ActivityType, { color: string; icon: string; bg: string }> = {
-    'notification_sent': { color: '#34d399', icon: '✓', bg: 'rgba(52, 211, 153, 0.12)' },
-    'notification_failed': { color: '#f87171', icon: '✕', bg: 'rgba(248, 113, 113, 0.12)' },
-    'notification_retried': { color: '#f4b400', icon: '↻', bg: 'rgba(244, 180, 0, 0.12)' },
-    'contract_event_received': { color: '#60a5fa', icon: '📡', bg: 'rgba(96, 165, 250, 0.12)' },
-    'preference_updated': { color: '#a78bfa', icon: '⚙', bg: 'rgba(167, 139, 250, 0.12)' },
-    'template_created': { color: '#38bdf8', icon: '📄', bg: 'rgba(56, 189, 248, 0.12)' },
-    'template_updated': { color: '#22d3ee', icon: '📝', bg: 'rgba(34, 211, 238, 0.12)' },
-    'webhook_received': { color: '#fb923c', icon: '🔗', bg: 'rgba(251, 146, 60, 0.12)' },
+    notification_sent: { color: '#34d399', icon: '✓', bg: 'rgba(52, 211, 153, 0.12)' },
+    notification_failed: { color: '#f87171', icon: '✕', bg: 'rgba(248, 113, 113, 0.12)' },
+    notification_retried: { color: '#f4b400', icon: '↻', bg: 'rgba(244, 180, 0, 0.12)' },
+    contract_event_received: { color: '#60a5fa', icon: '📡', bg: 'rgba(96, 165, 250, 0.12)' },
+    preference_updated: { color: '#a78bfa', icon: '⚙', bg: 'rgba(167, 139, 250, 0.12)' },
+    template_created: { color: '#38bdf8', icon: '📄', bg: 'rgba(56, 189, 248, 0.12)' },
+    template_updated: { color: '#22d3ee', icon: '📝', bg: 'rgba(34, 211, 238, 0.12)' },
+    webhook_received: { color: '#fb923c', icon: '🔗', bg: 'rgba(251, 146, 60, 0.12)' },
   };
   return styles[type] || styles['contract_event_received'];
 };
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ const getActivityTypeStyle = (type: ActivityType) => {
 // Individual activity event card
 const ActivityEventCard = ({ event }: { event: ActivityEvent }) => {
   const style = getActivityTypeStyle(event.type);
+  const timestamp = parseToDate(event.timestamp);
   return (
     <div
       className={`activity-event ${!event.read ? 'activity-event--unread' : ''}`}
@@ -42,21 +43,27 @@ const ActivityEventCard = ({ event }: { event: ActivityEvent }) => {
           <span className="activity-event__type" style={{ color: style.color }}>
             {event.type.replace(/_/g, ' ')}
           </span>
-          <time className="activity-event__time" dateTime={new Date(event.timestamp).toISOString()}>
-            {formatTimestamp(event.timestamp)}
+          <time
+            className="activity-event__time"
+            dateTime={timestamp?.toISOString()}
+            title={formatTimestamp(event.timestamp)}
+          >
+            {formatRelativeTimestamp(event.timestamp)}
           </time>
         </div>
         <p className="activity-event__message">{event.message}</p>
         {Object.keys(event.metadata).length > 0 && (
           <div className="activity-event__metadata">
-            {Object.entries(event.metadata).map(([key, value]) => (
-              value !== undefined && value !== null && (
-                <span key={key} className="activity-event__metadata-item">
-                  <span className="activity-event__metadata-key">{key}:</span>
-                  <span className="activity-event__metadata-value">{String(value)}</span>
-                </span>
-              )
-            ))}
+            {Object.entries(event.metadata).map(
+              ([key, value]) =>
+                value !== undefined &&
+                value !== null && (
+                  <span key={key} className="activity-event__metadata-item">
+                    <span className="activity-event__metadata-key">{key}:</span>
+                    <span className="activity-event__metadata-value">{String(value)}</span>
+                  </span>
+                ),
+            )}
           </div>
         )}
       </div>
@@ -131,8 +138,8 @@ export function ActivityFeed() {
 
     const interval = setInterval(() => {
       const [newEvent] = generateMockActivityEvents(1);
-      setLiveEvents(prev => [newEvent, ...prev]);
-      setTotal(prev => prev + 1);
+      setLiveEvents((prev) => [newEvent, ...prev]);
+      setTotal((prev) => prev + 1);
     }, 15000);
 
     return () => clearInterval(interval);
@@ -211,9 +218,7 @@ export function ActivityFeed() {
             description="System events, notification deliveries, and contract activity will appear here as they occur."
           />
         ) : (
-          displayedEvents.map(event => (
-            <ActivityEventCard key={event.id} event={event} />
-          ))
+          displayedEvents.map((event) => <ActivityEventCard key={event.id} event={event} />)
         )}
       </div>
 
