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, Texas – Three fugitives who were on the Texas Department of Public Safety’s 10 Most Wanted Sex Offenders list were arrested in three separate operations throughout the state.
The arrests involve local agencies from Hidalgo, Plano and Houston, as well as state and federal law enforcement agencies, according to DPS officials.
3 Texas Most Wanted Sex Offenders Captured
Local perspective:
53-year-old Leroy Lewis Jr. was arrested June 22 at a residence in south Houston.
Leroy Lewis Jr. (Texas DPS)
DPS special agents assigned to the Texas Anti-Gang Center worked with the Harris County Sheriff’s Office, Houston Police Department and the Texas attorney general’s Fugitive Apprehension Unit to locate and arrest him.
Lewis had been wanted since March on a Harris County warrant charging him with failure to comply with sex offender registration requirements.
According to DPS, Lewis was convicted in the 1990s of murder, aggravated robbery and aggravated kidnapping. Authorities said the kidnapping involved a 20-year-old woman whom Lewis intended to sexually abuse. He was sentenced to 35 years in prison, paroled in 2012 and required to register as a sex offender.
Tip leads to capture of Plano fugitive
Dig deeper:
64-year-old Kenneth Wayne Patterson was arrested on June 24 at a Plano apartment complex after investigators followed up on a tip.
Kenneth Wayne Patterson (Texas DPS)
DPS special agents, Plano police officers and members of the U.S. Marshals North Texas Fugitive Task Force made the arrest. Patterson had been wanted since December 2025 on a Dallas County warrant alleging failure to comply with sex offender registration requirements.
Patterson was convicted in Dallas County in 1989 of sexually assaulting an 8-year-old girl and sentenced to eight years in prison, according to DPS. Authorities said he has a history of failing to comply with sex offender registration requirements.
Hidalgo border arrest
What’s next:
32-year-old Eduardo Quinones Fuentes was arrested on June 22 at the McAllen-Hidalgo International Bridge, after U.S. authorities took him into custody upon his return from Mexico.
Eduardo Quinones Fuentes (Texas DPS)
DPS identified Fuentes as a documented Tango Valluco gang member who had absconded to Mexico. Fuentes had been wanted since October 2025 on parole violation and obstruction warrants. A Hidalgo County warrant charging him with failure to comply with sex offender registration requirements was issued in November 2025.
Since 2016, Fuentes has been convicted of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, sexual assault, assault, unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon and human smuggling, according to DPS.
Rewards and 2026 Arrest Stats
What they’re saying:
DPS said 44 fugitives on its 10 Most Wanted lists have been arrested so far this year, including 32 sex offenders and eight documented gang members. The agency said $61,500 in Crime Stoppers rewards has been paid in connection with those arrests.
Texas Crime Stoppers offers rewards for information leading to the arrest of fugitives on the state’s 10 Most Wanted lists.
The Source: Information in this article was provided by the Texas Department of Public Safety.
Austin, TX
Home Automation Austin Brings Personalized, Full-Service Home Automation to Homeowners in Austin
A Smart Home Partner for Every Stage of the Project
AUSTIN, Texas, June 30, 2026 (Newswire.com)
–
Home Automation Austin, a premier smart home installation company, is helping homeowners rethink the way they live by delivering customized home automation in Austin that unites lighting, audio, video, climate and security into a single, easy-to-use system.
For more than 18 years, the company has designed and installed integrated technology systems that let clients control their homes from any networked device, whether they are across the room or across the globe. From whole-house audio and video distribution to motorized shades, energy management and home theaters, Home Automation Austin builds each system around a client’s lifestyle rather than a one-size-fits-all template. A typical installation lets homeowners dim individual lights, monitor security cameras, adjust the thermostat and stream music to outdoor speakers, all from a single app.
Demand for home automation in Austin continues to climb as new construction and remodeling projects across Central Texas increasingly include smart technology. The company works directly with homeowners, builders and designers from the earliest planning stages, holding project kickoff meetings to keep systems on time and on budget.
“Home automation in Austin has moved from a luxury to an expectation, and our clients want technology that simply works without a learning curve,” said Adam Besetzny, CEO of Home Automation Austin. “We design every system around the way a family actually lives, so controlling lights, music, climate and security feels effortless from day one.”
Unlike many providers that rely on subcontractors, Home Automation Austin employs its own technicians and designers, a distinction the company says ensures accountability and consistent quality. The firm is a certified dealer and integrator for respected brands including Control4, Crestron, Lutron, Savant, Sonos and Sonance, and it backs its work with what it calls the best warranty in the industry.
The company also emphasizes long-term support, a point of difference in an industry where service often ends once installation is complete. Home Automation Austin offers 24/7 service and support plans, keeping clients connected long after the final device is mounted.
“Most companies disappear the moment the job is finished, but that is when the relationship should really begin,” Besetzny said. “We stay involved, we answer the phone and we make sure the technology keeps performing for years, not just on installation day.”
Home Automation Austin serves Austin and surrounding communities, including Georgetown, Leander, Lakeway, Cedar Park, Round Rock, Dripping Springs and San Marcos. The company is fully licensed and insured and holds a Google five-star rating along with multiple industry credentials.
Homeowners interested in home automation in Austin can schedule a design consultation by calling 512-515-3456 or visiting https://homeautomationaustin.com/.
About Home Automation Austin
Home Automation Austin is a premier smart home installation company in Austin, TX, specializing in design, installation, and support of advanced home automation, audio and video, and lighting control systems. With more than 18 years of experience and partnerships with top-tier brands, the company delivers personalized solutions that combine innovation, performance, and long-term reliability.
Media Contact:
Adam Besetzny, CEO
512-851-6474
adamb@capitoltechnologygroup.com
SOURCE: Home Automation Austin
Source: Home Automation Austin
Posted:
Updated:
AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Austin Police Department is asking the community for help in locating three people involved in a May 31 robbery at a 7-Eleven at 411 W. Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd.
Three suspects allegedly entered the gas station at 2:50 a.m. and ran for the exit while stealing alcohol, according to an APD press release. A store clerk tried to intervene and was tackled, resulting in significant injuries, police said.
If anyone has information, APD is requesting they contact APD’s Robbery Unit at 512-974-5092. You may submit an anonymous tip through the Capital Area Crime Stoppers Program by visiting austincrimestoppers.org or calling 512-472-8477.
A reward up to $1,000 is being offered for information that leads to an arrest.
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