Austin, TX
US-based Episode Six is banking on Hong Kong demand for virtual payments, SME lending
“We’re seeing increasing demand for virtual card payments, which our platform is perfectly suited for,” said John Mitchell, E6’s co-founder and CEO. “We’re also seeing an increase in demand for our virtual account, and we’re expected to have growing penetration around these two products in Hong Kong throughout the rest of the year.”
“We know there’s a push from the regulators to see more innovative working capital solutions deployed to SMEs, and we have a product that takes the concept of ‘buy now, pay later’ [BNPL] but industrialises it and makes it fit for purpose for commercial banks to offer to SME customers,” Muse-McKenney said, adding that there is some “good traction” taking place in the market, and E6 is looking to officially launch the new product in the second half of this year.
BNPL is a short-term instalment loan that allows customers to make purchases and pay for them later, without being charged interest.
“The problem across the region is that payments technology needs to be modernised,” said Mitchell. “Asia-Pacific is growing for E6, and some of the new payment products require technology that’s not readily available in the markets that we’re entering, whether that’s around contactless QR code payments, or interoperability between payment schemes.”
Both executives also highlighted Japan as “high on the list” for the start-up.
“Japan is a particularly compelling market for E6,” said Mitchell, adding that E6 has been on the ground in Japan since 2017. With positive macroeconomic trends and a fintech-friendly regulatory environment in Japan, financial institutions are investing in modernising their payment infrastructure, he added.
Ant Group adds 14 foreign payment apps in access boost for Hong Kong merchants
Ant Group adds 14 foreign payment apps in access boost for Hong Kong merchants
“Financial institutions in Asia have had more direct competition from fintechs, and thus they have had to wake up sooner and are more advanced in their thinking in terms of the digital experiences they need to create,” said Muse-McKenney.
“The payments innovation landscape in Asia, the idea of faster payments, is a really progressive agenda that’s being pushed, and so banks and financial institutions more broadly are at the forefront of payments innovation, whereas within [Europe, the Middle East and Africa] and North America, they’re more catching up.”
While also steadily expanding in Europe and North America, Asia remains E6’s largest market from both a revenue and accounts perspective, since the company was founded in 2015, Mitchell said.
Hong Kong SMEs more confident of growth than their Singapore, mainland peers
Hong Kong SMEs more confident of growth than their Singapore, mainland peers
E6 in late April announced a partnership with Singapore-licensed financial institution DCS Card Centre that will allow fintech companies to issue their own branded credit cards through E6’s customer interface.
Powered by E6’s card issuance technology, the solution reduces the process needed to launch a new credit card from up to six months to a matter of weeks. It also incorporates access to a virtual account that allows for top-ups with fiat currency through bank transfers, or with digital assets via DCS tokens, which are directly issued by DCS.
With a presence in more than 35 countries, E6 completed its most recent financing round in March 2023, raising US$48 million from investors led by Avenir. E6’s other existing backers include HSBC, Mastercard, SBI Investment Co and Anthos Capital.
AUSTIN (KXAN) — Thirteen Texas cities were listed as the most delinquent on debt in the United States.
Financial resource outlet WalletHub recently compared proprietary user data in the 100 largest U.S. cities to find where people were having the most difficulty paying their bills.
“Being delinquent on debt payments can cause a lot of harm to your credit score, and late payments will remain on your credit report for seven years,” WalletHub said. “People who are delinquent on any debt should try to get current as quickly as possible in order to minimize credit score damage and avoid other consequences like additional late fees, closed accounts, or lawsuits.”
The data showed the Texas city that struggled the most was Laredo, which ranked No. 8 nationally. Laredo had a total score of 72.52 out of 100, with 18.31% of people being loan balance delinquent in Q4 of 2025.
“People in some cities will have a much harder time catching up on delinquent debt payments than others, though,” WalletHub said.
Nationally, the No. 1 city with the most delinquent debt was Detroit, Michigan, which had residents delinquent on 15.7% of all their loans and lines of credit. Detroit residents were also delinquent on 20.2% of their entire debt, according to the study’s data.
