diff --git a/ansible/services/bitcoin-knots/deploy_bitcoin_knots_playbook.yml b/ansible/services/bitcoin-knots/deploy_bitcoin_knots_playbook.yml
index 2684965..d818945 100644
--- a/ansible/services/bitcoin-knots/deploy_bitcoin_knots_playbook.yml
+++ b/ansible/services/bitcoin-knots/deploy_bitcoin_knots_playbook.yml
@@ -458,7 +458,7 @@
           # Check if bitcoind RPC is responding
           check_bitcoind() {
               local response
-              response=$(curl -s --max-time 5 \
+              response=$(curl -s --max-time 30 \
                   --user "${RPC_USER}:${RPC_PASSWORD}" \
                   --data-binary '{"jsonrpc":"1.0","id":"healthcheck","method":"getblockchaininfo","params":[]}' \
                   --header 'Content-Type: application/json' \
diff --git a/ansible/services/fulcrum/deploy_fulcrum_playbook.yml b/ansible/services/fulcrum/deploy_fulcrum_playbook.yml
index 984555f..1255cd6 100644
--- a/ansible/services/fulcrum/deploy_fulcrum_playbook.yml
+++ b/ansible/services/fulcrum/deploy_fulcrum_playbook.yml
@@ -72,6 +72,44 @@
         group: "{{ fulcrum_group }}"
         mode: '0755'
 
+    # ===========================================
+    # SSL Certificate Generation
+    # ===========================================
+    - name: Check if SSL certificate already exists
+      stat:
+        path: "{{ fulcrum_ssl_cert_path }}"
+      register: fulcrum_ssl_cert_exists
+      when: fulcrum_ssl_enabled | default(false)
+
+    - name: Generate self-signed SSL certificate for Fulcrum
+      command: >
+        openssl req -x509 -newkey rsa:4096
+        -keyout {{ fulcrum_ssl_key_path }}
+        -out {{ fulcrum_ssl_cert_path }}
+        -sha256 -days {{ fulcrum_ssl_cert_days }}
+        -nodes
+        -subj "/C=XX/ST=Decentralized/L=Bitcoin/O=Fulcrum/OU=Electrum/CN=fulcrum.local"
+      args:
+        creates: "{{ fulcrum_ssl_cert_path }}"
+      when: fulcrum_ssl_enabled | default(false)
+      notify: Restart fulcrum
+
+    - name: Set SSL certificate permissions
+      file:
+        path: "{{ fulcrum_ssl_cert_path }}"
+        owner: "{{ fulcrum_user }}"
+        group: "{{ fulcrum_group }}"
+        mode: '0644'
+      when: fulcrum_ssl_enabled | default(false) and fulcrum_ssl_cert_exists.stat.exists | default(false) or fulcrum_ssl_enabled | default(false)
+
+    - name: Set SSL key permissions
+      file:
+        path: "{{ fulcrum_ssl_key_path }}"
+        owner: "{{ fulcrum_user }}"
+        group: "{{ fulcrum_group }}"
+        mode: '0600'
+      when: fulcrum_ssl_enabled | default(false)
+
     - name: Check if Fulcrum binary already exists
       stat:
         path: "{{ fulcrum_binary_path }}"
@@ -140,6 +178,13 @@
           peering = {{ 'true' if fulcrum_peering else 'false' }}
           zmq_allow_hashtx = {{ 'true' if fulcrum_zmq_allow_hashtx else 'false' }}
 
+          # SSL/TLS Configuration
+          {% if fulcrum_ssl_enabled | default(false) %}
+          ssl = {{ fulcrum_ssl_bind }}:{{ fulcrum_ssl_port }}
+          cert = {{ fulcrum_ssl_cert_path }}
+          key = {{ fulcrum_ssl_key_path }}
+          {% endif %}
+
           # Anonymize client IP addresses and TxIDs in logs
           anon_logs = {{ 'true' if fulcrum_anon_logs else 'false' }}
 
