diff --git a/tests/utils_retry_test.py b/tests/utils_retry_test.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3899d45
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/utils_retry_test.py
@@ -0,0 +1,142 @@
+"""Tests for client/_utils.py — get_abi, get_bin, and run_with_retry."""
+
+import json
+from pathlib import Path
+from unittest.mock import MagicMock, mock_open, patch
+
+import pytest
+
+from opengradient.client._utils import get_abi, get_bin, run_with_retry
+
+
+# --- get_abi tests ---
+
+
+class TestGetAbi:
+    def test_returns_parsed_json(self, tmp_path):
+        abi_data = [{"type": "function", "name": "transfer"}]
+        abi_file = tmp_path / "Test.abi"
+        abi_file.write_text(json.dumps(abi_data))
+
+        with patch("opengradient.client._utils._ABI_DIR", tmp_path):
+            result = get_abi("Test.abi")
+
+        assert result == abi_data
+
+    def test_raises_on_missing_file(self, tmp_path):
+        with patch("opengradient.client._utils._ABI_DIR", tmp_path):
+            with pytest.raises(FileNotFoundError):
+                get_abi("NonExistent.abi")
+
+    def test_raises_on_invalid_json(self, tmp_path):
+        abi_file = tmp_path / "Bad.abi"
+        abi_file.write_text("not valid json {{{")
+
+        with patch("opengradient.client._utils._ABI_DIR", tmp_path):
+            with pytest.raises(json.JSONDecodeError):
+                get_abi("Bad.abi")
+
+
+# --- get_bin tests ---
+
+
+class TestGetBin:
+    def test_returns_bytecode_with_prefix(self, tmp_path):
+        bin_file = tmp_path / "Test.bin"
+        bin_file.write_text("0x6060604052")
+
+        with patch("opengradient.client._utils._BIN_DIR", tmp_path):
+            result = get_bin("Test.bin")
+
+        assert result == "0x6060604052"
+
+    def test_adds_0x_prefix_if_missing(self, tmp_path):
+        bin_file = tmp_path / "NoPre.bin"
+        bin_file.write_text("6060604052")
+
+        with patch("opengradient.client._utils._BIN_DIR", tmp_path):
+            result = get_bin("NoPre.bin")
+
+        assert result == "0x6060604052"
+
+    def test_strips_whitespace(self, tmp_path):
+        bin_file = tmp_path / "Spaced.bin"
+        bin_file.write_text("  0x6060604052  \n")
+
+        with patch("opengradient.client._utils._BIN_DIR", tmp_path):
+            result = get_bin("Spaced.bin")
+
+        assert result == "0x6060604052"
+
+    def test_raises_on_missing_file(self, tmp_path):
+        with patch("opengradient.client._utils._BIN_DIR", tmp_path):
+            with pytest.raises(FileNotFoundError):
+                get_bin("Missing.bin")
+
+
+# --- run_with_retry tests ---
+
+
+class TestRunWithRetry:
+    def test_success_on_first_attempt(self):
+        fn = MagicMock(return_value="ok")
+        result = run_with_retry(fn, max_retries=3, retry_delay=0)
+
+        assert result == "ok"
+        assert fn.call_count == 1
+
+    def test_raises_valueerror_for_zero_retries(self):
+        with pytest.raises(ValueError, match="max_retries must be at least 1"):
+            run_with_retry(lambda: None, max_retries=0)
+
+    def test_raises_valueerror_for_negative_retries(self):
+        with pytest.raises(ValueError, match="max_retries must be at least 1"):
+            run_with_retry(lambda: None, max_retries=-1)
+
+    def test_non_nonce_error_raises_immediately(self):
+        fn = MagicMock(side_effect=RuntimeError("out of gas"))
+        with pytest.raises(RuntimeError, match="out of gas"):
+            run_with_retry(fn, max_retries=3, retry_delay=0)
+
+        assert fn.call_count == 1
+
+    def test_retries_on_nonce_too_low(self):
+        fn = MagicMock(side_effect=[Exception("nonce too low"), "ok"])
+        result = run_with_retry(fn, max_retries=3, retry_delay=0)
+
+        assert result == "ok"
+        assert fn.call_count == 2
+
+    def test_retries_on_nonce_too_high(self):
+        fn = MagicMock(side_effect=[Exception("nonce too high"), "ok"])
+        result = run_with_retry(fn, max_retries=3, retry_delay=0)
+
+        assert result == "ok"
+        assert fn.call_count == 2
+
+    def test_retries_on_invalid_nonce(self):
+        fn = MagicMock(side_effect=[Exception("invalid nonce"), "ok"])
+        result = run_with_retry(fn, max_retries=3, retry_delay=0)
+
+        assert result == "ok"
+        assert fn.call_count == 2
+
+    def test_exhausts_retries_on_persistent_nonce_error(self):
+        fn = MagicMock(side_effect=Exception("nonce too low"))
+        with pytest.raises(RuntimeError, match="Transaction failed after 3 attempts"):
+            run_with_retry(fn, max_retries=3, retry_delay=0)
+
+        assert fn.call_count == 3
+
+    def test_defaults_max_retries_when_none(self):
+        fn = MagicMock(return_value="ok")
+        result = run_with_retry(fn, max_retries=None, retry_delay=0)
+
+        assert result == "ok"
+
+    def test_nonce_error_case_insensitive(self):
+        fn = MagicMock(side_effect=[Exception("NONCE TOO LOW"), "ok"])
+        result = run_with_retry(fn, max_retries=3, retry_delay=0)
+
+        assert result == "ok"
+        assert fn.call_count == 2