diff --git a/src/php/src/Api/Controllers/Api/UnifiedPixelController.php b/src/php/src/Api/Controllers/Api/UnifiedPixelController.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d7e51c2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/php/src/Api/Controllers/Api/UnifiedPixelController.php
@@ -0,0 +1,50 @@
+<?php
+
+declare(strict_types=1);
+
+namespace Core\Api\Controllers\Api;
+
+use Core\Api\RateLimit\RateLimit;
+use Illuminate\Http\Request;
+use Illuminate\Http\Response;
+use Illuminate\Routing\Controller;
+
+/**
+ * Unified tracking pixel controller.
+ *
+ * GET /api/pixel/{pixelKey} returns a transparent 1x1 GIF for image embeds.
+ * POST /api/pixel/{pixelKey} returns 204 No Content for fetch-based tracking.
+ */
+class UnifiedPixelController extends Controller
+{
+    /**
+     * Transparent 1x1 GIF used by browser pixel embeds.
+     */
+    private const TRANSPARENT_GIF = 'R0lGODlhAQABAPAAAP///wAAACH5BAAAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw==';
+
+    /**
+     * Track a pixel hit.
+     *
+     * GET /api/pixel/abc12345 -> transparent GIF
+     * POST /api/pixel/abc12345 -> 204 No Content
+     */
+    #[RateLimit(limit: 10000, window: 60)]
+    public function track(Request $request, string $pixelKey): Response
+    {
+        if ($request->isMethod('post')) {
+            return response()->noContent()
+                ->header('Cache-Control', 'no-store, no-cache, must-revalidate, max-age=0')
+                ->header('Pragma', 'no-cache')
+                ->header('Expires', '0');
+        }
+
+        $pixel = base64_decode(self::TRANSPARENT_GIF);
+
+        return response($pixel, 200)
+            ->header('Content-Type', 'image/gif')
+            ->header('Cache-Control', 'no-store, no-cache, must-revalidate, max-age=0')
+            ->header('Pragma', 'no-cache')
+            ->header('Expires', '0')
+            ->header('Content-Length', (string) strlen($pixel));
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/php/src/Api/Exceptions/RateLimitExceededException.php b/src/php/src/Api/Exceptions/RateLimitExceededException.php
index d96702a..ac764cd 100644
--- a/src/php/src/Api/Exceptions/RateLimitExceededException.php
+++ b/src/php/src/Api/Exceptions/RateLimitExceededException.php
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ namespace Core\Api\Exceptions;
 use Core\Api\RateLimit\RateLimitResult;
 use Core\Api\Concerns\HasApiResponses;
 use Illuminate\Http\JsonResponse;
+use Illuminate\Http\Request;
 use Symfony\Component\HttpKernel\Exception\HttpException;
 
 /**
@@ -36,9 +37,9 @@ class RateLimitExceededException extends HttpException
     /**
      * Render the exception as a JSON response.
      */
-    public function render(): JsonResponse
+    public function render(?Request $request = null): JsonResponse
     {
-        return $this->errorResponse(
+        $response = $this->errorResponse(
             errorCode: 'rate_limit_exceeded',
             message: $this->getMessage(),
             meta: [
@@ -48,6 +49,14 @@ class RateLimitExceededException extends HttpException
             ],
             status: 429,
         )->withHeaders($this->rateLimitResult->headers());
+
+        if ($request !== null) {
+            $origin = $request->headers->get('Origin', '*');
+            $response->headers->set('Access-Control-Allow-Origin', $origin);
+            $response->headers->set('Vary', 'Origin');
+        }
+
+        return $response;
     }
 
     /**
diff --git a/src/php/src/Api/Routes/api.php b/src/php/src/Api/Routes/api.php
index cec4478..638744e 100644
--- a/src/php/src/Api/Routes/api.php
+++ b/src/php/src/Api/Routes/api.php
@@ -2,7 +2,9 @@
 
 declare(strict_types=1);
 
+use Core\Api\Controllers\Api\UnifiedPixelController;
 use Core\Api\Controllers\McpApiController;
+use Core\Api\Middleware\PublicApiCors;
 use Core\Mcp\Middleware\McpApiKeyAuth;
 use Illuminate\Support\Facades\Route;
 
@@ -13,11 +15,23 @@ use Illuminate\Support\Facades\Route;
 |
 | Core API routes for cross-cutting concerns.
 |
-| TODO: SeoReportController, UnifiedPixelController, EntitlementApiController
-|       are planned but not yet implemented. Re-add routes when controllers exist.
+| TODO: SeoReportController and EntitlementApiController are planned but not
+|       yet implemented. Re-add routes when controllers exist.
 |
 */
 
+// ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+// Unified Pixel (public tracking)
+// ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+Route::middleware([PublicApiCors::class, 'api.rate'])
+    ->prefix('pixel')
+    ->name('api.pixel.')
+    ->group(function () {
+        Route::match(['GET', 'POST', 'OPTIONS'], '/{pixelKey}', [UnifiedPixelController::class, 'track'])
+            ->name('track');
+    });
+
 // ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 // MCP HTTP Bridge (API key auth)
 // ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
diff --git a/src/php/src/Api/Tests/Feature/PixelEndpointTest.php b/src/php/src/Api/Tests/Feature/PixelEndpointTest.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1e58d75
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/php/src/Api/Tests/Feature/PixelEndpointTest.php
@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+<?php
+
+declare(strict_types=1);
+
+use Illuminate\Support\Facades\Cache;
+
+beforeEach(function () {
+    Cache::flush();
+});
+
+afterEach(function () {
+    Cache::flush();
+});
+
+it('returns a transparent gif for get requests', function () {
+    $response = $this->get('/api/pixel/abc12345', [
+        'Origin' => 'https://example.com',
+    ]);
+
+    $response->assertOk();
+    $response->assertHeader('Content-Type', 'image/gif');
+    $response->assertHeader('Access-Control-Allow-Origin', 'https://example.com');
+    $response->assertHeader('X-RateLimit-Limit', '10000');
+    $response->assertHeader('X-RateLimit-Remaining', '9999');
+
+    expect($response->getContent())->toBe(base64_decode('R0lGODlhAQABAPAAAP///wAAACH5BAAAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw=='));
+});
+
+it('accepts post tracking requests without a body', function () {
+    $response = $this->post('/api/pixel/abc12345', [], [
+        'Origin' => 'https://example.com',
+    ]);
+
+    $response->assertNoContent();
+    $response->assertHeader('Access-Control-Allow-Origin', 'https://example.com');
+    $response->assertHeader('X-RateLimit-Limit', '10000');
+    $response->assertHeader('X-RateLimit-Remaining', '9999');
+});
+
+it('handles preflight requests for public pixel tracking', function () {
+    $response = $this->call('OPTIONS', '/api/pixel/abc12345', [], [], [], [
+        'HTTP_ORIGIN' => 'https://example.com',
+    ]);
+
+    $response->assertNoContent();
+    $response->assertHeader('Access-Control-Allow-Origin', 'https://example.com');
+    $response->assertHeader('Access-Control-Allow-Methods', 'GET, POST, OPTIONS');
+});