diff --git a/.changeset/brown-pears-invent.md b/.changeset/brown-pears-invent.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..08512133b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/brown-pears-invent.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+'layerchart': patch
+---
+
+fix(Axis): Support UTC scales (`xScale={scaleUtc()}`) by filtering and formatting ticks on the same boundaries as the scale
diff --git a/docs/package.json b/docs/package.json
index 6bc6bb6f9..3bd555058 100644
--- a/docs/package.json
+++ b/docs/package.json
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@
 		"@layerstack/svelte-state": "0.1.0-next.23",
 		"@layerstack/svelte-table": "1.0.1-next.18",
 		"@layerstack/tailwind": "2.0.0-next.21",
-		"@layerstack/utils": "2.0.0-next.18",
+		"@layerstack/utils": "2.0.0-next.19",
 		"@napi-rs/canvas": "^0.1.97",
 		"@sveltejs/adapter-cloudflare": "^7.2.8",
 		"@sveltejs/kit": "^2.62.0",
diff --git a/docs/src/content/components/Axis.md b/docs/src/content/components/Axis.md
index 8363088c3..bac6f7c0d 100644
--- a/docs/src/content/components/Axis.md
+++ b/docs/src/content/components/Axis.md
@@ -17,14 +17,42 @@ Controls the number of pixels allotted for each tick (higher => fewer ticks). Wo
 Default: `80` for horizontal axes (top/bottom/angle) and `50` for vertical axes (left/right/radius).
 ::
 
-:example{ name="linechart-tickspacing" showCode }
+:example{ name="linechart-tickspacing" }
 
-:example{ name="barchart-tickspacing" showCode }
+:example{ name="barchart-tickspacing" }
 
 ::tip
-See also: time scale [auto](/docs/components/Axis/time-scale-auto), [multiline](/docs/components/Axis/time-scale-auto-multiline), and [brush](/docs/components/Axis/time-scale-brush-multiline) examples
+See [time scales](#time-scales) for how tick labels are chosen, and [brush](/docs/components/Axis/time-scale-brush-multiline) for tick spacing while zooming.
 ::
 
+### time scales
+
+With no `format`, tick labels are chosen automatically from the duration between ticks — a domain spanning years is labelled with years, one spanning a minute with seconds. Resizing the chart (or changing `tickSpacing`) changes the tick density, and the labels follow.
+
+:example{ name="time-scale-auto" }
+
+Passing an explicit `format` does two things: it labels the ticks, and it **filters** them to that boundary. A `day` format keeps only ticks landing exactly on a day, so a denser tick set never repeats the same label.
+
+:example{ name="time-scale-auto-format-filtering" }
+
+::note
+Because the filter is what keeps labels unique, an explicit `format` can yield fewer ticks than `tickSpacing` alone would produce. If an axis renders no ticks, check that the format's boundary matches the values — see [UTC](#utc) for the common case.
+::
+
+`tickMultiline` splits the automatic labels across two lines (ex. day above, month below), fitting more context into the same width.
+
+:example{ name="time-scale-auto-multiline" }
+
+#### UTC
+
+Ticks are filtered and labelled on the same boundaries the scale uses, so pass `xScale={scaleUtc()}` when your values are keyed on a UTC calendar date (ex. daily partitions) rather than on an instant. The default `scaleTime()` floors on _local_ boundaries, which sits one UTC offset away from each UTC day for every viewer outside UTC.
+
+::note
+This applies to the tick _labels_ as well — a `scaleUtc()` axis formats its ticks in UTC, so a tick at UTC midnight is never labelled with the previous local day.
+::
+
+:example{ name="utc-scale" }
+
 ### band scales
 
 When creating time-series bar charts, it can be useful to use a time scale axis instead of a bar scale axis. This helps show gaps in data (such as on [weekends](/docs/components/BarChart/time-scale-interval)) and provides improved axis ticks.
@@ -33,7 +61,7 @@ To enable this, you must define the interval (daily, hourly, etc) of your data u
 
 Since band padding is not available when not using a band scale, you can leverage `xInset={...}` to add padding between bars.
 
