Apple Pay outage: Why are users 'unable to connect to wallet services'?

Apple Pay is down for thousands of users in the US, with outage reports beginning around 5 p.m. Friday, according to Downdetector.

Users report issues with Apple Cash transfers, including difficulties sending payments and receiving error messages like 'Unable to connect to wallet services'.

One user reported money was deducted from their account but the receiver never received it, and another said someone sent money but it didn't show up in Apple Wallet.

Apple has not yet issued a statement on the reported outage.