@@ -477,3 +522,195 @@
         name: fulcrum
         state: restarted
 
+
+- name: Setup public Fulcrum SSL forwarding on vipy via systemd-socket-proxyd
+  hosts: vipy
+  become: yes
+  vars_files:
+    - ../../infra_vars.yml
+    - ../../services_config.yml
+    - ../../infra_secrets.yml
+    - ./fulcrum_vars.yml
+  vars:
+    uptime_kuma_api_url: "https://{{ subdomains.uptime_kuma }}.{{ root_domain }}"
+
+  tasks:
+    - name: Create Fulcrum SSL proxy socket unit
+      copy:
+        dest: /etc/systemd/system/fulcrum-ssl-proxy.socket
+        content: |
+          [Unit]
+          Description=Fulcrum SSL Proxy Socket
+
+          [Socket]
+          ListenStream={{ fulcrum_ssl_port }}
+
+          [Install]
+          WantedBy=sockets.target
+        owner: root
+        group: root
+        mode: '0644'
+      notify: Restart fulcrum-ssl-proxy socket
+
+    - name: Create Fulcrum SSL proxy service unit
+      copy:
+        dest: /etc/systemd/system/fulcrum-ssl-proxy.service
+        content: |
+          [Unit]
+          Description=Fulcrum SSL Proxy to {{ fulcrum_tailscale_hostname }}
+          Requires=fulcrum-ssl-proxy.socket
+          After=network.target
+
+          [Service]
+          Type=notify
+          ExecStart=/lib/systemd/systemd-socket-proxyd {{ fulcrum_tailscale_hostname }}:{{ fulcrum_ssl_port }}
+        owner: root
+        group: root
+        mode: '0644'
+
+    - name: Reload systemd daemon
+      systemd:
+        daemon_reload: yes
+
+    - name: Enable and start Fulcrum SSL proxy socket
+      systemd:
+        name: fulcrum-ssl-proxy.socket
+        enabled: yes
+        state: started
+
+    - name: Allow Fulcrum SSL port through UFW
+      ufw:
+        rule: allow
+        port: "{{ fulcrum_ssl_port | string }}"
+        proto: tcp
+        comment: "Fulcrum SSL public access"
+
+    - name: Verify connectivity to fulcrum-box via Tailscale
+      wait_for:
+        host: "{{ fulcrum_tailscale_hostname }}"
+        port: "{{ fulcrum_ssl_port }}"
+        timeout: 10
+      ignore_errors: yes
+
+    - name: Display public endpoint
+      debug:
+        msg: "Fulcrum SSL public endpoint: {{ ansible_host }}:{{ fulcrum_ssl_port }}"
+
+    # ===========================================
+    # Uptime Kuma TCP Monitor for Public SSL Port
+    # ===========================================
+    - name: Create Uptime Kuma TCP monitor setup script for Fulcrum SSL
+      delegate_to: localhost
+      become: no
+      copy:
+        dest: /tmp/setup_fulcrum_ssl_tcp_monitor.py
+        content: |
+          #!/usr/bin/env python3
+          import sys
+          import traceback
+          import yaml
+          from uptime_kuma_api import UptimeKumaApi, MonitorType
+
+          try:
+              with open('/tmp/ansible_fulcrum_ssl_config.yml', 'r') as f:
+                  config = yaml.safe_load(f)
+
+              url = config['uptime_kuma_url']
+              username = config['username']
+              password = config['password']
+              monitor_host = config['monitor_host']
+              monitor_port = config['monitor_port']
+              monitor_name = config['monitor_name']
+
+              api = UptimeKumaApi(url, timeout=30)
+              api.login(username, password)
+
+              monitors = api.get_monitors()
+
+              # Find or create "services" group
+              group = next((m for m in monitors if m.get('name') == 'services' and m.get('type') == 'group'), None)
+              if not group:
+                  api.add_monitor(type='group', name='services')
+                  monitors = api.get_monitors()
+                  group = next((m for m in monitors if m.get('name') == 'services' and m.get('type') == 'group'), None)
+
+              # Check if monitor already exists
+              existing = next((m for m in monitors if m.get('name') == monitor_name), None)
+
+              # Get ntfy notification ID
+              notifications = api.get_notifications()
+              ntfy_notification_id = None
+              for notif in notifications:
+                  if notif.get('type') == 'ntfy':
+                      ntfy_notification_id = notif.get('id')
+                      break
+
+              if existing:
+                  print(f"Monitor '{monitor_name}' already exists (ID: {existing['id']})")
+                  print("Skipping - monitor already configured")
+              else:
+                  print(f"Creating TCP monitor '{monitor_name}'...")
+                  api.add_monitor(
+                      type=MonitorType.PORT,
+                      name=monitor_name,
+                      hostname=monitor_host,
+                      port=monitor_port,
+                      parent=group['id'],
+                      interval=60,
+                      maxretries=3,
+                      retryInterval=60,
+                      notificationIDList={ntfy_notification_id: True} if ntfy_notification_id else {}
+                  )
+
+              api.disconnect()
+              print("SUCCESS")
+
+          except Exception as e:
+              print(f"ERROR: {str(e)}", file=sys.stderr)
+              traceback.print_exc(file=sys.stderr)
+              sys.exit(1)
+        mode: '0755'
+
+    - name: Create temporary config for TCP monitor setup
+      delegate_to: localhost
+      become: no
+      copy:
+        dest: /tmp/ansible_fulcrum_ssl_config.yml
+        content: |
+          uptime_kuma_url: "{{ uptime_kuma_api_url }}"
+          username: "{{ uptime_kuma_username }}"
+          password: "{{ uptime_kuma_password }}"
+          monitor_host: "{{ ansible_host }}"
+          monitor_port: {{ fulcrum_ssl_port }}
+          monitor_name: "Fulcrum SSL Public"
+        mode: '0644'
+
+    - name: Run Uptime Kuma TCP monitor setup
+      command: python3 /tmp/setup_fulcrum_ssl_tcp_monitor.py
+      delegate_to: localhost
+      become: no
+      register: tcp_monitor_setup
+      changed_when: "'SUCCESS' in tcp_monitor_setup.stdout"
+      ignore_errors: yes
+
+    - name: Display TCP monitor setup output
+      debug:
+        msg: "{{ tcp_monitor_setup.stdout_lines }}"
+      when: tcp_monitor_setup.stdout is defined
+
+    - name: Clean up TCP monitor temporary files
+      delegate_to: localhost
+      become: no
+      file:
+        path: "{{ item }}"
+        state: absent
+      loop:
+        - /tmp/setup_fulcrum_ssl_tcp_monitor.py
+        - /tmp/ansible_fulcrum_ssl_config.yml
+
+  handlers:
+    - name: Restart fulcrum-ssl-proxy socket
+      systemd:
+        name: fulcrum-ssl-proxy.socket
+        state: restarted
+
diff --git a/ansible/services/fulcrum/fulcrum_vars.yml b/ansible/services/fulcrum/fulcrum_vars.yml
index 2be35d6..8486b14 100644
--- a/ansible/services/fulcrum/fulcrum_vars.yml
+++ b/ansible/services/fulcrum/fulcrum_vars.yml
@@ -18,13 +18,24 @@ bitcoin_rpc_port: 8332  # Bitcoin Knots RPC port
 