-:example{ name="barchart-xinterval-xinset" showCode }
+:example{ name="barchart-xinterval-xinset" }
 
 <!-- ## Examples
 
diff --git a/docs/src/examples/components/Axis/utc-scale.svelte b/docs/src/examples/components/Axis/utc-scale.svelte
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..0cee4a61c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/src/examples/components/Axis/utc-scale.svelte
@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+<script lang="ts">
+	import { Axis, Chart, Layer } from 'layerchart';
+	import { scaleUtc } from 'd3-scale';
+	import { utcDay } from 'd3-time';
+
+	// A domain on UTC day boundaries — typical of values keyed on a UTC calendar date
+	// (ex. daily partitions) rather than on an instant.
+	const start = utcDay.floor(new Date());
+	const xDomain: [Date, Date] = [start, utcDay.offset(start, 7)];
+</script>
+
+<div class="grid gap-4">
+	<div>
+		<div class="text-sm font-semibold">UTC</div>
+		<div class="text-xs text-surface-content/50">
+			`scaleUtc()` floors and labels ticks on UTC boundaries, matching the data.
+		</div>
+		<Chart xScale={scaleUtc()} {xDomain} padding={24} height={48}>
+			<Layer>
+				<Axis placement="bottom" format={{ type: 'day', options: { variant: 'short' } }} rule />
+			</Layer>
+		</Chart>
+	</div>
+
+	<div>
+		<div class="text-sm font-semibold">Local time</div>
+		<div class="text-xs text-surface-content/50">
+			The default `scaleTime()` floors on local boundaries, so over the same domain its ticks sit
+			one UTC offset away from each UTC day.
+		</div>
+		<Chart {xDomain} padding={24} height={48}>
+			<Layer>
+				<Axis placement="bottom" format={{ type: 'day', options: { variant: 'short' } }} rule />
+			</Layer>
+		</Chart>
+	</div>
+</div>
diff --git a/packages/layerchart/package.json b/packages/layerchart/package.json
index bdba9dc7a..9ad7c145a 100644
--- a/packages/layerchart/package.json
+++ b/packages/layerchart/package.json
@@ -14,15 +14,15 @@
     "prepublishOnly": "svelte-package",
     "check": "svelte-check --tsconfig ./tsconfig.json",
     "check:watch": "svelte-check --tsconfig ./tsconfig.json --watch",
-    "test:unit": "TZ=UTC-5 vitest",
-    "test:ui": "TZ=UTC-5 vitest --ui",
+    "test:unit": "vitest",
+    "test:ui": "vitest --ui",
     "bench": "pnpm bench:primitives && pnpm bench:linechart && pnpm bench:composable && pnpm bench:svg-vs-canvas",
-    "bench:primitives": "TZ=UTC-5 vitest bench --project bench src/lib/bench/primitives.svelte.bench.ts",
-    "bench:linechart": "TZ=UTC-5 vitest bench --project bench src/lib/components/charts/LineChart.svelte.bench.ts",
-    "bench:composable": "TZ=UTC-5 vitest bench --project bench src/lib/bench/composable-vs-linechart.svelte.bench.ts",
-    "bench:svg-vs-canvas": "TZ=UTC-5 vitest bench --project bench src/lib/bench/svg-vs-canvas.svelte.bench.ts",
-    "bench:save": "TZ=UTC-5 vitest bench --project bench --outputJson bench-results/latest.json",
-    "bench:compare": "TZ=UTC-5 vitest bench --project bench --compare bench-results/latest.json",
+    "bench:primitives": "vitest bench --project bench src/lib/bench/primitives.svelte.bench.ts",
+    "bench:linechart": "vitest bench --project bench src/lib/components/charts/LineChart.svelte.bench.ts",
+    "bench:composable": "vitest bench --project bench src/lib/bench/composable-vs-linechart.svelte.bench.ts",
+    "bench:svg-vs-canvas": "vitest bench --project bench src/lib/bench/svg-vs-canvas.svelte.bench.ts",
+    "bench:save": "vitest bench --project bench --outputJson bench-results/latest.json",
+    "bench:compare": "vitest bench --project bench --compare bench-results/latest.json",
     "lint": "prettier --check .",
     "format": "prettier --write .",
     "prepare": "svelte-kit sync"
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@
     "@layerstack/svelte-actions": "1.0.1-next.18",
     "@layerstack/svelte-state": "0.1.0-next.23",
     "@layerstack/tailwind": "2.0.0-next.21",
-    "@layerstack/utils": "2.0.0-next.18",
+    "@layerstack/utils": "2.0.0-next.19",
     "@types/d3-contour": "^3.0.6",
     "d3-array": "^3.2.4",
     "d3-chord": "^3.0.1",
diff --git a/packages/layerchart/src/lib/components/Axis/Axis.shared.svelte.ts b/packages/layerchart/src/lib/components/Axis/Axis.shared.svelte.ts
index eed5362b7..9cb3ba860 100644
--- a/packages/layerchart/src/lib/components/Axis/Axis.shared.svelte.ts
+++ b/packages/layerchart/src/lib/components/Axis/Axis.shared.svelte.ts
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@ import type { SVGAttributes } from 'svelte/elements';
 
