diff --git a/packages/core/src/core/index.ts b/packages/core/src/core/index.ts
index ccea9b90..f051a080 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/core/index.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/core/index.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,6 @@
 export * from './media/state';
+export * from './ui/buffering-indicator/buffering-indicator-core';
+export * from './ui/buffering-indicator/buffering-indicator-data-attrs';
 export * from './ui/controls/controls-core';
 export * from './ui/controls/controls-data-attrs';
 export * from './ui/fullscreen-button/fullscreen-button-core';
diff --git a/packages/core/src/core/ui/buffering-indicator/buffering-indicator-core.ts b/packages/core/src/core/ui/buffering-indicator/buffering-indicator-core.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..3935eceb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/core/src/core/ui/buffering-indicator/buffering-indicator-core.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,53 @@
+import { createState } from '@videojs/store';
+import { defaults } from '@videojs/utils/object';
+import type { NonNullableObject } from '@videojs/utils/types';
+
+import type { MediaPlaybackState } from '../../media/state';
+
+export interface BufferingIndicatorProps {
+  /** Delay in milliseconds before the indicator becomes visible. */
+  delay?: number | undefined;
+}
+
+export interface BufferingIndicatorState {
+  /** Whether the indicator should be visible. True after the delay elapses while media is waiting and not paused. */
+  visible: boolean;
+}
+
+export class BufferingIndicatorCore {
+  static readonly defaultProps: NonNullableObject<BufferingIndicatorProps> = {
+    delay: 500,
+  };
+
+  readonly state = createState<BufferingIndicatorState>({ visible: false });
+
+  #props = { ...BufferingIndicatorCore.defaultProps };
+  #timer: ReturnType<typeof setTimeout> | null = null;
+
+  setProps(props: BufferingIndicatorProps): void {
+    this.#props = defaults(props, BufferingIndicatorCore.defaultProps);
+  }
+
+  update(media: MediaPlaybackState): void {
+    const buffering = media.waiting && !media.paused;
+
+    if (buffering && !this.state.current.visible && !this.#timer) {
+      this.#timer = setTimeout(() => {
+        this.#timer = null;
+        this.state.patch({ visible: true });
+      }, this.#props.delay);
+    } else if (!buffering) {
+      if (this.#timer !== null) {
+        clearTimeout(this.#timer);
+        this.#timer = null;
+      }
+
+      this.state.patch({ visible: false });
+    }
+  }
+}
+
+export namespace BufferingIndicatorCore {
+  export type Props = BufferingIndicatorProps;
+  export type State = BufferingIndicatorState;
+}
diff --git a/packages/core/src/core/ui/buffering-indicator/buffering-indicator-data-attrs.ts b/packages/core/src/core/ui/buffering-indicator/buffering-indicator-data-attrs.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..eb0444cd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/core/src/core/ui/buffering-indicator/buffering-indicator-data-attrs.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+import type { StateAttrMap } from '../types';
+import type { BufferingIndicatorState } from './buffering-indicator-core';
+
+export const BufferingIndicatorDataAttrs = {
+  /** Present when the buffering indicator is visible (after delay). */
+  visible: 'data-visible',
+} as const satisfies StateAttrMap<BufferingIndicatorState>;
diff --git a/packages/core/src/core/ui/buffering-indicator/tests/buffering-indicator-core.test.ts b/packages/core/src/core/ui/buffering-indicator/tests/buffering-indicator-core.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..cd6daf13
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/core/src/core/ui/buffering-indicator/tests/buffering-indicator-core.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,237 @@
+import { flush } from '@videojs/store';
+import { afterEach, beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest';
+
+import type { MediaPlaybackState } from '../../../media/state';
+import { BufferingIndicatorCore } from '../buffering-indicator-core';
+
+function createMediaState(overrides: Partial<MediaPlaybackState> = {}): MediaPlaybackState {
+  return {
+    paused: true,
+    ended: false,
+    started: false,
+    waiting: false,
+    play: vi.fn(async () => {}),
+    pause: vi.fn(),
+    ...overrides,
+  };
+}
+
+describe('BufferingIndicatorCore', () => {
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    vi.useFakeTimers();
