diff --git a/apps/edr-freight-web/portal/src/pages/contracts/NewShipmentPage.tsx b/apps/edr-freight-web/portal/src/pages/contracts/NewShipmentPage.tsx
index 6b2ce4470..33a1343a2 100644
--- a/apps/edr-freight-web/portal/src/pages/contracts/NewShipmentPage.tsx
+++ b/apps/edr-freight-web/portal/src/pages/contracts/NewShipmentPage.tsx
@@ -265,8 +265,10 @@ function NewShipmentBookingForm({
       // still flip it per shipment.
       withReturn: contract.equipmentReturn === "WITH_RETURN",
       // The contract quotes USD; the customer bills this shipment in the
-      // currency they pick here. Intercity is always ETB.
-      paymentCurrency: contract.tradeDirection === "DOMESTIC" ? "ETB" : "USD",
+      // currency they pick here. Intercity is always ETB, so it is preset;
+      // everything else starts empty so the customer picks deliberately
+      // instead of silently inheriting USD.
+      paymentCurrency: contract.tradeDirection === "DOMESTIC" ? "ETB" : "",
     },
     resolver: zodResolver(
       createShipmentFormSchema({
@@ -340,7 +342,11 @@ function NewShipmentBookingForm({
       ...(values.contractRouteId
         ? { contractRouteId: values.contractRouteId }
         : {}),
-      paymentCurrency: values.paymentCurrency,
+      // Validation guarantees a currency by here; the guard keeps an empty
+      // value out of the payload rather than tripping the API's @IsIn check.
+      ...(values.paymentCurrency
+        ? { paymentCurrency: values.paymentCurrency }
+        : {}),
       // Intercity bookings carry no date — staff assign a passing train later.
       ...(values.scheduledDate
         ? { scheduledDate: new Date(values.scheduledDate).toISOString() }
@@ -1131,23 +1137,32 @@ function ScheduleStep({
       <Controller
         name="paymentCurrency"
         control={form.control}
-        render={({ field }) => (
+        render={({ field, fieldState }) => (
           <Box mb="lg">
             <StepLabel>Billing currency *</StepLabel>
             <Text fz={12.5} c="dimmed" mt={4} mb={10}>
               Your contract is quoted in USD. Pick the currency this shipment is
               invoiced in — the total is converted for you.
             </Text>
+            {/* Rendered unselected until the customer chooses: SegmentedControl
+                highlights whatever value it is given, so passing a fallback
+                here would look like a made choice. */}
             <SegmentedControl
-              value={field.value ?? "USD"}
+              value={field.value || ""}
               onChange={(v) => field.onChange(v)}
               data={[
+                { label: "Select…", value: "", disabled: true },
                 { label: "USD", value: "USD" },
                 { label: "ETB", value: "ETB" },
               ]}
               color="edr-green"
               radius={10}
             />
+            {fieldState.error && (
+              <Text fz={12.5} c="red.6" mt={6}>
+                {fieldState.error.message}
+              </Text>
+            )}
           </Box>
         )}
       />
diff --git a/apps/edr-freight-web/portal/src/pages/contracts/new-shipment-form/currency.test.ts b/apps/edr-freight-web/portal/src/pages/contracts/new-shipment-form/currency.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..ca818659c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/edr-freight-web/portal/src/pages/contracts/new-shipment-form/currency.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+import { describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
+
+import { createShipmentFormSchema, initialShipmentFormValues } from "./schema";
+
+const schema = createShipmentFormSchema({
+  isContainer: false,
+  isHazardous: false,
+  isReefer: false,
+  requiresDate: false,
+});
+
+const values = (over: Record<string, unknown> = {}) => ({
+  ...initialShipmentFormValues,
+  cargoWeightTons: "10",
+  ...over,
+});
+
+const currencyIssues = (input: Record<string, unknown>) => {
+  const result = schema.safeParse(input);
+  return result.success
+    ? []
+    : result.error.issues.filter((i) => i.path[0] === "paymentCurrency");
+};
+
+describe("paymentCurrency validation", () => {
+  it("defaults to empty rather than silently picking USD", () => {
+    expect(initialShipmentFormValues.paymentCurrency ?? "").toBe("");
+  });
+
+  it("rejects a submit with no currency chosen", () => {
+    const issues = currencyIssues(values({ paymentCurrency: "" }));
+    expect(issues).toHaveLength(1);
+    expect(issues[0].message).toBe("Select the billing currency for this shipment.");
+  });
+
+  it("accepts either currency once chosen", () => {
+    expect(currencyIssues(values({ paymentCurrency: "USD" }))).toHaveLength(0);
+    expect(currencyIssues(values({ paymentCurrency: "ETB" }))).toHaveLength(0);
+  });
+});
diff --git a/apps/edr-freight-web/portal/src/pages/contracts/new-shipment-form/schema.ts b/apps/edr-freight-web/portal/src/pages/contracts/new-shipment-form/schema.ts
index 539296f5d..825112980 100644
--- a/apps/edr-freight-web/portal/src/pages/contracts/new-shipment-form/schema.ts
+++ b/apps/edr-freight-web/portal/src/pages/contracts/new-shipment-form/schema.ts
@@ -76,8 +76,9 @@ const shipmentFormBase = z.object({
   // EXPORT rail: the specific train picked for the shipment day (schedule id).
   trainScheduleId: z.string().default(""),
   // The contract quotes in USD; the customer picks the billing currency for
-  // THIS shipment. Intercity is forced to ETB (server-enforced too).
-  paymentCurrency: z.enum(["USD", "ETB"]).default("USD"),
+  // THIS shipment. Starts empty so the choice is deliberate — validated as
+  // required below. Intercity is forced to ETB (server-enforced too).
+  paymentCurrency: z.enum(["USD", "ETB", ""]).default(""),
   // Container contracts only: return the empty container(s) to EDR after
   // unloading. Seeded from the contract's equipment return; bulk ignores it.
   withReturn: z.boolean().default(false),
@@ -101,6 +102,15 @@ export function createShipmentFormSchema(ctx: ShipmentValidationContext) {
       });
     }
 
+    // No default currency — the customer must pick one before submitting.
+    if (!data.paymentCurrency) {
+      refineCtx.addIssue({
+        code: "custom",
+        path: ["paymentCurrency"],
+        message: "Select the billing currency for this shipment.",
+      });
+    }
+
     if (ctx.isContainer) {
       // Containerized cargo must say WHAT is inside — required per booking.
       if (!data.cargoDescription.trim()) {
@@ -311,6 +321,6 @@ export const shipmentStepFields: Record<
     "bulkReeferQuantity",
     "withReturn",
   ],
-  2: ["scheduledDate"],
+  2: ["paymentCurrency", "scheduledDate"],
   3: ["notes"],
 };