Other Texas cities in the top 20 included:
No. 11 – Garland, TX
- Total Score: 68.11
- Percentage of Tradelines Delinquent in Q4 2025: 13.42%
- Percentage of Loan Balance Delinquent in Q4 2025: 13.91%
No. 13 – El Paso, TX
- Total Score: 65.83
- Percentage of Tradelines Delinquent in Q4 2025: 12.86%
- Percentage of Loan Balance Delinquent in Q4 2025: 14.30%
No. 18 – Arlington, TX
- Total Score: 63.15
- Percentage of Tradelines Delinquent in Q4 2025: 12.87%
- Percentage of Loan Balance Delinquent in Q4 2025: 13.35%
No. 20 – Lubbock, TX
- Total Score: 61.07
- Percentage of Tradelines Delinquent in Q4 2025: 12.71%
- Percentage of Loan Balance Delinquent in Q4 2025: 12.96%
Other Texas cities in the top 100 included:
No. 26 – San Antonio, TX
- Total Score: 58.59
- Percentage of Tradelines Delinquent in Q4 2025: 12.05%
- Percentage of Loan Balance Delinquent in Q4 2025: 13.50%
No. 32 – Fort Worth, TX
- Total Score: 55.09
- Percentage of Tradelines Delinquent in Q4 2025: 11.96%
- Percentage of Loan Balance Delinquent in Q4 2025: 12.47%
No. 39 – Houston, TX
- Total Score: 50.71
- Percentage of Tradelines Delinquent in Q4 2025: 12.43%
- Percentage of Loan Balance Delinquent in Q4 2025: 9.92%
No. 47 – Corpus Christi, TX
- Total Score: 46.79
- Percentage of Tradelines Delinquent in Q4 2025: 10.72%
- Percentage of Loan Balance Delinquent in Q4 2025: 12.21%
No. 52 – Irving, TX
- Total Score: 44.37
- Percentage of Tradelines Delinquent in Q4 2025: 11.56%
- Percentage of Loan Balance Delinquent in Q4 2025: 9.57%
No. 68 – Dallas, TX
- Total Score: 38.36
- Percentage of Tradelines Delinquent in Q4 2025: 11.86%
- Percentage of Loan Balance Delinquent in Q4 2025: 6.83%
No. 83 – Plano, TX
- Total Score: 30.81
- Percentage of Tradelines Delinquent in Q4 2025: 10.79%
- Percentage of Loan Balance Delinquent in Q4 2025: 6.46%
No. 90 – Austin, TX
- Total Score: 21.40
- Percentage of Tradelines Delinquent in Q4 2025: 9.56%
- Percentage of Loan Balance Delinquent in Q4 2025: 5.80%
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ABC Kite Fest, a beloved annual tradition in Austin, Texas, has announced the final details for its upcoming event on April 11th in Zilker Park. As the largest and longest-running kite festival of its kind, the one-day celebration will feature kite flying demonstrations, live music, food trucks, and a variety of family-friendly activities.
Why it matters
The ABC Kite Fest has been a cherished part of the Austin community for decades, drawing thousands of locals and visitors each year to enjoy the colorful displays of kites in the sky above Zilker Park. The festival celebrates the city’s vibrant outdoor culture and provides a fun, affordable day of entertainment for all ages.
The details
This year’s ABC Kite Fest will feature professional kite flying demonstrations, with expert kite pilots showcasing their skills and techniques throughout the day. In addition to the kite flying, the event will also include live music performances, a variety of food trucks offering local cuisine, and activity booths with games and crafts for children.
- ABC Kite Fest will take place on April 11, 2026 in Zilker Park, Austin, Texas.
The players
ABC Kite Fest
An annual kite festival in Austin, Texas that is the largest and longest-running of its kind.
Zilker Park
A popular urban park in Austin, Texas that hosts the ABC Kite Fest each year.
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What’s next
Tickets for the ABC Kite Fest are available for purchase online, and the event is free and open to the public. Attendees are encouraged to bring their own kites or purchase them on-site to participate in the festivities.
The takeaway
The ABC Kite Fest is a beloved annual tradition that celebrates Austin’s vibrant outdoor culture and provides a fun, affordable day of entertainment for the whole family. The festival’s return to Zilker Park is sure to be a highlight of the spring season in the city.
U.S. News & World Report released its 2026 rankings for colleges, universities and higher education programs across the United States. The University of Texas at Austin College of Pharmacy ranked No. 8 in the nation and remains the top pharmacy school in Texas.
UT Austin earned a 4.2 on a 1-5 scale. Respondents represented schools and programs offering Doctor of Pharmacy degrees accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE).
“As the link between patients and medicine,” says U.S. News & World Report, “pharmacists must be experts on prescription drugs and over-the-counter medications, understanding use, side effects and interactions.” Texas Pharmacy continues to rank among the nation’s best, remaining rigorously competitive among peer institutions.
“Our students, alumni, faculty and staff are proud to be among the leading colleges of pharmacy in the country,” says Samuel M. Poloyac, Pharm.D., Ph.D., dean of The University of Texas at Austin College of Pharmacy and James T. Doluisio Regents Chair. “We strive for excellence and impact as we shape the future of our profession through innovative care for our communities and groundbreaking health discoveries.”
View the Best Pharmacy Schools rankings to see how UT Austin stacks up against its peer institutions.
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