ANZ customers locked out by second major outage in 48 hours

Just when you thought the tech gremlins had finished their mischief, they struck again.

On 21 October 2025, many Australians found themselves unable to access their bank accounts due to a sudden ANZ digital banking outage.

The outage came barely 24 hours after a massive global internet disruption had already caused chaos across the digital world.

If you’ve been wondering why your banking app seemed particularly temperamental this week, you weren’t alone.

Downdetector, a service tracking online interruptions, recorded over 2,600 reports of service interruptions, leaving many ANZ customers unable to check their balances, transfer money, or carry out routine transactions.

The Tuesday banking blackout

The outage started at about 12:30 pm local time, quickly frustrating customers as error messages appeared and screens became unresponsive when they tried to access their accounts.

For many Australians who rely heavily on digital banking, particularly those who've embraced online services as a convenient way to manage their finances, it was a stark reminder of how vulnerable our modern banking system can be.

The problem wasn't just a simple glitch. ANZ's payment processing and intra-day reporting systems failed completely, meaning that even if you could somehow access your account, payments were stuck showing as 'in progress' without actually completing.

The perfect storm: When the internet breaks twice

The timing made the situation especially difficult. In the early hours of 20 October, Amazon Web Services (AWS) suffered a multi-hour outage that disrupted a wide range of websites, apps, and online platforms.

This massive disruption, which experts called the biggest internet disruption of 2025, had already left millions of people unable to access everything from social media to gaming platforms.

ANZ’s app and web platform failed to load account details and payment statuses. Image Source: viewimage / Shutterstock

While ANZ's issues appeared to be separate from the Amazon Web Services problems, the one-two punch left many Australians feeling like the digital world was falling apart around them.

It is important to note that AWS, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud together hold around 65 per cent of the global cloud market, meaning that when these services experience problems, the impact can be widespread.

Your money is safe (even when you can't see it)

There is no need to worry about your savings. Bank outages usually affect access and transaction systems, not the security of your accounts, and customer deposits remain completely safe.

Think of it like your local bank branch having a power outage. Your money is still in the vault, you just can't get to the counter to withdraw it or check your balance.

The same principle applies to digital outages; it's an access problem, not a security breach.

When the app won't app: Your backup plan[/h3[

For those of you who've gone fully digital with your banking, an outage like this can feel particularly isolating.

But don't despair, there are still ways to manage your money when the pixels stop cooperating:

Your immediate options:

• During outages, ATMs, EFTPOS (Electronic Funds Transfer at Point of Sale) terminals, and phone banking generally continue to operate normally.
• Visit your local branch in person for urgent transactions.
• Use your debit or credit cards for purchases (these often work even when apps don't).
• Call ANZ's 24-hour phone banking service on 13 13 14.

The outage followed a global tech disruption that crippled dozens of major platforms. Image Source: yousafbhutta / Pixabay

For future outages:

• Keep some cash handy for emergencies.
• Know your local branch locations and opening hours.
• Set up automatic payments for essential bills.
• Consider having accounts with multiple banks for redundancy.

ANZ's track record: How long do these outages typically last?

If there's one consolation, it's that ANZ has generally been pretty good about getting services back up and running quickly.

Most ANZ service disruptions are fixed within two to six hours, and the bank has had relatively few major outages compared with some international lenders.

The bank does maintain a comprehensive status page where customers can check for real-time updates on any service issues, and they typically communicate through their official social media channels when problems arise.

The bigger picture: Our digital dependence

This week's double-trouble with both global internet services and local banking highlights something that's become increasingly clear: we're putting a lot of eggs in very few digital baskets.

When services that millions rely on are controlled by just a handful of companies, even small technical hiccups can cascade into major disruptions.

For older Australians who might remember when banking meant queuing at the teller window every Friday afternoon, there's perhaps some wisdom in maintaining a mix of digital convenience and traditional backup methods.

The goal isn't to abandon modern banking; it's incredibly convenient and generally reliable, but rather to make sure you're not completely helpless when technology has one of its occasional tantrums.

ANZ has since restored full service and apologised for the inconvenience, but the experience serves as a useful reminder that even in our hyper-connected world, it pays to have a backup plan.

After all, the most reliable technology is the kind that works even when everything else doesn't.

What backup banking methods do you rely on when technology lets you down? Have you experienced similar frustrations with digital banking outages, or do you still prefer to handle your banking the old-fashioned way? Share your experiences and tips in the comments below.