Virtual banks are bringing a unique value proposition to global banking customers with radically differentiated products and low costs. Two of Asia's financial powerhouses -- Singapore and Hong Kong are licencing virtual banks with different approaches. We explore the regulatory and innovation ecosystems of the two cities to see who has the edge. We also take you through the Gulf Cooperation Council nation's 5G implementation race and figure out how they leapfrogged the rest of the world, among other delectable reads in this issue.