+  });
+
+  afterEach(() => {
+    vi.useRealTimers();
+  });
+
+  describe('update', () => {
+    it('visible is false when not waiting', () => {
+      const core = new BufferingIndicatorCore();
+
+      core.update(createMediaState({ waiting: false, paused: false }));
+
+      expect(core.state.current.visible).toBe(false);
+    });
+
+    it('visible is false when waiting but paused', () => {
+      const core = new BufferingIndicatorCore();
+
+      core.update(createMediaState({ waiting: true, paused: true }));
+
+      expect(core.state.current.visible).toBe(false);
+    });
+
+    it('visible is false immediately when waiting and not paused (before delay)', () => {
+      const core = new BufferingIndicatorCore();
+
+      core.update(createMediaState({ waiting: true, paused: false }));
+
+      expect(core.state.current.visible).toBe(false);
+    });
+
+    it('visible becomes true after default delay elapses', () => {
+      const core = new BufferingIndicatorCore();
+
+      core.update(createMediaState({ waiting: true, paused: false }));
+      vi.advanceTimersByTime(500);
+
+      expect(core.state.current.visible).toBe(true);
+    });
+
+    it('visible stays false if waiting ends before delay', () => {
+      const core = new BufferingIndicatorCore();
+
+      core.update(createMediaState({ waiting: true, paused: false }));
+      vi.advanceTimersByTime(300);
+
+      core.update(createMediaState({ waiting: false, paused: false }));
+
+      expect(core.state.current.visible).toBe(false);
+
+      // Even after more time, still not visible
+      vi.advanceTimersByTime(500);
+      expect(core.state.current.visible).toBe(false);
+    });
+
+    it('resets timer when waiting toggles off and on within delay', () => {
+      const core = new BufferingIndicatorCore();
+      const waiting = createMediaState({ waiting: true, paused: false });
+      const notWaiting = createMediaState({ waiting: false, paused: false });
+
+      core.update(waiting);
+      vi.advanceTimersByTime(300);
+
+      // Stop waiting (cancels timer)
+      core.update(notWaiting);
+
+      // Start waiting again (new timer)
+      core.update(waiting);
+      vi.advanceTimersByTime(300);
+
+      // Only 300ms into the new timer, not yet visible
+      expect(core.state.current.visible).toBe(false);
+
+      // Full 500ms from second start
+      vi.advanceTimersByTime(200);
+      expect(core.state.current.visible).toBe(true);
+    });
+
+    it('immediately hides when waiting ends while visible', () => {
+      const core = new BufferingIndicatorCore();
+
+      core.update(createMediaState({ waiting: true, paused: false }));
+      vi.advanceTimersByTime(500);
+      expect(core.state.current.visible).toBe(true);
+
+      core.update(createMediaState({ waiting: false, paused: false }));
+      expect(core.state.current.visible).toBe(false);
+    });
+
+    it('immediately hides when paused while visible', () => {
+      const core = new BufferingIndicatorCore();
+
+      core.update(createMediaState({ waiting: true, paused: false }));
+      vi.advanceTimersByTime(500);
+      expect(core.state.current.visible).toBe(true);
+
+      core.update(createMediaState({ waiting: true, paused: true }));
+      expect(core.state.current.visible).toBe(false);
+    });
+
+    it('is idempotent — repeated calls with same state do not restart timer', () => {
+      const core = new BufferingIndicatorCore();
+      const media = createMediaState({ waiting: true, paused: false });
+
+      core.update(media);
+      vi.advanceTimersByTime(300);
+
+      // Same state again — should NOT restart timer
+      core.update(media);
+      vi.advanceTimersByTime(200);
+
+      // 500ms total from first call — timer should fire
+      expect(core.state.current.visible).toBe(true);
+    });
+  });
+
+  describe('custom delay', () => {
+    it('respects a custom delay value', () => {
+      const core = new BufferingIndicatorCore();
+      core.setProps({ delay: 1000 });
+
+      core.update(createMediaState({ waiting: true, paused: false }));
+      vi.advanceTimersByTime(500);
+      expect(core.state.current.visible).toBe(false);
+
+      vi.advanceTimersByTime(500);
+      expect(core.state.current.visible).toBe(true);
+    });
+
+    it('respects delay: 0 for immediate visibility', () => {
+      const core = new BufferingIndicatorCore();
+      core.setProps({ delay: 0 });
+
+      core.update(createMediaState({ waiting: true, paused: false }));