diff --git a/dashboard/src/components/EventCard.tsx b/dashboard/src/components/EventCard.tsx
index c48a6138..e2ec0ca2 100644
--- a/dashboard/src/components/EventCard.tsx
+++ b/dashboard/src/components/EventCard.tsx
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import { memo, type KeyboardEvent } from 'react';
 import type { BlockchainEvent } from '../types/event';
-import { formatTimestamp, formatTimestampShort } from '../utils/formatTime';
+import { formatRelativeTimestamp, formatTimestamp } from '../utils/formatTime';
 import { CopyButton } from './CopyButton';
 
 export type EventCardVariant = 'compact' | 'expanded';
@@ -34,13 +34,7 @@ function getEventBadgeClass(name: string | null): string {
 }
 
 function SkeletonLine({ width = '100%', height = '14px' }: { width?: string; height?: string }) {
-  return (
-    <span
-      className="event-card__skeleton"
-      style={{ width, height }}
-      aria-hidden="true"
-    />
-  );
+  return <span className="event-card__skeleton" style={{ width, height }} aria-hidden="true" />;
 }
 
 function LoadingCard({ variant }: { variant: EventCardVariant }) {
@@ -104,7 +98,13 @@ function handleActivationKey(onClick: (e: BlockchainEvent) => void, event: Block
   };
 }
 
-function CompactCard({ event, onClick }: { event: BlockchainEvent; onClick?: (e: BlockchainEvent) => void }) {
+function CompactCard({
+  event,
+  onClick,
+}: {
+  event: BlockchainEvent;
+  onClick?: (e: BlockchainEvent) => void;
+}) {
   const displayName = event.eventName ?? event.type;
   const badgeClass = getEventBadgeClass(event.eventName);
   const Wrapper = onClick ? 'div' : 'article';
@@ -128,20 +128,24 @@ function CompactCard({ event, onClick }: { event: BlockchainEvent; onClick?: (e:
           {shortenAddress(event.contractAddress)}
         </span>
         <span className="event-card__time" title={formatTimestamp(event.receivedAt)}>
-          {formatTimestampShort(event.receivedAt)}
+          {formatRelativeTimestamp(event.receivedAt)}
         </span>
       </div>
       <div className="event-card__details">
         <span>Value: {event.value}</span>
-        {event.txHash && (
-          <span title={event.txHash}>Tx: {shortenAddress(event.txHash)}</span>
-        )}
+        {event.txHash && <span title={event.txHash}>Tx: {shortenAddress(event.txHash)}</span>}
       </div>
     </Wrapper>
   );
 }
 
-function ExpandedCard({ event, onClick }: { event: BlockchainEvent; onClick?: (e: BlockchainEvent) => void }) {
+function ExpandedCard({
+  event,
+  onClick,
+}: {
+  event: BlockchainEvent;
+  onClick?: (e: BlockchainEvent) => void;
+}) {
   const displayName = event.eventName ?? event.type;
   const badgeClass = getEventBadgeClass(event.eventName);
   const Wrapper = onClick ? 'div' : 'article';
@@ -191,7 +195,9 @@ function ExpandedCard({ event, onClick }: { event: BlockchainEvent; onClick?: (e
               <dd>
                 <ul className="event-card__topics">
                   {event.topic.map((t, i) => (
-                    <li key={i} className="event-card__topic-item">{t}</li>
+                    <li key={i} className="event-card__topic-item">
+                      {t}
+                    </li>
                   ))}
                 </ul>
               </dd>
@@ -235,4 +241,4 @@ export const EventCard = memo(function EventCard({
   }
 
   return <CompactCard event={event} onClick={onClick} />;
-});
\ No newline at end of file
+});
diff --git a/dashboard/src/components/EventRow.tsx b/dashboard/src/components/EventRow.tsx
index f0a71012..48f92f5b 100644
--- a/dashboard/src/components/EventRow.tsx
+++ b/dashboard/src/components/EventRow.tsx
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import { memo } from 'react';
 import type { BlockchainEvent } from '../types/event';
-import { formatTimestamp } from '../utils/formatTime';
+import { formatRelativeTimestamp, formatTimestamp, parseToDate } from '../utils/formatTime';
 import { CopyButton } from './CopyButton';
 
 interface EventRowProps {
@@ -16,9 +16,14 @@ function shortenAddress(address: string): string {
 
 export const EventRow = memo(function EventRow({ event }: EventRowProps) {
   const label = event.eventName ?? event.type;
+  const receivedAt = parseToDate(event.receivedAt);
 