 # Network - Fulcrum server
 fulcrum_tcp_port: 50001
-# Binding address for Fulcrum TCP server:
+fulcrum_ssl_port: 50002
+# Binding address for Fulcrum TCP/SSL server:
 #   - "127.0.0.1" = localhost only (use when Caddy is on the same box)
 #   - "0.0.0.0" = all interfaces (use when Caddy is on a different box)
 #   - Specific IP = bind to specific network interface
 fulcrum_tcp_bind: "0.0.0.0"  # Default: localhost (change to "0.0.0.0" if Caddy is on different box)
+fulcrum_ssl_bind: "0.0.0.0"  # Binding address for SSL port
 # If Caddy is on a different box, set this to the IP address that Caddy will use to connect
 
+# SSL/TLS Configuration
+fulcrum_ssl_enabled: true
+fulcrum_ssl_cert_path: "{{ fulcrum_config_dir }}/fulcrum.crt"
+fulcrum_ssl_key_path: "{{ fulcrum_config_dir }}/fulcrum.key"
+fulcrum_ssl_cert_days: 3650  # 10 years validity for self-signed cert
+
+# Port forwarding configuration (for public access via VPS)
+fulcrum_tailscale_hostname: "fulcrum-box"
+
 # Performance
 # db_mem will be calculated as 75% of available RAM automatically in playbook
 fulcrum_db_mem_percent: 0.75  # 75% of RAM for database cache