diff --git a/ZB.MOM.WW.LocalDb/src/ZB.MOM.WW.LocalDb/Hlc/HybridLogicalClock.cs b/ZB.MOM.WW.LocalDb/src/ZB.MOM.WW.LocalDb/Hlc/HybridLogicalClock.cs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3d80201
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ZB.MOM.WW.LocalDb/src/ZB.MOM.WW.LocalDb/Hlc/HybridLogicalClock.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+namespace ZB.MOM.WW.LocalDb.Hlc;
+
+/// <summary>64-bit HLC: (UTC unix-ms &lt;&lt; 16) | 16-bit logical counter. Thread-safe.</summary>
+public sealed class HybridLogicalClock
+{
+    private readonly Func<long> _utcNowMs;
+    private readonly Lock _lock = new();
+    private long _last;
+
+    public HybridLogicalClock(long initialValue = 0, Func<long>? utcNowMs = null)
+    {
+        _utcNowMs = utcNowMs ?? (() => DateTimeOffset.UtcNow.ToUnixTimeMilliseconds());
+        _last = initialValue;
+    }
+
+    public long Next()
+    {
+        lock (_lock)
+        {
+            var candidate = _utcNowMs() << 16;
+            _last = candidate > _last ? candidate : _last + 1; // +1 rolls counter; overflow naturally carries into physical bits
+            return _last;
+        }
+    }
+
+    /// <summary>Merge a peer's HLC so our next stamp orders after everything we've seen.</summary>
+    public void Observe(long remote) { lock (_lock) { if (remote > _last) _last = remote; } }
+
+    public long Current { get { lock (_lock) return _last; } }
+
+    public static long PhysicalMs(long hlc) => hlc >> 16;
+    public static int Counter(long hlc) => (int)(hlc & 0xFFFF);
+}
diff --git a/ZB.MOM.WW.LocalDb/tests/ZB.MOM.WW.LocalDb.Tests/HybridLogicalClockTests.cs b/ZB.MOM.WW.LocalDb/tests/ZB.MOM.WW.LocalDb.Tests/HybridLogicalClockTests.cs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d16a6e3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ZB.MOM.WW.LocalDb/tests/ZB.MOM.WW.LocalDb.Tests/HybridLogicalClockTests.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,90 @@
+using ZB.MOM.WW.LocalDb.Hlc;
+
+namespace ZB.MOM.WW.LocalDb.Tests;
+
+public sealed class HybridLogicalClockTests
+{
+    [Fact]
+    public void Next_IsStrictlyMonotonic()
+    {
+        var clock = new HybridLogicalClock();
+        var prev = clock.Next();
+        for (var i = 0; i < 1000; i++)
+        {
+            var next = clock.Next();
+            Assert.True(next > prev, $"call {i}: {next} !> {prev}");
+            prev = next;
+        }
+    }
+
+    [Fact]
+    public void Next_UsesUtcPhysicalMs()
+    {
+        const long fixedMs = 1_700_000_000_123;
+        var clock = new HybridLogicalClock(utcNowMs: () => fixedMs);
+
+        Assert.Equal(fixedMs, HybridLogicalClock.PhysicalMs(clock.Next()));
+    }
+
+    [Fact]
+    public void Next_SameMs_IncrementsCounter()
+    {
+        const long fixedMs = 1_700_000_000_000;
+        var clock = new HybridLogicalClock(utcNowMs: () => fixedMs);
+
+        var first = clock.Next();
+        var second = clock.Next();
+        var third = clock.Next();
+
+        Assert.Equal(0, HybridLogicalClock.Counter(first));
+        Assert.Equal(1, HybridLogicalClock.Counter(second));
+        Assert.Equal(2, HybridLogicalClock.Counter(third));
+    }
+
+    [Fact]
+    public void Observe_RemoteAhead_AdvancesPastRemote()
+    {
+        // Frozen wall clock well behind the remote stamp.
+        var clock = new HybridLogicalClock(utcNowMs: () => 1_000);
+        var remote = 5_000_000_000L << 16;
+
+        clock.Observe(remote);
+
+        Assert.True(clock.Next() > remote);
+    }
+
+    [Fact]
+    public void Observe_RemoteBehind_NoRegression()
+    {
+        var clock = new HybridLogicalClock(utcNowMs: () => 1_700_000_000_000);
+        var current = clock.Next();
+
+        clock.Observe(current - 1_000_000); // a stamp from the past
+
+        Assert.Equal(current, clock.Current);
+    }
+
+    [Fact]
+    public void Resume_FromPersistedValue_NeverRegresses()
+    {
+        // Persisted value is far ahead of what the (injected) wall clock yields.
+        var persisted = (2_000_000_000_000L << 16) | 0x00FF;
+        var clock = new HybridLogicalClock(initialValue: persisted, utcNowMs: () => 1_000);
+
+        Assert.True(clock.Next() > persisted);
+    }
+
+    [Fact]
+    public void CounterOverflow_RollsPhysicalForward()
+    {
+        const long ms = 1_700_000_000_000;
+        // Counter already maxed out under a frozen clock at the same physical ms.
+        var maxed = (ms << 16) | 0xFFFF;
+        var clock = new HybridLogicalClock(initialValue: maxed, utcNowMs: () => ms);
+
+        var next = clock.Next();
+
+        Assert.Equal(ms + 1, HybridLogicalClock.PhysicalMs(next));
+        Assert.Equal(0, HybridLogicalClock.Counter(next));
+    }
+}