Announcement of Proof-of-Concept (PoC) Implementation Using Blockchain Forensic Platform 'LastEvidence'

THXLAB Inc. (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director & CEO: Koto Kojiro; hereinafter "the Company") announces the commencement on July 1, 2026, of a proof-of-concept (PoC) utilizing the blockchain forensic platform "LastEvidence" (meaning "the last evidence"), jointly developed with ECQ (Headquarters: Singapore; Group CEO: Kenny Phuong), at a major domestic securities company.

This PoC will be led by TradeWorks Co., Ltd. (Tokyo Stock Exchange Standard Market: 3997; Representative Director & President: Masakatsu Saito; hereinafter "TradeWorks"), with which the Company has established a capital and business alliance, and will be implemented on the securities trading system of a major domestic securities firm.

1. Significance of the Initiative

As a developer and provider of THXNET., a Japan-origin trusted execution platform for enterprises, the Company has been promoting the enterprise adoption of blockchain technology. LastEvidence is a blockchain-anchored forensic evidence preservation solution jointly developed by ECQ and the Company. By recording hash values in real time onto an independent off-site blockchain (THXNET.) simultaneously with log generation, it enables rapid restoration and verification of pre-attack states even if logs are deleted, altered, or encrypted due to cyberattacks. This PoC is positioned as a critical validation step toward the social implementation of LastEvidence in financial operations, aiming to realize tamper-proof audit trails that allow third parties to objectively verify "who did what, when, and under which authority." The Company has formed a capital and business alliance with TradeWorks, responsible for implementing and integrating systems into financial infrastructure, and is advancing social implementation in the financial sector through collaboration with them.

2. Overview of the Proof-of-Concept (PoC)

Implementation Period: July 1, 2026 – End of August 2026 (planned)

Target System: Specific business processes within the securities trading system of a major domestic securities firm

Participating Entities: Major domestic securities firm / TradeWorks Co., Ltd. / ECQ / THXLAB Inc.

[Main Verification Items]

(1) Verification of the effectiveness of detecting system log tampering

System logs output from servers will be recorded on the forensic platform. The PoC will verify whether tampering can be detected even if logs are altered or deleted following unauthorized intrusions by malware or other threats.

(2) Verification of evidence data integrity and preservation

The PoC will verify that data integrity is maintained after recording and that evidence is preserved in a reliable state suitable for audit trails.

(3) Evaluation of interoperability and practicality with existing systems

The technical feasibility of integration and the impact on system load and operations due to log collection and recording will be assessed.

[Roles and Responsibilities]

Role

Responsible Party

Provision of securities trading system environment

Major domestic securities firm

Development and provision of blockchain forensic platform

ECQ and THXLAB Inc. (joint development)

Financial system integration and implementation of the evidence platform

TradeWorks Co., Ltd.

Recording and verification of evidence data

All participating entities

3. Background and Significance

In the financial and securities industry, risks of log and backup deletion, tampering, and encryption due to ransomware and cyberattacks are intensifying. Recently, vulnerabilities allowing attackers to alter logs and alerts within widely adopted SIEM platforms have been exposed, increasing the risk that traditional detection and storage infrastructures themselves become attack targets. Preserving the authenticity of transaction records under such conditions is a critical industry-wide challenge from compliance and system integrity perspectives. LastEvidence adopts a practical approach that adds an evidence layer without compromising existing system and security investments.

4. Exhibition and Presentation at WebX2026

At WebX2026, to be held on July 13 (Mon) and 14 (Tue), 2026, at The Prince Park Tower Tokyo, TradeWorks’ Representative Director and President, Masakatsu Saito, is scheduled to participate as a panelist in a discussion on the current state and future of on-chain finance. Additionally, a demonstration of "LastEvidence" will be exhibited at their booth.

5. Future Outlook

Based on the results of this PoC, the Company will explore the future applicability of LastEvidence in financial operations. By combining the off-site blockchain infrastructure provided by THXNET. with LastEvidence, the Company will continue to validate the realization of cyber-resilient financial infrastructure that maintains evidence authenticity even after cyberattacks.

About THXLAB Inc.

THXLAB Inc. (established November 18, 2024) is a company that develops and provides THXNET., a Japan-origin trusted execution platform for enterprises. Leveraging the essential characteristics of blockchain—immutability, transparency and traceability, and cross-border interoperability—the company offers a SaaS platform enabling enterprises to securely utilize data while maintaining data sovereignty. With over 400,000 wallets and more than 450,000 NFTs issued, THXLAB has implementation experience with enterprise clients such as TOPPAN, Expo 2025 Osaka Kansai, Urawa Red Diamonds, and FIT365.

Address: Atlas Building 601, 1-5-10 Azabu-Juban, Minato-ku, Tokyo

Web: https://www.thxlab.io/

About ECQ

ECQ is a cybersecurity company based in Singapore, founded and operated by a team of white-hat hackers, possessing one of Southeast Asia’s leading offensive security platforms and teams. For over 17 years, ECQ has expanded from Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam to Malaysia, Japan, and the UAE, serving clients across finance, telecommunications, critical infrastructure, manufacturing, government, and enterprise sectors. With over 100 specialized professionals—including more than 55 offensive security experts and vulnerability researchers—ECQ has a proven track record of discovering critical and zero-day vulnerabilities in major industry products and achieving top placements in international cybersecurity competitions. The company provides services including penetration testing, red teaming, APT simulation, incident investigation, threat hunting, offensive MDR, OT/ICS security assessments, vulnerability research, incident response, and compliance advisory.

Web: https://e-cq.net

<Inquiries regarding this announcement>

THXLAB Inc. Public Relations / Email: [email protected]