Crypto regulation in Turkey
Turkey now regulates crypto through a dedicated licensing regime layered on top of existing financial and anti money laundering law. Law No. 7518, published on 2 July 2024, made crypto asset service providers subject to mandatory licensing by the Capital Markets Board of Turkey (CMB, known as the SPK), with capital and operational requirements set in communiqués published on 13 March 2025. The Central Bank (CBRT) separately bans the use of crypto for payments, and MASAK applies anti money laundering duties to providers. Individuals holding their own crypto do not need a licence.
The framework in detail
Turkey moved from having no crypto specific statute to a defined licensing regime within a single law. The cornerstone is Law No. 7518, the law amending the Capital Markets Law with provisions on crypto assets, which the Turkish Grand National Assembly adopted in June 2024 and which entered into force when published in the Official Gazette on 2 July 2024. It defines crypto assets and crypto asset service providers and makes prior permission from the Capital Markets Board of Turkey (CMB) mandatory before such providers may be established or operate. Activities covered include running a platform, custody, and the transfer of crypto assets. Individuals who simply hold or trade their own crypto sit outside the licensing requirement.
CMB licensing and the 2025 communiqués
The CMB filled in the detail through secondary legislation published in the Official Gazette on 13 March 2025. These communiqués set the conditions for authorisation, including a minimum capital of 100 million lira for providers running a trading platform and 50 million lira for providers offering only custody, together with requirements on management qualifications, information system infrastructure, and internal control. Existing operators entered a transition process: they had to apply within set windows and bring themselves into full compliance to obtain authorisation, with the CMB publishing the list of operators and authorised platforms on its website. As of February 2026 the authorisation process is still being worked through, so check the CMB list for a platform's current status rather than assuming it.
The CBRT payment ban and MASAK
Alongside the CMB regime, two other authorities shape the picture. The Central Bank of the Republic of Turkey (CBRT) published the Regulation on the Disuse of Crypto Assets in Payments on 16 April 2021, in force from 30 April 2021, which prohibits the use of crypto assets as a means of payment, directly or indirectly, and stops payment and electronic money institutions from intermediating crypto for payment purposes. It does not restrict trading. The Financial Crimes Investigation Board (MASAK) has, since 2021, treated crypto asset service providers as obliged parties under Turkey's anti money laundering law, so providers must identify customers, keep records, and report suspicious transactions. These duties fall on the businesses, not on an individual trading their own crypto.
What it means for users
For a resident, the practical takeaway is that holding and trading crypto is lawful and needs no licence, but the platform you use should be on the CMB list and apply the MASAK checks. Using a licensed provider is the clearest way to stay inside the framework, and it is where customer protection and complaint routes sit as the regime matures. You cannot lawfully use crypto to pay for goods and services. For tax, treat the position as changing during 2026 and see the Turkey crypto tax page, then verify any specific position with the Revenue Administration or a professional.
Availability and how to act
Locally based platforms such as BtcTurk and Paribu serve Turkish residents with lira support and are within the CMB process, and several international platforms are also accessible. Confirm a platform's current status on the CMB list and its lira support before signing up. 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 exchangesRegulator 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 on capital and operational requirements
- 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, crypto asset service providers as obliged parties under anti money laundering law
Frequently asked questions
Who regulates crypto in Turkey?
The Capital Markets Board of Turkey (CMB, in Turkish the SPK) licenses and supervises crypto asset service providers under Law No. 7518. The Central Bank (CBRT) issued the 2021 payment ban, MASAK applies anti money laundering rules, and the Revenue Administration handles tax. This is general information, not advice.
When did crypto become regulated in Turkey?
Law No. 7518, which brought crypto asset service providers under CMB licensing, was published in the Official Gazette on 2 July 2024. The CMB issued secondary communiqués on 13 March 2025 setting capital and operational requirements, and the authorisation process has run through 2025 and 2026.
Do I need a licence to hold crypto in Turkey?
No. Individuals holding or trading their own crypto do not need a licence. The CMB licence requirement falls on businesses that provide crypto asset services, such as exchanges, custodians, and certain intermediaries operating in Turkey.
What capital must a crypto exchange hold in Turkey?
Under the CMB communiqués of 13 March 2025, a platform service provider must hold minimum capital of 100 million lira and a provider offering only custody must hold 50 million lira, alongside management, information system, and internal control requirements. Confirm current figures with the CMB.
Is using crypto to pay banned in Turkey?
Yes. A CBRT regulation in force since 30 April 2021 prohibits using crypto assets as a means of payment, directly or indirectly. Trading, buying, selling, and holding remain legal. The ban targets payments, not investment or transfers between a user and a licensed platform.
The Compliance Ledger
One short weekly note when a rule, a licence, or an exchange status changes. Information, not advice.
Subscribe to The Compliance Ledger