China, a sudden blackout exposed a major flaw in the cashless society.

In the aftermath of a powerful typhoon in Hainan, China, a sudden blackout exposed a major flaw in the cashless society.

With power and water cut off, residents were left scrambling to charge their phones, which held their only access to money.

Unable to make even the simplest purchases, like buying a loaf of bread, the incident revealed just how vulnerable a digital-only economy can be in times of crisis.