A massive outage in Amazon Web Services (AWS) on October 20, 2025, caused widespread disruptions across numerous high-profile platforms worldwide. This incident affected services such as Alexa, Snapchat, Fortnite, and Venmo, leaving users unable to access these platforms. Financial services like Coinbase and Robinhood were also impacted, alongside banks and other businesses. By October 21, 2025, Amazon reported that AWS cloud services had returned to normal, with services gradually recovering.
Timeline of the Outage
The AWS disruption began around 16:14 UTC on October 20, 2025, when platforms like Coinbase and Robinhood started experiencing downtime. This initial phase marked the beginning of a significant service interruption that would soon escalate. By 16:59 UTC, the outage had expanded, knocking every website offline, affecting a wide range of services and platforms.
The recovery phase began early on October 21, 2025. Updates at 01:21 UTC highlighted the ongoing impacts on services like Alexa, Snapchat, Fortnite, and Venmo. By 03:30 UTC, efforts to restore these services were underway, with some platforms beginning to recover functionality. This timeline underscores the rapid escalation and subsequent recovery efforts that characterized the AWS outage.
Affected Consumer Services
The AWS outage significantly impacted gaming and social platforms, leaving millions of users unable to access features on services like Fortnite and Snapchat. These platforms rely heavily on AWS infrastructure, and the outage highlighted the vulnerability of digital services to cloud disruptions. Users faced interruptions in gameplay and communication, underscoring the critical role of AWS in maintaining seamless digital experiences.
Voice assistants and payment apps were also affected, with Alexa losing functionality and Venmo halting transactions. The outage disrupted daily activities for users who depend on these services for convenience and financial transactions. Snapchat serves as a key example of the outage’s impact, with recovery efforts noted by 03:30 UTC on October 21, 2025. This incident highlights the interconnected nature of digital services and the widespread effects of cloud service disruptions.
Impacts on Financial and Crypto Platforms
The AWS outage had a profound effect on cryptocurrency exchanges, particularly Coinbase, which went offline and prevented trades. This disruption underscored the reliance of financial platforms on cloud services and the potential risks associated with such dependencies. Users were unable to access their accounts or execute trades, leading to frustration and financial uncertainty.
Stock trading apps like Robinhood also experienced disruptions, resulting in widespread user complaints during the AWS failure. The outage affected the ability of users to monitor and manage their investments, highlighting the critical role of cloud services in financial operations. Venmo was included in the list of impacted platforms, alongside banks that faced interruptions, as reported in recovery updates. This incident emphasizes the need for robust contingency plans to mitigate the effects of cloud service disruptions on financial platforms.
Amazon’s Response and Global Disruptions
Amazon issued an official statement confirming that the AWS cloud service is back to normal after the outage disrupted businesses worldwide on October 20, 2025. The incident highlighted the global reach of AWS and the widespread impact of its disruptions on businesses across multiple regions. Companies reliant on AWS faced significant operational challenges, underscoring the importance of cloud service reliability.
The broader business interruptions caused by the huge AWS outage affected operations across various sectors. From financial services to consumer platforms, the outage demonstrated the interconnected nature of modern digital infrastructure. Recovery announcements at 07:25 UTC on October 21, 2025, confirmed stabilization for services, including those hit among banks. This incident serves as a reminder of the critical role of cloud services in the global digital economy and the need for resilience in the face of potential disruptions.