diff --git a/backend/app/services/payout.py b/backend/app/services/payout.py
index f731a6a..d12f04b 100644
--- a/backend/app/services/payout.py
+++ b/backend/app/services/payout.py
@@ -15,7 +15,9 @@ from sqlalchemy import select
 from sqlalchemy.ext.asyncio import AsyncSession
 
 from app.models.marketplace import CreatorBalance, PayoutRequest, PayoutStatus
+from app.models.wallet import Transaction, TransactionType
 from app.services.purchase import PurchaseService
+from app.services.wallet import WalletService
 
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
@@ -158,6 +160,24 @@ class PayoutService:
         payout.reviewed_by = reviewer_id
         payout.reviewed_at = now
 
+        # Record immutable ledger audit row
+        wallet = await WalletService.get_or_create_wallet(db, payout.creator_id, for_update=True)
+        tx = Transaction(
+            wallet_id=wallet.id,
+            type=TransactionType.payout,
+            amount=-payout.amount,
+            balance_after=wallet.balance,
+            reference_type="payout_request",
+            reference_id=str(payout.id),
+            idempotency_key=f"payout-audit-{payout.id}",
+            metadata_json={
+                "provider_ref": provider_ref,
+                "reviewed_by": reviewer_id,
+                "external_ref": payout.external_ref,
+            },
+        )
+        db.add(tx)
+
         await db.commit()
         await db.refresh(payout)
         return payout
diff --git a/backend/tests/test_payout_review.py b/backend/tests/test_payout_review.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..bd29bcb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/tests/test_payout_review.py
@@ -0,0 +1,108 @@
+"""Integration tests for Payout Admin Review, PayoutProvider, and Ledger Audit Trail.
+
+docs/planning/economy.md US-5 (task b52008923e93).
+"""
+
+import pytest
+from fastapi.testclient import TestClient
+from sqlalchemy import select
+from sqlalchemy.ext.asyncio import async_sessionmaker, create_async_engine
+from sqlalchemy.pool import NullPool
+
+from app.config import settings
+from app.main import app
+from app.models.marketplace import CreatorBalance
+from app.models.wallet import Transaction, TransactionType
+from app.services.payout import NoopPayoutProvider
+
+
+def _register(client: TestClient, username: str) -> tuple[int, dict[str, str]]:
+    resp = client.post(
+        "/api/auth/register",
+        json={
+            "username": username,
+            "email": f"{username}@example.com",
+            "password": "secret123",
+            "date_of_birth": "1990-01-01",
+        },
+    )
+    assert resp.status_code == 201, resp.text
+    token = resp.json()["access_token"]
+    headers = {"Authorization": f"Bearer {token}"}
+    me = client.get("/api/users/me", headers=headers)
+    assert me.status_code == 200, me.text
+    return me.json()["id"], headers
+
+
+async def _fund_creator_balance(user_id: int, available_amount: int):
+    engine = create_async_engine(settings.DATABASE_URL, poolclass=NullPool)
+    session_factory = async_sessionmaker(engine, expire_on_commit=False)
+    async with session_factory() as session:
+        cb = CreatorBalance(
+            user_id=user_id,
+            available=available_amount,
+            pending=0,
+            lifetime_earned=available_amount,
+        )
+        session.add(cb)
+        await session.commit()
+    await engine.dispose()
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_payout_provider_noop():
+    provider = NoopPayoutProvider()
+    success, ref = await provider.pay(user_id=1, amount=500, external_ref="test@example.com")
+    assert success is True
+    assert ref.startswith("noop_payout_")
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_payout_admin_review_audit_trail_and_ledger():
+    client = TestClient(app)
+    admin_id, admin_headers = _register(client, "admin_audit_reviewer")
+    creator_id, creator_headers = _register(client, "audit_creator_user")
+
+    await _fund_creator_balance(creator_id, 1500)
+
+    # 1. Creator requests payout
+    req_resp = client.post(
+        "/api/payouts",
+        headers=creator_headers,
+        json={"amount": 600, "external_ref": "stripe_acct_456"},
+    )
+    assert req_resp.status_code == 201, req_resp.text
+    payout_id = req_resp.json()["id"]
+
+    # 2. Admin approves payout
+    appr_resp = client.post(
+        f"/api/payouts/{payout_id}/approve",
+        headers=admin_headers,
+    )
+    assert appr_resp.status_code == 200, appr_resp.text
+    data = appr_resp.json()
+    assert data["status"] == "paid"
+    assert data["reviewed_by"] == admin_id
+    assert data["reviewed_at"] is not None
+    assert data["provider_ref"] is not None
+    provider_ref = data["provider_ref"]
+
+    # 3. Verify ledger transaction row was recorded for audit trail
+    engine = create_async_engine(settings.DATABASE_URL, poolclass=NullPool)
+    session_factory = async_sessionmaker(engine, expire_on_commit=False)
+    async with session_factory() as session:
+        stmt = (
+            select(Transaction)
+            .where(
+                Transaction.reference_type == "payout_request",
+                Transaction.reference_id == str(payout_id),
+            )
+        )
+        tx = (await session.execute(stmt)).scalar_one_or_none()
+        assert tx is not None
+        assert tx.type == TransactionType.payout
+        assert tx.amount == -600
+        assert tx.metadata_json["provider_ref"] == provider_ref
+        assert tx.metadata_json["reviewed_by"] == admin_id
+        assert tx.metadata_json["external_ref"] == "stripe_acct_456"
+    await engine.dispose()