docs: add release checklist for maintainers

CONTRIBUTING.md

@@ -282,6 +282,13 @@ The PR template will prompt you for:
 
 ---
 
+## Releasing NotifyChain
+
+Maintainers preparing a tagged release should follow the steps in
+[`docs/RELEASE_CHECKLIST.md`](docs/RELEASE_CHECKLIST.md), including CI-parity
+testing, documentation review, and release validation.
+
+## Review Process
 ## Automated Dependency Updates
 
 Review expectations and a per-area checklist live in

docs/RELEASE_CHECKLIST.md

@@ -0,0 +1,123 @@
+# NotifyChain Release Checklist
+
+Use this checklist before publishing a new NotifyChain release (tagged version on
+`main`). It aligns with the [CI workflow](../.github/workflows/ci.yml) and the
+verification steps in [CONTRIBUTING.md](../CONTRIBUTING.md).
+
+## Before you start
+
+- [ ] Release scope is agreed (contracts, listener, dashboard, docs only, etc.).
+- [ ] All changes for the release are merged to `main` (or the release branch).
+- [ ] `main` is up to date with upstream:
+  ```bash
+  git checkout main
+  git pull upstream main
+  ```
+
+## Testing
+
+Run the same checks CI runs on pull requests. From the repository root:
+
+### Rust (Soroban contracts)
+
+```bash
+cd contract
+rustup component add rustfmt
+cargo fmt --all -- --check
+cargo test --workspace --all-features --verbose
+```
+
+- [ ] `cargo fmt` check passes
+- [ ] All contract unit tests pass
+- [ ] Fuzz tests pass (`cargo test fuzz_ --verbose -- --nocapture` in `contract/`)
+
+### Listener
+
+```bash
+cd listener
+npm ci
+npm run lint
+npm run typecheck
+npm test --silent
+```
+
+- [ ] Listener lint/typecheck passes
+- [ ] Listener tests pass
+
+### Dashboard
+
+```bash
+cd dashboard
+npm ci
+npm run lint
+npm run build
+npm test --silent
+npm run test:wallet --silent
+```
+
+- [ ] Dashboard lint passes
+- [ ] Dashboard build (TypeScript + Vite) succeeds
+- [ ] Dashboard tests pass
+- [ ] Wallet integration tests pass (`npm run test:wallet`)
+
+### Listener database migrations (when schema changes ship)
+
+```bash
+cd listener
+npm ci
+npm run migrate
+npm run check-migrations
+```
+
+- [ ] Migrations apply cleanly on a fresh database
+- [ ] No pending migrations reported by `check-migrations`
+
+### Optional (when release includes these areas)
+
+- [ ] Contract WASM builds successfully (`stellar contract build` in `contract/`)
+- [ ] Listener production build: `cd listener && npm run build`
+- [ ] Manual smoke test: listener events API + dashboard against testnet (see [README](../README.md#local-development-guide))
+
+## Documentation review
+
+- [ ] [README.md](../README.md) reflects new features, config, or breaking changes
+- [ ] [CONTRIBUTING.md](../CONTRIBUTING.md) is still accurate (setup, test commands)
+- [ ] User-facing guides updated where behavior changed (for example
+      [TROUBLESHOOTING.md](../TROUBLESHOOTING.md),
+      [NOTIFICATION_PAYLOAD_SCHEMA.md](../NOTIFICATION_PAYLOAD_SCHEMA.md),
+      [CONTRACT_UPGRADE_GUIDE.md](../CONTRACT_UPGRADE_GUIDE.md))
+- [ ] Environment variables documented in `listener/.env.example` if new vars were added
+- [ ] Breaking API or event schema changes noted (changelog entry or dedicated doc)
+
+## Release validation
+
+### Version and artifacts
+
+- [ ] Release version number chosen (semver tag, e.g. `v1.2.0`)
+- [ ] Contract version / WASM artifacts identified if contracts ship in this release
+- [ ] If upgrading deployed contracts, [CONTRACT_UPGRADE_GUIDE.md](../CONTRACT_UPGRADE_GUIDE.md) followed and testnet verification completed
+
+### Tag and publish
+
+- [ ] Git tag created on the release commit:
+  ```bash
+  git tag -a vX.Y.Z -m "Release vX.Y.Z"
+  git push upstream vX.Y.Z   # or push tag to your fork and open PR if tags go via maintainers
+  ```
+- [ ] GitHub Release drafted with summary, upgrade notes, and known issues
+- [ ] Release notes list contributors and link closed issues where helpful
+
+### Post-release
+
+- [ ] Deployed environments updated (listener, dashboard) if applicable
+- [ ] Staging workflow expectations met if using the `staging` branch (see
+      [.github/workflows/staging.yml](../.github/workflows/staging.yml))
+- [ ] Monitor logs and notification delivery after deploy
+- [ ] Open follow-up issues for deferred items or regressions found after ship
+
+## Sign-off
+
+| Role            | Name | Date | Notes |
+|-----------------|------|------|-------|
+| Release manager |      |      |       |
+| Technical review|      |      |       |