On Saturday, a technical failure affected the Pix payment system, leaving many users unable to complete financial transactions and access banking applications from several institutions, including Itaú, Nubank, Santander, and Inter. Reports on social media indicate that users began experiencing issues around midday, with complaints peaking shortly thereafter, as monitored by DownDetector, a service that tracks outages and disruptions. By approximately 12:40 PM, the number of complaints started to decline, although many applications were still not fully functional.

The exact cause of the widespread failure has not yet been disclosed, but there is speculation that Amazon Web Services (AWS) might be to blame. As the primary cloud computing provider leveraged by financial institutions in Brazil, any instability within AWS could have significant consequences for services reliant on its infrastructure. The situation remains concerning as continued complaints about various financial services, including the Central Bank of Brazil's system, suggest lingering difficulties.

This incident not only highlights the vulnerabilities in digital banking infrastructure but also raises questions about the reliance on third-party cloud services like AWS for essential banking operations. As banks and customers alike navigate these disruptions, it serves as a reminder of the critical need for robust cybersecurity and contingency planning in the financial technology sector.