This was the origin of the Bancolombia failure affecting millions of Colombians and businesses

Portafolio Journalist 02/26/2026 10:15 Updated: 02/26/2026 10:15

This was the origin of the Bancolombia failure affecting millions of Colombians and businesses

TL;DR

  • Bancolombia's technological failure originated from a planned weekend upgrade and transition between its data centers.
  • The incident was caused by software components managing system operations, similar to an unsuccessful operating system update.
  • The problem replicated across backup systems, amplifying the impact on millions of customers.
  • The bank is collaborating with global technology providers, including IBM and Kyndryl, to resolve the issue.
  • Bancolombia is operating under a contingency plan, allowing limited services like transfers between Bancolombia accounts, cash withdrawals, and debit/credit card usage.
  • The bank apologizes to affected customers and emphasizes that the event is isolated and not related to previous interruptions.