diff --git a/CHANGES/11969.doc.rst b/CHANGES/11969.doc.rst
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..a2df865581d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/CHANGES/11969.doc.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+Added rate-limiting client middleware example (``examples/rate_limit_middleware.py``)
+demonstrating token-bucket rate limiting with per-domain support and ``Retry-After``
+header handling -- by :user:`rodrigobnogueira`.
diff --git a/examples/rate_limit_middleware.py b/examples/rate_limit_middleware.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..a5cea427027
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/rate_limit_middleware.py
@@ -0,0 +1,168 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
+"""
+Client-side rate-limiting middleware example for aiohttp.
+
+Demonstrates how to throttle outgoing requests using a token-bucket
+algorithm.  This is *not* server-side rate limiting — it limits how
+fast the client sends requests so it does not overwhelm upstream
+servers or exceed API quotas.
+
+Features:
+- Configurable rate and burst size
+- Optional per-domain buckets
+- Automatic ``Retry-After`` header handling
+"""
+
+import asyncio
+import logging
+import time
+from collections import defaultdict, deque
+from http import HTTPStatus
+
+from aiohttp import ClientHandlerType, ClientRequest, ClientResponse, ClientSession, web
+
+logging.basicConfig(level=logging.INFO)
+_LOGGER = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+
+
+class TokenBucket:
+    """FIFO token-bucket using an ``asyncio.Event`` queue.
+
+    Each caller appends its own event to a FIFO queue and waits.
+    A single ``_schedule`` coroutine services the queue front-to-back,
+    sleeping until each slot's send time arrives and then unblocking
+    the corresponding caller.  This guarantees strict FIFO ordering
+    even under high concurrency.
+    """
+
+    def __init__(self, rate: float, burst: int) -> None:
+        self._interval = 1.0 / rate
+        self._burst = burst
+        # Start *burst* intervals in the past so the first
+        # ``burst`` acquires are instant.
+        self._next_send = time.monotonic() - burst * self._interval
+        self._waiters: deque[asyncio.Event] = deque()
+        self._scheduling: bool = False
+
+    async def acquire(self) -> None:
+        """Reserve the next send slot and wait until it arrives."""
+        event = asyncio.Event()
+        self._waiters.append(event)
+        self._ensure_scheduling()
+        await event.wait()
+
+    def _ensure_scheduling(self) -> None:
+        """Start the scheduler loop if it is not already running."""
+        if not self._scheduling:
+            self._scheduling = True
+            _ = asyncio.ensure_future(self._schedule())
+
+    async def _schedule(self) -> None:
+        """Service waiters in FIFO order, one slot at a time."""
+        while self._waiters:
+            now = time.monotonic()
+            # Cap drift so idle periods never accumulate
+            # more than *burst* free slots.
+            self._next_send = max(self._next_send, now - self._burst * self._interval)
+            self._next_send += self._interval
+            delay = self._next_send - now
+            if delay > 0:
+                await asyncio.sleep(delay)
+            self._waiters.popleft().set()
+        self._scheduling = False
+
+
+class RateLimitMiddleware:
+    """Middleware that rate limits requests using token bucket algorithm."""
+
+    rate: float
+    burst: int
+    per_domain: bool
+    respect_retry_after: bool
+
+    def __init__(
+        self,
+        rate: float = 10.0,
+        burst: int = 10,
+        per_domain: bool = False,
+        respect_retry_after: bool = True,
+    ) -> None:
+        self.rate = rate
+        self.burst = burst
+        self.per_domain = per_domain
+        self.respect_retry_after = respect_retry_after
+        self._global_bucket = TokenBucket(rate, burst)
+        self._domain_buckets: dict[str, TokenBucket] = defaultdict(
+            lambda: TokenBucket(rate, burst)
+        )
+
+    def _get_bucket(self, request: ClientRequest) -> TokenBucket:
+        if self.per_domain:
+            domain = request.url.host or "unknown"
+            return self._domain_buckets[domain]
+        return self._global_bucket
+
+    async def _handle_retry_after(self, response: ClientResponse) -> None:
+        if response.status != HTTPStatus.TOO_MANY_REQUESTS:
+            return
+        retry_after = response.headers.get("Retry-After")
+        if retry_after:
+            try:
+                wait_seconds = float(retry_after)
+                _LOGGER.info("Server requested Retry-After: %ss", wait_seconds)
+                await asyncio.sleep(wait_seconds)
+            except ValueError:
+                _LOGGER.debug(
+                    "Retry-After is not a number (likely HTTP-date): %s", retry_after
+                )
+
+    async def __call__(
+        self,
+        request: ClientRequest,
+        handler: ClientHandlerType,
+    ) -> ClientResponse:
+        """Execute request with rate limiting."""
