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Crypto in Turkey: legality, rules, and tax

Legal to hold and trade, payments banned

As of 2026-06-21Last reviewed 2026-06-21

This is general information, not legal, tax, or financial advice. Verify the current rules with a qualified local professional and the official regulator before acting.

Crypto is legal to hold, buy, sell, and trade in Turkey, and the market is one of the largest in the region by activity. What you cannot do is pay for goods and services with crypto: a Central Bank of the Republic of Turkey (CBRT) regulation in force since 30 April 2021 prohibits crypto as a means of payment. Since Law No. 7518 took effect on 2 July 2024, crypto asset service providers must be licensed by the Capital Markets Board of Turkey (CMB, known in Turkish as the SPK). The tax position for individuals is changing, with a framework moving through parliament in 2026. Crypto is not legal tender.

The legal status

Owning and trading crypto is lawful in Turkey for individuals and businesses. There is no ban on buying, selling, or holding crypto assets, and Turkey has a deep retail market driven in part by demand for a store of value against lira inflation. The one clear prohibition is on payments. Crypto is not legal tender, the lira remains the only legal tender, and the CBRT payment ban means you cannot lawfully use crypto, directly or indirectly, to settle for goods or services. As of 2026 the framework around the businesses that serve the market has tightened considerably, while individuals remain free to hold and trade.

Regulation: the CMB and Law No. 7518

For years Turkey had no dedicated crypto statute. That changed with Law No. 7518, which amended the Capital Markets Law and was published in the Official Gazette on 2 July 2024. The law defines crypto assets and crypto asset service providers and makes licensing by the Capital Markets Board of Turkey (CMB) mandatory for issuing, trading, custody, and transfer activities. The CMB followed with secondary communiqués published in the Official Gazette on 13 March 2025 that set out capital, management, information system, and internal control requirements, including a minimum capital of 100 million lira for platforms and 50 million lira for custody only providers. Existing operators entered a transition process and the CMB publishes the list of authorised platforms on its website. These points carry an as of date of June 2026.

The CBRT payment ban and MASAK

The Central Bank of the Republic of Turkey (CBRT) published the Regulation on the Disuse of Crypto Assets in Payments on 16 April 2021, and it took effect on 30 April 2021. It prohibits using crypto assets as a means of payment and bars payment and electronic money institutions from building business models around crypto payments. It does not prohibit trading. Separately, since 2021 crypto asset service providers have been obliged parties under Turkey's anti money laundering law and are supervised by MASAK, the Financial Crimes Investigation Board, which requires customer identification, record keeping, and suspicious transaction reporting. These duties fall on the providers, not on individuals trading their own crypto.

Tax

Turkey has not historically applied a crypto specific income tax or capital gains tax to individual investors, and there has long been uncertainty about how general income tax principles apply to occasional trading. Activity that amounts to a business, and income such as mining or staking rewards, can fall within ordinary income tax. During 2026 a tax framework moved through parliament: an early proposal for a tax on gains was reported, and committee stages narrowed toward a small transaction levy on trades through licensed platforms, with the position not yet fully settled. Because this is genuinely in flux, treat the tax treatment as changing and confirm the current rules with the Revenue Administration (Gelir Idaresi Baskanligi). See the Turkey crypto tax page for detail. This is general information, not tax advice.

Availability and how to act

Crypto is readily available to buy and sell in Turkey. Locally based platforms such as BtcTurk and Paribu serve Turkish residents with lira deposits and withdrawals and are within the CMB licensing process, and several international platforms are also accessible to Turkish users. Because the CMB licence is the marker of a platform operating inside the framework, check a platform's current status on the CMB list and its lira support before choosing one. Compare the exchanges that are genuinely available to Turkish residents below.

Compare available exchanges in Turkey

See the platforms that are genuinely available to residents, with their registrations and how to sign up compliantly.

Compare available exchanges

Regulator and sources

Capital Markets Board of Turkey (CMB / SPK), spk.gov.tr, Law No. 7518 amending the Capital Markets Law published in the Official Gazette on 2 July 2024 and the secondary communiqués of 13 March 2025
Central Bank of the Republic of Turkey (CBRT), tcmb.gov.tr, the Regulation on the Disuse of Crypto Assets in Payments, in force 30 April 2021
Financial Crimes Investigation Board (MASAK), masak.hmb.gov.tr, anti money laundering obligations for crypto asset service providers
Revenue Administration (Gelir Idaresi Baskanligi), gib.gov.tr, income tax treatment of crypto activity

Frequently asked questions

Is crypto legal in Turkey?

Yes for holding, buying, and selling. As of 2026 owning and trading crypto is legal in Turkey, and crypto asset service providers must be licensed by the Capital Markets Board (CMB). Using crypto to pay for goods and services is banned under a Central Bank regulation in force since 30 April 2021. This is general information, not advice.

Who regulates crypto in Turkey?

The Capital Markets Board of Turkey (CMB, in Turkish Sermaye Piyasalari Kurulu, SPK) licenses and supervises crypto asset service providers under Law No. 7518. The Central Bank of the Republic of Turkey (CBRT) issued the payment ban, MASAK applies anti money laundering rules, and the Revenue Administration handles tax.

Can I pay with crypto in Turkey?

No. A CBRT regulation published on 16 April 2021 and in force from 30 April 2021 prohibits the use of crypto assets, directly or indirectly, as a means of payment. Buying, selling, holding, and trading crypto remain legal. The ban is on using crypto to pay for goods and services.

Do crypto exchanges need a licence in Turkey?

Yes. Law No. 7518, published in the Official Gazette on 2 July 2024, made crypto asset service providers subject to mandatory licensing by the CMB. Existing operators entered a transition process, and the CMB publishes the list of authorised platforms on its website. Only licensed platforms may operate.

Is crypto taxed in Turkey?

Turkey has not historically applied a crypto specific income or capital gains tax to individuals, though general income tax principles can apply to activity such as mining or trading as a business. A tax framework moved through parliament in 2026 and the position is changing. Verify the current rules with the Revenue Administration. This is general information, not tax advice.

Is crypto legal tender in Turkey?

No. Crypto is not legal tender in Turkey. The Turkish lira is the only legal tender. Crypto is recognised as a regulated asset class for licensing purposes, but no one is obliged to accept it as payment, and using it as a means of payment is prohibited.

Turkey's framework is moving quickly: the CMB is still authorising platforms under Law No. 7518, and a crypto tax framework was working through parliament during 2026. Rules, licences, the tax position, and platform status can change. Confirm the current position with the CMB, the CBRT, or the Revenue Administration before acting.

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