Google Cloud outage halts Revolut payments in Ireland and the UK

Google Cloud Power Outage Halts Revolut Payments Across Ireland and the UK

Revolut users across Ireland and the UK faced widespread payment failures and login lockouts on October 20, 2026, after a power outage at a Google Cloud data centre in London disrupted critical banking infrastructure. The disruption halted card transactions, ATM withdrawals, and app access for thousands of customers who rely on the neo-bank for day-to-day purchases. Revolut has around 3.4 million customers in Ireland, where about 6% use it as their primary bank account.

The network failure stemmed from an unexpected power event at the London cloud facility, which triggered cascading outages across multiple digital platforms. The outage extended beyond financial institutions, impacting other high-profile systems including Lloyds Bank, HSBC, and the video platform used by British courts. Revolut issued a statement via X confirming that engineers traced the root cause to the third-party cloud failure and worked urgently to bring core features back online.

Data Breaches Precede Cloud Disruption for Revolut Customers

The system outage followed a turbulent month of security and data incidents at the fintech firm. On September 14, 2026, Revolut notified an undisclosed number of customers that unauthorized actors had accessed personal records, including copies of passports, driver’s licences, dates of birth, home addresses, email addresses, and phone numbers. Just ten days later, a separate security incident at US broker DriveWealth—a third-party provider that executes US stock trades for Revolut customers—exposed historical personal data belonging to Irish users.

Daragh Cassidy of comparison website Bonkers.ie pointed out to The Journal that technical disruptions are not unique to digital challengers, noting that legacy providers such as Bank of Ireland have experienced severe online banking and mobile app failures in recent years. Traditional retail banks in Ireland, including AIB, Bank of Ireland, and PTSB, charge monthly maintenance fees ranging from €6 to €8 for basic personal current accounts. In contrast, Revolut and rival neo-banks like Monzo and N26 pitch streamlined digital interfaces and lower fee structures, though they maintain leaner customer service operations.

Frequently Asked Questions About Revolut and Neo-Bank Security

Are customer deposits safe if a neo-bank experiences an outage?

Yes. Revolut and other prominent neo-banks operating in Ireland are fully regulated institutions, meaning customer deposits are legally protected up to €100,000 if the financial institution fails, matching the protections offered by traditional banks like AIB and Bank of Ireland.

What caused the October 2026 service disruption?

The outage was triggered by a power outage at a Google Cloud data centre in London, which disrupted cloud-based network services for Revolut, major UK banks including HSBC and Lloyds, and several other digital platforms.