 import { extent } from 'd3-array';
 import { pointRadial } from 'd3-shape';
-import { timeDay, timeHour, timeMillisecond, timeMinute, timeSecond, timeYear } from 'd3-time';
 
 import { type FormatType, type FormatConfig, unique, PeriodType } from '@layerstack/utils';
 import { cls } from '@layerstack/tailwind';
@@ -12,11 +11,16 @@ import type { Transition, TransitionParams, Without } from '$lib/utils/types.js'
 import type { GroupProps } from '../Group/Group.shared.svelte.js';
 import type { TextProps } from '../Text/Text.shared.svelte.js';
 import type Rule from '../Rule/Rule.svelte';
-import { isScaleBand } from '$lib/utils/scales.svelte.js';
+import { isScaleBand, isScaleUtc } from '$lib/utils/scales.svelte.js';
 import { getChartContext } from '$lib/contexts/chart.js';
 import type { ChartState } from '$lib/states/chart.svelte.js';
 import { type MotionProp } from '$lib/utils/motion.svelte.js';
-import { autoTickVals, autoTickFormat, type TicksConfig } from '$lib/utils/ticks.js';
+import {
+  autoTickVals,
+  autoTickFormat,
+  filterTicksByFormat,
+  type TicksConfig,
+} from '$lib/utils/ticks.js';
 
 export type AxisPropsWithoutHTML<In extends Transition = Transition> = {
   /**
@@ -292,31 +296,9 @@ export class AxisState {
       tickVals.pop();
     }
 
-    // Use format to filter ticks (helpful to keep ticks above a threshold for wide charts or short durations)
-    const formatType =
-      typeof this.resolvedFormat === 'object' ? this.resolvedFormat?.type : this.resolvedFormat;
-
-    if (formatType === 'integer') {
-      tickVals = tickVals.filter(Number.isInteger);
-    } else if (formatType === 'year' || formatType === PeriodType.CalendarYear) {
-      tickVals = tickVals.filter((val) => +timeYear.floor(val) === +val);
-    } else if (
-      formatType === 'month' ||
-      formatType === PeriodType.Month ||
-      formatType === PeriodType.MonthYear
-    ) {
-      tickVals = tickVals.filter((val) => val.getDate() < 7); // first week of the month
-    } else if (formatType === 'day' || formatType === PeriodType.Day) {
-      tickVals = tickVals.filter((val) => +timeDay.floor(val) === +val);
-    } else if (formatType === 'hour' || formatType === PeriodType.Hour) {
-      tickVals = tickVals.filter((val) => +timeHour.floor(val) === +val);
-    } else if (formatType === 'minute' || formatType === PeriodType.Minute) {
-      tickVals = tickVals.filter((val) => +timeMinute.floor(val) === +val);
-    } else if (formatType === 'second' || formatType === PeriodType.Second) {
-      tickVals = tickVals.filter((val) => +timeSecond.floor(val) === +val);
-    } else if (formatType === 'millisecond' || formatType === PeriodType.Millisecond) {
-      tickVals = tickVals.filter((val) => +timeMillisecond.floor(val) === +val);
-    }
+    // Filter to the boundary implied by the format, matching the scale's own (local vs UTC)
+    // day/hour/... boundaries — see `filterTicksByFormat`.
+    tickVals = filterTicksByFormat(tickVals, this.resolvedFormat, { utc: isScaleUtc(this.scale) });
 