+      vi.advanceTimersByTime(0);
+
+      expect(core.state.current.visible).toBe(true);
+    });
+
+    it('does not apply new delay to an already running timer', () => {
+      const core = new BufferingIndicatorCore();
+
+      core.update(createMediaState({ waiting: true, paused: false }));
+      vi.advanceTimersByTime(300);
+
+      core.setProps({ delay: 1000 });
+      vi.advanceTimersByTime(200);
+
+      // Original 500ms timer fires
+      expect(core.state.current.visible).toBe(true);
+    });
+  });
+
+  describe('state.subscribe', () => {
+    it('notifies subscribers when visible becomes true', () => {
+      const core = new BufferingIndicatorCore();
+      const callback = vi.fn();
+
+      core.state.subscribe(callback);
+
+      core.update(createMediaState({ waiting: true, paused: false }));
+      expect(callback).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+
+      vi.advanceTimersByTime(500);
+      flush();
+
+      expect(callback).toHaveBeenCalledOnce();
+    });
+
+    it('notifies subscribers when visible becomes false', () => {
+      const core = new BufferingIndicatorCore();
+      const callback = vi.fn();
+
+      core.update(createMediaState({ waiting: true, paused: false }));
+      vi.advanceTimersByTime(500);
+      flush();
+
+      core.state.subscribe(callback);
+
+      core.update(createMediaState({ waiting: false, paused: false }));
+      flush();
+
+      expect(callback).toHaveBeenCalledOnce();
+    });
+
+    it('does not notify if waiting ends before delay', () => {
+      const core = new BufferingIndicatorCore();
+      const callback = vi.fn();
+
+      core.state.subscribe(callback);
+
+      core.update(createMediaState({ waiting: true, paused: false }));
+      vi.advanceTimersByTime(300);
+      core.update(createMediaState({ waiting: false, paused: false }));
+
+      vi.advanceTimersByTime(500);
+      flush();
+
+      expect(callback).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    });
+
+    it('supports unsubscribe', () => {
+      const core = new BufferingIndicatorCore();
+      const callback = vi.fn();
+
+      const unsubscribe = core.state.subscribe(callback);
+      unsubscribe();
+
+      core.update(createMediaState({ waiting: true, paused: false }));
+      vi.advanceTimersByTime(500);
+      flush();
+
+      expect(callback).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    });
+  });
+});
diff --git a/packages/html/src/define/ui/buffering-indicator.ts b/packages/html/src/define/ui/buffering-indicator.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..f0e0faee
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/html/src/define/ui/buffering-indicator.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+import { BufferingIndicatorElement } from '../../ui/buffering-indicator/buffering-indicator-element';
+
+customElements.define(BufferingIndicatorElement.tagName, BufferingIndicatorElement);
+
+declare global {
+  interface HTMLElementTagNameMap {
+    [BufferingIndicatorElement.tagName]: BufferingIndicatorElement;
+  }
+}
diff --git a/packages/html/src/index.ts b/packages/html/src/index.ts
index bff75add..96b50c0d 100644
--- a/packages/html/src/index.ts
+++ b/packages/html/src/index.ts
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ export * from './store/container-mixin';
 export * from './store/provider-mixin';
 export * from './store/types';
 // UI Components
+export { BufferingIndicatorElement } from './ui/buffering-indicator/buffering-indicator-element';
 export { ControlsElement } from './ui/controls/controls-element';
 export { ControlsGroupElement } from './ui/controls/controls-group-element';
 export { FullscreenButtonElement } from './ui/fullscreen-button/fullscreen-button-element';
diff --git a/packages/html/src/ui/buffering-indicator/buffering-indicator-element.ts b/packages/html/src/ui/buffering-indicator/buffering-indicator-element.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..ddf10b18
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/html/src/ui/buffering-indicator/buffering-indicator-element.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,58 @@
+import { BufferingIndicatorCore, BufferingIndicatorDataAttrs } from '@videojs/core';
+import { applyStateDataAttrs, logMissingFeature, selectPlayback } from '@videojs/core/dom';
+import type { PropertyDeclarationMap, PropertyValues } from '@videojs/element';
+
+import { playerContext } from '../../player/context';
