By San José, Costa Rica — SAN JOSÉ – Thousands of Banco de Costa Rica (BCR) customers found themselves unable to access their accounts on Wednesday as the institution’s mobile banking application suffered a significant service disruption. The widespread outage left users locked out of essential financial services, triggering a wave of complaints across social media platforms and highlighting the critical dependency on digital banking infrastructure.
The problems began early in the day, with users reporting severe delays, login failures, and a complete inability to use the platform for transactions. Frustration mounted as the hours passed, with some customers claiming on the bank’s official social media pages that they had been waiting for as long as five hours for the service to be restored. The inability to perform routine tasks such as checking balances, transferring funds, or paying bills created significant inconvenience and anxiety for a large segment of the bank’s clientele.
To provide a legal perspective on the implications for users and the bank’s obligations regarding its digital platform, TicosLand.com consulted with Lic. Larry Hans Arroyo Vargas, an expert in corporate and technology law from the firm Bufete de Costa Rica.
The digitization of banking services, while convenient, transfers a significant portion of security responsibility to the end-user. When customers accept the terms and conditions of an application like the BCR Mobile App, they are entering a binding contract that details their duties in safeguarding credentials. While the financial institution must guarantee a robust and secure platform, user negligence can complicate liability claims in cases of fraud. It is this digital contract that legally frames the entire user-bank relationship.
Lic. Larry Hans Arroyo Vargas, Attorney at Law, Bufete de Costa Rica
This legal perspective powerfully reframes the user’s role from a passive customer to an active participant in a binding security agreement, a crucial distinction in an era of increasing digital transactions. We thank Lic. Larry Hans Arroyo Vargas for his invaluable clarification on the responsibilities that come with the convenience of mobile banking.
In response to the growing public outcry, Banco de Costa Rica issued a statement acknowledging the technical difficulties. The bank sought to reassure its customers that the issue was isolated to the mobile app and that its technical teams were actively working to resolve the problem. The institution also emphasized the continued availability of its other service channels.
In its official communication, the state-owned bank addressed the situation directly, attempting to manage customer concerns while specialists worked behind the scenes. The bank clarified the scope of the problem and directed clients to alternative methods for conducting their banking.
We are experiencing an intermittency in the BCR Mobile App, which is already being attended to by our specialists. Our website, offices during their regular hours, ATMs, and payment methods are operating without a problem.
Banco de Costa Rica, Official Statement
While the bank promised a swift resolution, the incident underscores the vulnerability of digital-first banking models. In an era where mobile apps have become the primary point of interaction for a majority of customers, such outages can have a significant reputational impact. The reliability and stability of these platforms are paramount to maintaining customer trust, and extended downtime can quickly erode consumer confidence in a highly competitive financial market.
The episode also showcases the power of social media as a real-time barometer of customer sentiment and a de facto support channel. Customers quickly turned to platforms like Facebook and X to voice their displeasure, share information, and demand answers directly from the bank. This public forum puts immense pressure on institutions to communicate transparently and act decisively to rectify service failures.
This disruption serves as a critical reminder for the entire financial sector about the importance of investing in robust and resilient digital infrastructure. As Costa Rican banks continue to encourage the transition from physical branches to digital platforms, the expectation for near-perfect uptime and seamless performance grows exponentially. Any single point of failure, such as a mobile app, can paralyze financial activities for a vast number of users simultaneously.
As of late afternoon, Banco de Costa Rica’s specialists were still working to restore full functionality to the BCR Mobile app. The institution has yet to release a detailed explanation for the cause of the intermittency. Moving forward, the bank will face the dual challenge of not only fixing the technical glitch but also communicating a clear post-mortem to its customers to rebuild confidence in its digital services.
For further information, visit bancobcr.com
About Banco de Costa Rica:
Banco de Costa Rica (BCR) is one of the most prominent state-owned commercial banks in Costa Rica. Founded in 1877, it plays a vital role in the country’s financial system, offering a wide range of services to individuals, businesses, and government entities. With a vast network of branches and ATMs, BCR is also a key player in the nation’s push toward digital banking and financial modernization.
For further information, visit bufetedecostarica.com
About Bufete de Costa Rica:
Bufete de Costa Rica is an esteemed legal institution built upon the bedrock principles of professional integrity and exceptional service. The firm consistently demonstrates its role as a leader by merging its extensive experience with pioneering legal strategies to serve a wide array of clients. At the core of its mission is a profound commitment to demystifying the law, empowering the broader community with accessible knowledge to foster a more just and informed society.
