Payment and e-money licence in Turkey
Feasibility, application file and central bank process for payment institutions and electronic money institutions.
Payment services and e-money in Turkey require an operating licence from the central bank under Law No. 6493. The applicant must be a Turkish joint stock company with minimum equity of TRY 40 million for a payment institution or TRY 105 million for an electronic money institution, and its systems must be located in Türkiye. Licensing takes at least one to two years. We start with a fixed-price feasibility study.
How much capital does a payment or e-money institution need?
Pending lawyer reviewMinimum equity is reset every year by the central bank. The figures below apply from 30 June 2026.
| Type of institution | Minimum equity, 2026 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Payment institution, bill payment intermediation only | TRY 20,000,000 | TRY 15,000,000 |
| Other payment institutions | TRY 40,000,000 | TRY 30,000,000 |
| Electronic money institution | TRY 105,000,000 | TRY 80,000,000 |
The central bank charges an application fee of TRY 500,000 and a licence fee of TRY 1,000,000, each plus 5% transaction tax. These are the published 2025 amounts.
What does the central bank require?
Pending lawyer review- A Turkish joint stock company with registered shares and capital paid in cash
- Shareholders with 10% or more, and anyone in control, meet the fit and proper criteria of the Banking Law. The review follows the ownership chain to natural persons
- Primary and secondary systems and back-up centres located in Türkiye
- Separate internal control and risk management functions
- No cap on foreign ownership was found in the rules; foreign shareholders pass the same tests
How do you obtain a payment institution licence in Turkey?
Pending lawyer reviewFeasibility
Which licence you need, whether an own licence makes sense, capital plan and timeline. 4 weeks.Company and application
Joint stock company, business plan, shareholder files, system design. Application to the central bank.Review
After the central bank acknowledges the file, the system review application is due within 6 months.Final certification
Due within 120 days of review approval. Then the operating licence.End to end, practitioners report at least one to two years. The market is established: the central bank's public lists showed about 75 licensed payment and e-money institutions in October 2026.
Which services need a licence?
Operating payment accounts, card issuing and acquiring, money remittance, bill payment intermediation, payment initiation, account information services and issuing electronic money. Not sure where your product falls? Use the licence requirement checker.
Is an own licence the only route?
Not always. Working with an institution that already holds a licence can bring a product to market faster and with far less capital. Which model is open to you depends on your service and on the current regulation, so the feasibility study compares both routes with numbers.
Packages
| Package | What you get | Our fixed price | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Licence feasibility | Licence type, own licence against partner model, capital and cost plan, timeline, shareholder pre-check | EUR 9,500 | 4 weeks |
| Application package | Company set-up, application file, business plan, policies, central bank correspondence up to the operating licence | From EUR 85,000 | Fixed after feasibility |
Common questions
Pending lawyer reviewWho regulates payment and e-money institutions in Turkey?
The Central Bank of the Republic of Türkiye, under Law No. 6493. Any non-bank company that provides payment services or issues electronic money needs an operating licence, and may only provide the services listed in it.
How much capital does a payment institution need in Turkey?
From 30 June 2026 the minimum equity is TRY 20 million for institutions that only intermediate bill payments, TRY 40 million for other payment institutions and TRY 105 million for electronic money institutions.
Can a foreign company apply directly?
No. The applicant must be a Turkish joint stock company. Foreign shareholders are allowed, and anyone holding 10% or more must meet the fit and proper criteria applied to bank founders.
How long does licensing take?
Practitioners report at least one to two years from application to operating licence.
Do systems have to be in Turkey?
Yes. Primary and secondary systems and data back-up centres must be kept in Türkiye.
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