     return unique(tickVals);
   });
diff --git a/packages/layerchart/src/lib/utils/scales.svelte.test.ts b/packages/layerchart/src/lib/utils/scales.svelte.test.ts
index 0ab348968..ec7ab8fb2 100644
--- a/packages/layerchart/src/lib/utils/scales.svelte.test.ts
+++ b/packages/layerchart/src/lib/utils/scales.svelte.test.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import { describe, it, expect } from 'vitest';
-import { scaleBand } from 'd3-scale';
+import { scaleBand, scaleLinear, scaleTime, scaleUtc } from 'd3-scale';
 
-import { scaleBandInvert, scaleInvert } from './scales.svelte.js';
+import { isScaleUtc, scaleBandInvert, scaleInvert } from './scales.svelte.js';
 
 describe('scaleBandInvert', () => {
   const domain = ['A', 'B', 'C', 'D', 'E'];
@@ -83,3 +83,29 @@ describe('scaleInvert', () => {
     expect(scaleInvert(scale, center)).toBe('B');
   });
 });
+
+// The suite runs under a fixed non-zero offset (`TEST_TIMEZONE` in `vite.config.js`), so local and
+// UTC boundaries differ.
+describe('isScaleUtc', () => {
+  const domain = [new Date('2024-01-01T00:00:00Z'), new Date('2024-01-08T00:00:00Z')];
+
+  it('is true for scaleUtc', () => {
+    expect(isScaleUtc(scaleUtc().domain(domain) as any)).toBe(true);
+  });
+
+  it('is false for scaleTime', () => {
+    expect(isScaleUtc(scaleTime().domain(domain) as any)).toBe(false);
+  });
+
+  it('is false for non-time scales', () => {
+    expect(isScaleUtc(scaleLinear().domain([0, 10]) as any)).toBe(false);
+    expect(isScaleUtc(scaleBand().domain(['a', 'b']) as any)).toBe(false);
+  });
+
+  it('does not disturb the scale it probes', () => {
+    const scale = scaleUtc().domain(domain).range([0, 100]);
+    isScaleUtc(scale as any);
+    expect(scale.domain()).toEqual(domain);
+    expect(scale.range()).toEqual([0, 100]);
+  });
+});
diff --git a/packages/layerchart/src/lib/utils/scales.svelte.ts b/packages/layerchart/src/lib/utils/scales.svelte.ts
index 665e5c056..43e4d458c 100644
--- a/packages/layerchart/src/lib/utils/scales.svelte.ts
+++ b/packages/layerchart/src/lib/utils/scales.svelte.ts
@@ -53,6 +53,32 @@ export function isScaleTime(scale: AnyScale<any, any>): scale is ScaleTime<any,
   return domain[0] instanceof Date || domain[1] instanceof Date;
 }
 