+        bucket = self._get_bucket(request)
+        await bucket.acquire()
+
+        response = await handler(request)
+
+        if self.respect_retry_after:
+            await self._handle_retry_after(response)
+
+        return response
+
+
+# ------------------------------------------------------------------
+# Self-contained demo (no external dependencies)
+async def _demo_handler(_request: web.Request) -> web.Response:
+    return web.Response(text="OK")
+
+
+async def main() -> None:
+    app = web.Application()
+    _ = app.router.add_get("/get", _demo_handler)
+    runner = web.AppRunner(app)
+    await runner.setup()
+    site = web.TCPSite(runner, "127.0.0.1", 0)
+    await site.start()
+
+    port: int = site.port
+    rate_limit = RateLimitMiddleware(rate=5.0, burst=2)
+    start = time.monotonic()
+
+    try:
+        async with ClientSession(
+            base_url=f"http://127.0.0.1:{port}",
+            middlewares=(rate_limit,),
+        ) as session:
+            for i in range(5):
+                async with session.get("/get") as resp:
+                    elapsed = time.monotonic() - start
+                    print(f"Request {i + 1}: {resp.status} at t={elapsed:.2f}s")
+    finally:
+        await runner.cleanup()
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    asyncio.run(main())
diff --git a/examples/tests/pytest.ini b/examples/tests/pytest.ini
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..8970bf43ade
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/tests/pytest.ini
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+[pytest]
+pythonpath = ..
diff --git a/examples/tests/test_rate_limit_middleware.py b/examples/tests/test_rate_limit_middleware.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..a4b4e3d31b0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/tests/test_rate_limit_middleware.py
@@ -0,0 +1,137 @@
+"""
+Tests for the rate_limit_middleware.py example.
+
+Run with:
+    pytest examples/tests/test_rate_limit_middleware.py -v
+"""
+
+import asyncio
+import time
+
+import pytest
+from rate_limit_middleware import RateLimitMiddleware, TokenBucket
+
+from aiohttp import web
+from aiohttp.pytest_plugin import AiohttpClient
+
+
+async def _ok_handler(request: web.Request) -> web.Response:
+    return web.Response(text="OK")
+
+
+def _make_app() -> web.Application:
+    app = web.Application()
+    app.router.add_get("/api", _ok_handler)
+    return app
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_token_bucket_allows_burst() -> None:
+    """Tokens up to burst size should be available immediately."""
+    bucket = TokenBucket(rate=10.0, burst=3)
+    start = time.monotonic()
+    for _ in range(3):
+        await bucket.acquire()
+    elapsed = time.monotonic() - start
+    # All three should be nearly instant (burst)
+    assert elapsed < 0.05
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_token_bucket_refills_after_idle() -> None:
+    """After draining, idle time should replenish burst slots."""
+    bucket = TokenBucket(rate=100.0, burst=1)
+    await bucket.acquire()
+    await asyncio.sleep(0.05)
+    start = time.monotonic()
+    await bucket.acquire()
+    elapsed = time.monotonic() - start
+    # Should be near-instant because idle refilled the slot
+    assert elapsed < 0.02
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_token_bucket_fifo_ordering() -> None:
+    """Concurrent acquires should be served in FIFO order."""
+    bucket = TokenBucket(rate=100.0, burst=1)
+    order: list[int] = []
+
+    async def numbered_acquire(n: int) -> None:
+        await bucket.acquire()
+        order.append(n)
+
+    tasks = [asyncio.create_task(numbered_acquire(i)) for i in range(3)]
+    await asyncio.gather(*tasks)
+    assert order == [0, 1, 2]
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_rate_limit_middleware_throttles(
+    aiohttp_client: AiohttpClient,
+) -> None:
+    """Global middleware should throttle requests beyond burst."""
+    middleware = RateLimitMiddleware(rate=50.0, burst=2)
+    client = await aiohttp_client(_make_app(), middlewares=(middleware,))
+
+    start = time.monotonic()
+    for _ in range(4):
+        resp = await client.get("/api")
+        assert resp.status == 200
+    elapsed = time.monotonic() - start
+
+    # 2 burst + 2 throttled at 50/s ≈ 0.04s minimum wait.
+    # Upper bound (0.5s) catches hangs or accidental double-sleeps
+    # while staying generous enough for CI environments.
+    assert 0.02 <= elapsed < 0.5
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_rate_limit_middleware_per_domain(
+    aiohttp_client: AiohttpClient,
+) -> None:
+    """Per-domain middleware should isolate buckets per host."""
+    middleware = RateLimitMiddleware(rate=100.0, burst=1, per_domain=True)
+    client = await aiohttp_client(_make_app(), middlewares=(middleware,))
+
+    start = time.monotonic()
+    # Same host, so they share a bucket — second request should wait
+    resp1 = await client.get("/api")
+    resp2 = await client.get("/api")
+    elapsed = time.monotonic() - start
+
+    assert resp1.status == 200
+    assert resp2.status == 200
+    # Upper bound catches unexpected delays without being flaky on CI
+    assert 0.005 <= elapsed < 0.5
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_rate_limit_middleware_respects_retry_after(
+    aiohttp_client: AiohttpClient,
+) -> None:
+    """Middleware should sleep when server returns 429 + Retry-After."""
+    call_count = 0
+
+    async def rate_limited_handler(request: web.Request) -> web.Response:
+        nonlocal call_count
+        call_count += 1
+        if call_count <= 1:
+            return web.Response(
+                status=429,
+                headers={"Retry-After": "0.1"},
+            )
+        return web.Response(text="OK")
+
+    app = web.Application()
+    app.router.add_get("/api", rate_limited_handler)
+
+    middleware = RateLimitMiddleware(rate=100.0, burst=10, respect_retry_after=True)
+    client = await aiohttp_client(app, middlewares=(middleware,))
+
+    start = time.monotonic()
+    resp = await client.get("/api")
+    elapsed = time.monotonic() - start
+
+    assert resp.status == 429
+    # Upper bound catches unexpected delays without being flaky on CI
+    assert 0.08 <= elapsed < 0.5