Most of the time, no. Kalshi has had genuine outages, usually around huge-volume moments like election night, playoff games and big economic releases, but the majority of "is Kalshi down" moments are something else: a geofence, an old app version, a VPN, a verification hold or a bank decline. Here's how to tell them apart and what an outage does and doesn't do to your money.
How to check in 60 seconds
- Kalshi's status page and X account. Real outages are acknowledged there quickly.
- r/Kalshi. If it's broad, there's a thread within minutes.
- Try the website if the app fails, or vice versa. They're different front ends on the same exchange.
- Turn off any VPN and check location services. Kalshi geofences by state.
- Update the app. Old versions get cut off after API changes.
What an outage does to you
- Positions: untouched. They're records on the exchange, not in your phone.
- Resting orders: stay on the book unless Kalshi halts the market. That means they can fill during an outage you can't see. If that worries you, cancel orders before known high-load events.
- Settlement: proceeds as scheduled once systems are back.
- Withdrawals: delayed, not lost.
Things that look like outages
| Symptom | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| "Not available in your location" | Geofenced category or VPN | Disable VPN; check your state |
| App opens, markets won't load | Old app version or weak network | Update; switch Wi-Fi/mobile |
| Order sits unfilled | Limit order with no counterparty | It's working; adjust the price |
| Can't withdraw | Security hold on recent deposit or random verification | Wait out the hold; complete verification |
| Card deposit declined | Issuer blocks prediction markets | Use ACH, PayPal, Venmo or Apple Pay |
| Account "under review" | Verification issue | Check email for the request |
When it really is down
Expect it around the biggest events: election nights, Super Bowl, NFL Sundays with record volume, a Fed decision. Kalshi's volume tripled in the six months to mid-2026, and infrastructure strain is the price of that. Plan for it: don't rely on getting out of a position in the last minute before a big settlement.