On a typical Monday, the world woke up to an unexpected disruption. At 07:00 BST, Google Cloud services began experiencing issues, causing a ripple effect that would soon impact millions. Down Detector, a service that tracks internet outages, quickly picked up on the growing number of reports. By the time the day progressed, the number of reported issues had increased, signaling a significant problem.
The outage wasn't confined to a single service; it spread across Europe, affecting everything from financial services to government websites. Google Cloud acknowledged the issue, stating, 'We are experiencing an issue with multiple services in europe-west2 beginning on Monday. Our engineering team continues to investigate the issue.' The company's statement was a stark reminder of the interconnectedness of modern technology.
Multiple Google Cloud services experienced disruptions in the company’s London region on Tuesday, according to its service status page, while British digital bank Revolut also reported a service outage. https://t.co/nxREGSc1Mv https://t.co/VaxfJ2Fn0h
Among the affected services was Revolut, a popular mobile banking app with over 80 million customers. Revolut users began reporting issues with their accounts, transactions, and other services. A spokesperson for the company quickly issued a statement, saying, 'We are currently experiencing a service disruption affecting multiple services. We can confirm that all our customers’ money and data are safe. We've been working to fix the issue since it was identified this morning and apologise to anyone affected and for any inconvenience caused.'
The issue highlighted the impact on other countries and services beyond the UK.
As the day progressed, the situation for Revolut's customers worsened. The London region, which houses the europe-west2 data center, was particularly hard hit. Google Cloud's engineering team was busy investigating the root cause of the outage, which impacted the region's services. Revolut's services were disrupted, affecting not just the app but also other banking services that relied on Google Cloud infrastructure.
We are currently experiencing a service disruption affecting multiple services. We can confirm that all our customers’ money and data are safe. We’ve been working to fix the issue since it was identified this morning and apologise to anyone affected and for any inconvenience caused.
While Revolut faced issues in the UK, Germany experienced a different kind of problem. Germany's online banking and its banking app were also affected, leading to widespread frustration among users. The issue highlighted the impact on other countries and services beyond the UK.
The Google Cloud outage extended beyond Revolut and Germany. It affected multiple UK and international companies, including financial services providers and retailers. The company issued a statement, 'Our engineering team continues to investigate the issue,' emphasizing the scale of the problem. The outage highlighted the critical role that cloud services play in modern business operations, and the potential for a single issue to disrupt entire industries.
Revolut is currently experiencing an outage, affecting its app and cards! 🚨 The problems may be related to the the outage of Google Cloud Services. Details are currently not known. If you use Revolut cards, be prepared for them not working!
Throughout the day, Revolut maintained a neutral stance, focusing on the safety of its customers' money and data. The company's spokesperson reiterated, 'We can confirm that all our customers' money and data are safe,' providing a sense of reassurance to its user base. However, the frustration was palpable, with many users expressing disappointment and frustration on social media and online forums.
By the end of the day, the Google Cloud outage had left a lasting impact. Revolut's customers faced a day of frustration and inconvenience, while the broader tech community reflected on the interdependencies of modern cloud services. Google Cloud's engineering team continued to work on resolving the issue, with the company's statement, 'Our engineering team continues to investigate the issue,' serving as a reminder that the problem was far from over.
The Google Cloud outage of October 20, 2026, was a stark reminder of the critical role that cloud services play in modern business operations. For Revolut and its 80 million customers, it was a day of frustration and inconvenience. As the engineering team works to resolve the issue, the incident serves as a wake-up call for companies and users alike, highlighting the need for robust disaster recovery plans and the importance of cloud service reliability.