+/**
+ * Whether a time scale floors on UTC boundaries (`scaleUtc()`) rather than local ones
+ * (`scaleTime()`).
+ *
+ * d3 exposes no marker distinguishing the two, so probe the scale's own tick generator: ask a
+ * copy for daily ticks over a fixed multi-day window and check whether they land on UTC
+ * midnight. A local scale returns local midnights, which are only UTC midnight when the
+ * ambient offset is 0 — and there the distinction doesn't matter anyway.
+ */
+export function isScaleUtc(scale: AnyScale<any, any>): boolean {
+  if (!isScaleTime(scale)) return false;
+  if (typeof scale.ticks !== 'function' || typeof scale.copy !== 'function') return false;
+
+  const probe = scale
+    .copy()
+    .domain([new Date(Date.UTC(2024, 0, 1)), new Date(Date.UTC(2024, 0, 4))]);
+  const ticks: Date[] = probe.ticks(3);
+
+  return (
+    ticks.length > 0 &&
+    ticks.every(
+      (tick) => tick.getUTCHours() === 0 && tick.getUTCMinutes() === 0 && tick.getUTCSeconds() === 0
+    )
+  );
+}
+
 export function isScaleNumeric(scale: AnyScale<any, any>): scale is ScaleTime<any, any> {
   const domain = scale.domain();
   return typeof domain[0] === 'number' || typeof domain[1] === 'number';
diff --git a/packages/layerchart/src/lib/utils/ticks.test.ts b/packages/layerchart/src/lib/utils/ticks.test.ts
index d501394a7..dcf01cabb 100644
--- a/packages/layerchart/src/lib/utils/ticks.test.ts
+++ b/packages/layerchart/src/lib/utils/ticks.test.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,9 @@
 import { describe, it, expect, vi } from 'vitest';
-import { autoTickVals } from './ticks.js';
+import { scaleTime, scaleUtc } from 'd3-scale';
+import { utcDay } from 'd3-time';
+import { PeriodType } from '@layerstack/utils';
+
+import { autoTickFormat, autoTickVals, filterTicksByFormat } from './ticks.js';
 import type { TimeInterval } from 'd3-time';
 
 // Mock helpers
@@ -79,3 +83,62 @@ describe('autoTickVals', () => {
     expect(scale.ticks).toHaveBeenCalledWith(undefined);
   });
 });
+
+// The suite runs under a fixed non-zero offset (`TZ=UTC-5`), so local and UTC boundaries differ.
+describe('filterTicksByFormat', () => {
+  const utcMidnights = [
+    new Date('2024-01-01T00:00:00Z'),
+    new Date('2024-01-02T00:00:00Z'),
+    new Date('2024-01-03T00:00:00Z'),
+  ];
+
+  it('keeps UTC-midnight ticks for a day format when utc is set', () => {
+    expect(filterTicksByFormat(utcMidnights, 'day', { utc: true })).toEqual(utcMidnights);
+    expect(filterTicksByFormat(utcMidnights, PeriodType.Day, { utc: true })).toEqual(utcMidnights);
+  });
+
+  it('drops UTC-midnight ticks for a day format when utc is not set', () => {
+    // Regression: filtering a `scaleUtc()` axis with local intervals removed every tick, so a
+    // day-formatted axis rendered no labels at all.
+    expect(filterTicksByFormat(utcMidnights, 'day')).toEqual([]);
+  });
+
+  it('keeps local-midnight ticks for a day format without utc', () => {
+    const localMidnights = [new Date(2024, 0, 1), new Date(2024, 0, 2)];
+    expect(filterTicksByFormat(localMidnights, 'day')).toEqual(localMidnights);
+    expect(filterTicksByFormat(localMidnights, 'day', { utc: true })).toEqual([]);
+  });
+
+  it('honours utc for month/year boundaries', () => {
+    const firstOfMonth = [new Date('2024-01-01T00:00:00Z'), new Date('2024-02-01T00:00:00Z')];
+    expect(filterTicksByFormat(firstOfMonth, 'month', { utc: true })).toEqual(firstOfMonth);
+    expect(filterTicksByFormat(firstOfMonth, 'year', { utc: true })).toEqual([firstOfMonth[0]]);
+  });
+
+  it('passes through unknown/absent format types', () => {
+    expect(filterTicksByFormat(utcMidnights, undefined)).toEqual(utcMidnights);
+  });
+
+  it('filters integers', () => {
+    expect(filterTicksByFormat([1, 1.5, 2], 'integer')).toEqual([1, 2]);
+  });
+});
+
+describe('autoTickFormat with a UTC scale', () => {
+  const start = new Date('2024-01-02T00:00:00Z');
+  const domain: [Date, Date] = [start, utcDay.offset(start, 3)];
+
+  it('labels a UTC-midnight tick with its UTC day', () => {
+    const scale = scaleUtc().domain(domain).range([0, 100]);
+    const fmt = autoTickFormat({ scale: scale as any, formatType: 'day', count: 3 });
+    expect(fmt(start, 0)).toContain('2');
+    // Under TZ=UTC-5 the local day of this instant is Jan 1 — the label must not say that.
+    expect(fmt(start, 0)).not.toContain('1/1');
+  });
+
+  it('still labels a local scale in local time', () => {
+    const scale = scaleTime().domain(domain).range([0, 100]);
+    const fmt = autoTickFormat({ scale: scale as any, formatType: 'day', count: 3 });
+    expect(typeof fmt(start, 0)).toBe('string');
+  });
+});
diff --git a/packages/layerchart/src/lib/utils/ticks.ts b/packages/layerchart/src/lib/utils/ticks.ts
index d7d716bd8..0df821fab 100644
--- a/packages/layerchart/src/lib/utils/ticks.ts
+++ b/packages/layerchart/src/lib/utils/ticks.ts
@@ -1,14 +1,30 @@
-import { timeYear, timeDay, type TimeInterval, timeTicks } from 'd3-time';
+import {
+  timeYear,
+  timeDay,
+  timeHour,
+  timeMillisecond,
+  timeMinute,
+  timeSecond,
+  type TimeInterval,
+  timeTicks,
+  utcDay,
+  utcHour,
+  utcMillisecond,
+  utcMinute,
+  utcSecond,
+  utcYear,
+} from 'd3-time';
 