   return (
-    <article className="event-row" data-event-id={event.eventId} aria-label={`${label}, ledger ${event.ledger}`}>
+    <article
+      className="event-row"
+      data-event-id={event.eventId}
+      aria-label={`${label}, ledger ${event.ledger}`}
+    >
       <div className="event-row__primary">
         <span className="event-row__name">{label}</span>
         <span className="event-row__ledger">Ledger {event.ledger}</span>
@@ -28,10 +33,10 @@ export const EventRow = memo(function EventRow({ event }: EventRowProps) {
           <span className="sr-only">Contract: </span>
           {shortenAddress(event.contractAddress)}
         </span>
-        <span>
+        <time dateTime={receivedAt?.toISOString()} title={formatTimestamp(event.receivedAt)}>
           <span className="sr-only">Received: </span>
-          {formatTimestamp(event.receivedAt)}
-        </span>
+          {formatRelativeTimestamp(event.receivedAt)}
+        </time>
         <CopyButton value={event.eventId} label="notification ID" size="xs" />
       </div>
       <div className="event-row__details">
diff --git a/dashboard/src/utils/formatTime.test.ts b/dashboard/src/utils/formatTime.test.ts
index 033d45d4..ea9bc654 100644
--- a/dashboard/src/utils/formatTime.test.ts
+++ b/dashboard/src/utils/formatTime.test.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,10 @@
-import { formatTimestamp, formatTimestampShort, parseToDate } from './formatTime';
+import {
+  formatRelativeTimestamp,
+  formatTimestamp,
+  formatTimestampShort,
+  parseToDate,
+  RELATIVE_TIMESTAMP_THRESHOLD_MS,
+} from './formatTime';
 
 // 2024-01-15 14:30:45 UTC
 const FIXED_TIMESTAMP_MS = 1705329045000;
@@ -140,3 +146,27 @@ describe('formatTimestampShort', () => {
     expect(formatTimestampShort('invalid date string')).toBe('Unknown time');
   });
 });
+
+describe('formatRelativeTimestamp', () => {
+  const now = FIXED_TIMESTAMP_MS;
+
+  it('formats recent past timestamps with relative values', () => {
+    expect(formatRelativeTimestamp(now - 2 * 60 * 1000, now)).toBe('2 minutes ago');
+  });
+
+  it('formats recent future timestamps correctly', () => {
+    expect(formatRelativeTimestamp(now + 2 * 60 * 1000, now)).toBe('in 2 minutes');
+  });
+
+  it('uses the exact timestamp at the relative threshold', () => {
+    expect(formatRelativeTimestamp(now - RELATIVE_TIMESTAMP_THRESHOLD_MS, now)).toContain('2024');
+  });
+
+  it('uses "just now" for timestamps less than one second old', () => {
+    expect(formatRelativeTimestamp(now - 500, now)).toBe('just now');
+  });
+
+  it('returns the fallback for invalid timestamps', () => {
+    expect(formatRelativeTimestamp('invalid date string', now)).toBe('Unknown time');
+  });
+});
diff --git a/dashboard/src/utils/formatTime.ts b/dashboard/src/utils/formatTime.ts
index 173c539f..b9c2c75d 100644
--- a/dashboard/src/utils/formatTime.ts
+++ b/dashboard/src/utils/formatTime.ts
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ const SHORT_OPTIONS: Intl.DateTimeFormatOptions = {
 };
 
 const FALLBACK_STRING = 'Unknown time';
+export const RELATIVE_TIMESTAMP_THRESHOLD_MS = 24 * 60 * 60 * 1000;
 
 /**
  * Parses any raw input (number, string, Date, null, undefined) defensively into a Date object.
@@ -95,3 +96,36 @@ export function formatTimestampShort(timestamp: unknown): string {
   }
   return new Intl.DateTimeFormat(undefined, SHORT_OPTIONS).format(d);
 }
+
+/**
+ * Formats timestamps within the last or next 24 hours relative to `now`.
+ * Older or more distant timestamps use the full, exact timestamp instead.
+ */
+export function formatRelativeTimestamp(timestamp: unknown, now = Date.now()): string {
+  const date = parseToDate(timestamp);
+  if (!date) {
+    return FALLBACK_STRING;
+  }
+
+  const differenceMs = date.getTime() - now;
+  if (Math.abs(differenceMs) >= RELATIVE_TIMESTAMP_THRESHOLD_MS) {
+    return formatTimestamp(date);
+  }
+
+  const differenceSeconds = Math.floor(Math.abs(differenceMs) / 1000);
+  if (differenceSeconds === 0) {
+    return 'just now';
+  }
+  const unit =
+    differenceSeconds < 60
+      ? { value: differenceSeconds, label: 'second' }
+      : differenceSeconds < 3600
+        ? { value: Math.floor(differenceSeconds / 60), label: 'minute' }
+        : { value: Math.floor(differenceSeconds / 3600), label: 'hour' };
+  const value = `${unit.value} ${unit.label}${unit.value === 1 ? '' : 's'}`;
+
+  if (differenceMs > 0) {
+    return `in ${value}`;
+  }
+  return `${value} ago`;
+}