+import { PlayerController } from '../../player/player-controller';
+import { MediaElement } from '../media-element';
+
+export class BufferingIndicatorElement extends MediaElement {
+  static readonly tagName = 'media-buffering-indicator';
+
+  static override properties = {
+    delay: { type: Number },
+  } satisfies PropertyDeclarationMap<keyof BufferingIndicatorCore.Props>;
+
+  delay = BufferingIndicatorCore.defaultProps.delay;
+
+  readonly #core = new BufferingIndicatorCore();
+  readonly #state = new PlayerController(this, playerContext, selectPlayback);
+
+  #disconnect: AbortController | null = null;
+
+  override connectedCallback(): void {
+    super.connectedCallback();
+
+    this.#disconnect = new AbortController();
+
+    this.#core.state.subscribe(() => this.requestUpdate(), {
+      signal: this.#disconnect.signal,
+    });
+
+    if (__DEV__ && !this.#state.value) {
+      logMissingFeature(BufferingIndicatorElement.tagName, 'playback');
+    }
+  }
+
+  override disconnectedCallback(): void {
+    super.disconnectedCallback();
+    this.#disconnect?.abort();
+    this.#disconnect = null;
+  }
+
+  protected override willUpdate(changed: PropertyValues): void {
+    super.willUpdate(changed);
+    this.#core.setProps(this);
+  }
+
+  protected override update(changed: PropertyValues): void {
+    super.update(changed);
+
+    const media = this.#state.value;
+
+    if (!media) return;
+
+    this.#core.update(media);
+    applyStateDataAttrs(this, this.#core.state.current, BufferingIndicatorDataAttrs);
+  }
+}
diff --git a/packages/react/src/index.ts b/packages/react/src/index.ts
index cb7a5de0..f101fa07 100644
--- a/packages/react/src/index.ts
+++ b/packages/react/src/index.ts
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ export {
 } from './player/create-player';
 
 // UI
+export { BufferingIndicator, type BufferingIndicatorProps } from './ui/buffering-indicator/buffering-indicator';
 export { Controls } from './ui/controls';
 export type { ControlsGroupProps } from './ui/controls/controls-group';
 export type { ControlsRootProps } from './ui/controls/controls-root';
diff --git a/packages/react/src/ui/buffering-indicator/buffering-indicator.tsx b/packages/react/src/ui/buffering-indicator/buffering-indicator.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..c826baa2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/react/src/ui/buffering-indicator/buffering-indicator.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,72 @@
+'use client';
+
+import { BufferingIndicatorCore, BufferingIndicatorDataAttrs } from '@videojs/core';
+import { logMissingFeature, selectPlayback } from '@videojs/core/dom';
+import type { ForwardedRef } from 'react';
+import { forwardRef, useState, useSyncExternalStore } from 'react';
+
+import { usePlayer } from '../../player/context';
+import type { UIComponentProps } from '../../utils/types';
+import { renderElement } from '../../utils/use-render';
+
+export interface BufferingIndicatorProps
+  extends UIComponentProps<'div', BufferingIndicatorCore.State>,
+    BufferingIndicatorCore.Props {}
+
+/**
+ * Displays a buffering indicator when media is waiting for data.
+ *
+ * Visibility is delayed (default 500ms) to avoid flashing on quick buffers.
+ *
+ * @example
+ * ```tsx
+ * <BufferingIndicator />
+ *
+ * <BufferingIndicator delay={1000} />
+ *
+ * <BufferingIndicator
+ *   render={(props, state) => (
+ *     <div {...props}>{state.visible && <Spinner />}</div>
+ *   )}
+ * />
+ * ```
+ */
+export const BufferingIndicator = forwardRef(function BufferingIndicator(
+  componentProps: BufferingIndicatorProps,
+  forwardedRef: ForwardedRef<HTMLDivElement>
+) {
+  const { render, className, style, delay, ...elementProps } = componentProps;
+
+  const playback = usePlayer(selectPlayback);
+
+  const [core] = useState(() => new BufferingIndicatorCore());
+  core.setProps({ delay });
+
+  if (playback) core.update(playback);
+
+  const state = useSyncExternalStore(
+    (cb) => core.state.subscribe(cb),
+    () => core.state.current
+  );
+
+  if (!playback) {
+    if (__DEV__) logMissingFeature('BufferingIndicator', 'playback');
+    return null;
+  }
+
+  return renderElement(
+    'div',
+    { render, className, style },
+    {
+      state,
+      stateAttrMap: BufferingIndicatorDataAttrs,
+      ref: [forwardedRef],
+      props: [elementProps],
+    }
+  );
+});
+
+export namespace BufferingIndicator {
+  export type Props = BufferingIndicatorProps;
+  export type State = BufferingIndicatorCore.State;
+}