 import {
   format,
   Duration,
   isLiteralObject,
+  PeriodType,
   type FormatType,
   type FormatConfig,
   DateToken,
 } from '@layerstack/utils';
-import { isScaleBand, isScaleTime, type AnyScale } from './scales.svelte.js';
+import { isScaleBand, isScaleTime, isScaleUtc, type AnyScale } from './scales.svelte.js';
 import type { AxisProps } from '$lib/components/Axis/Axis.svelte';
 
 export function getDurationFormat(
@@ -156,6 +172,52 @@ export function autoTickVals(scale: AnyScale, ticks?: TicksConfig, count?: numbe
   return [];
 }
 
+/**
+ * Keep only ticks that sit exactly on the boundary implied by the format type, so a day-formatted
+ * axis doesn't repeat the same label on sub-day ticks.
+ *
+ * `utc` must match the scale: a `scaleUtc()` produces UTC-midnight ticks, which *local* intervals
+ * never floor to (outside UTC itself) — filtering those with local intervals drops every tick.
+ */
+export function filterTicksByFormat<T>(
+  tickVals: T[],
+  formatType: FormatType | FormatConfig | undefined,
+  options: { utc?: boolean } = {}
+): T[] {
+  const utc = options.utc ?? false;
+  const type = isLiteralObject(formatType) ? (formatType as FormatConfig).type : formatType;
+
+  const yearInterval = utc ? utcYear : timeYear;
+  const dayInterval = utc ? utcDay : timeDay;
+  const hourInterval = utc ? utcHour : timeHour;
+  const minuteInterval = utc ? utcMinute : timeMinute;
+  const secondInterval = utc ? utcSecond : timeSecond;
+  const millisecondInterval = utc ? utcMillisecond : timeMillisecond;
+
+  const onBoundary = (interval: TimeInterval) => (val: any) => +interval.floor(val) === +val;
+
+  if (type === 'integer') {
+    return tickVals.filter(Number.isInteger as any);
+  } else if (type === 'year' || type === PeriodType.CalendarYear) {
+    return tickVals.filter(onBoundary(yearInterval));
+  } else if (type === 'month' || type === PeriodType.Month || type === PeriodType.MonthYear) {
+    // first week of the month
+    return tickVals.filter((val: any) => (utc ? val.getUTCDate() : val.getDate()) < 7);
+  } else if (type === 'day' || type === PeriodType.Day) {
+    return tickVals.filter(onBoundary(dayInterval));
+  } else if (type === 'hour' || type === PeriodType.Hour) {
+    return tickVals.filter(onBoundary(hourInterval));
+  } else if (type === 'minute' || type === PeriodType.Minute) {
+    return tickVals.filter(onBoundary(minuteInterval));
+  } else if (type === 'second' || type === PeriodType.Second) {
+    return tickVals.filter(onBoundary(secondInterval));
+  } else if (type === 'millisecond' || type === PeriodType.Millisecond) {
+    return tickVals.filter(onBoundary(millisecondInterval));
+  }
+
+  return tickVals;
+}
+
 export function autoTickFormat(options: {
   scale: AnyScale;
   ticks?: TicksConfig;
@@ -168,6 +230,18 @@ export function autoTickFormat(options: {
 
   // Explicit format
   if (formatType) {
+    // A UTC scale's ticks are UTC instants, so they have to be *rendered* in UTC too — otherwise
+    // a tick at UTC midnight prints the previous local day and silently sits under the wrong label.
+    if (isScaleUtc(scale)) {
+      const config: FormatConfig = isLiteralObject(formatType)
+        ? (formatType as FormatConfig)
+        : ({ type: formatType } as FormatConfig);
+
+      return (tick: any) =>
+        // @ts-expect-error - improve types
+        format(tick, { ...config, options: { ...config.options, utc: true } });
+    }
+
     // @ts-expect-error - improve types
     return (tick: any) => format(tick, formatType);
   }
diff --git a/packages/layerchart/vite.config.js b/packages/layerchart/vite.config.js
index 86b5d7e52..db043e0fc 100644
--- a/packages/layerchart/vite.config.js
+++ b/packages/layerchart/vite.config.js
@@ -2,6 +2,14 @@ import { defineConfig } from 'vitest/config';
 import { sveltekit } from '@sveltejs/kit/vite';
 import { playwright } from '@vitest/browser-playwright';
 
+// Tests run under a fixed non-zero UTC offset so bugs where local and UTC boundaries differ (day
+// starts, tick alignment, ...) actually surface.  Applied to both the node processes and the
+// browser context below - Chromium picks up `TZ` on macOS but ignores it on Linux (CI).
+const TEST_TIMEZONE = 'Etc/GMT-5'; // UTC+5 (IANA inverts the sign)
+if (process.env.VITEST) {
+  process.env.TZ = TEST_TIMEZONE;
+}
+
 /** @type {import('vite').UserConfig} */
 const config = defineConfig({
   plugins: [sveltekit()],
@@ -33,7 +41,9 @@ const config = defineConfig({
           retry: 1,
           browser: {
             enabled: true,
-            provider: playwright(),
+            provider: playwright({
+              contextOptions: { timezoneId: TEST_TIMEZONE },
+            }),
             instances: [
               { browser: 'chromium' },
               // { browser: 'firefox' },
diff --git a/pnpm-lock.yaml b/pnpm-lock.yaml
index f5987c4f6..db8a49680 100644
--- a/pnpm-lock.yaml
+++ b/pnpm-lock.yaml
@@ -133,8 +133,8 @@ importers:
         specifier: 2.0.0-next.21
         version: 2.0.0-next.21
       '@layerstack/utils':
-        specifier: 2.0.0-next.18
-        version: 2.0.0-next.18
+        specifier: 2.0.0-next.19
+        version: 2.0.0-next.19
       '@napi-rs/canvas':
         specifier: ^0.1.97
         version: 0.1.97
@@ -769,8 +769,8 @@ importers:
         specifier: 2.0.0-next.21
         version: 2.0.0-next.21
       '@layerstack/utils':
-        specifier: 2.0.0-next.18
-        version: 2.0.0-next.18
+        specifier: 2.0.0-next.19
+        version: 2.0.0-next.19
       '@types/d3-contour':
         specifier: ^3.0.6
         version: 3.0.6
@@ -951,7 +951,7 @@ importers:
         version: 5.56.1(@typescript-eslint/types@8.60.1)
       svelte-check:
         specifier: ^4.5.0
-        version: 4.5.0(picomatch@4.0.5)(svelte@5.56.1(@typescript-eslint/types@8.60.1))(typescript@6.0.3)
+        version: 4.5.0(picomatch@4.0.4)(svelte@5.56.1(@typescript-eslint/types@8.60.1))(typescript@6.0.3)
       svelte2tsx:
         specifier: ^0.7.56
         version: 0.7.56(svelte@5.56.1(@typescript-eslint/types@8.60.1))(typescript@6.0.3)
@@ -1975,6 +1975,9 @@ packages:
   '@layerstack/utils@2.0.0-next.18':
     resolution: {integrity: sha512-EYILHpfBRYMMEahajInu9C2AXQom5IcAEdtCeucD3QIl/fdDgRbtzn6/8QW9ewumfyNZetdUvitOksmI1+gZYQ==}
 
+  '@layerstack/utils@2.0.0-next.19':
+    resolution: {integrity: sha512-HyXCEz9pge4rFWklrSgFr3YIwdE1gP8WM6GPetmnKPDfYLF1/oetRFKI9FqiE+dw4brnULGPKJsVhjM3vQfD4A==}
+
   '@lezer/common@1.4.0':
     resolution: {integrity: sha512-DVeMRoGrgn/k45oQNu189BoW4SZwgZFzJ1+1TV5j2NJ/KFC83oa/enRqZSGshyeMk5cPWMhsKs9nx+8o0unwGg==}
 
@@ -7169,7 +7172,7 @@ snapshots:
 
   '@layerstack/tailwind@2.0.0-next.17':
     dependencies:
-      '@layerstack/utils': 2.0.0-next.18
+      '@layerstack/utils': 2.0.0-next.19
       clsx: 2.1.1
       d3-array: 3.2.4
       lodash-es: 4.17.23
@@ -7177,14 +7180,14 @@ snapshots:
 
   '@layerstack/tailwind@2.0.0-next.21':
     dependencies:
-      '@layerstack/utils': 2.0.0-next.18
+      '@layerstack/utils': 2.0.0-next.19
       clsx: 2.1.1
       d3-array: 3.2.4
       tailwind-merge: 3.5.0
 
   '@layerstack/tailwind@2.0.0-next.22':
     dependencies:
-      '@layerstack/utils': 2.0.0-next.18
+      '@layerstack/utils': 2.0.0-next.19
       clsx: 2.1.1
       d3-array: 3.2.4
       tailwind-merge: 3.6.0
@@ -7202,6 +7205,12 @@ snapshots:
       d3-time: 3.1.0
       d3-time-format: 4.1.0
 
+  '@layerstack/utils@2.0.0-next.19':
+    dependencies:
+      d3-array: 3.2.4
+      d3-time: 3.1.0
+      d3-time-format: 4.1.0
+
   '@lezer/common@1.4.0': {}
 
   '@lezer/common@1.5.1': {}
@@ -11675,6 +11684,18 @@ snapshots:
       - stylus
       - sugarss
 
+  svelte-check@4.5.0(picomatch@4.0.4)(svelte@5.56.1(@typescript-eslint/types@8.60.1))(typescript@6.0.3):
+    dependencies:
+      '@jridgewell/trace-mapping': 0.3.31
+      chokidar: 4.0.3
+      fdir: 6.5.0(picomatch@4.0.4)
+      picocolors: 1.1.1
+      sade: 1.8.1
+      svelte: 5.56.1(@typescript-eslint/types@8.60.1)
+      typescript: 6.0.3
+    transitivePeerDependencies:
+      - picomatch
+
   svelte-check@4.5.0(picomatch@4.0.5)(svelte@5.56.1(@typescript-eslint/types@8.60.1))(typescript@6.0.3):
     dependencies:
       '@jridgewell/trace-mapping': 0.3.31