How people pay in Turkey in 2026
Turkey is a card country with a strong local twist. Shoppers favor credit cards over debit cards, and they expect to split larger purchases into monthly installments, or taksit. In June 2026, card payments reached TL 2.87 trillion in a single month, up 50% year on year, according to the Interbank Card Center (BKM), and credit cards carried TL 2.46 trillion of it. Part of that growth reflects high inflation, so volumes in lira rise faster than real spending. The domestic scheme TROY, run by BKM, now accounts for 25.3% of card payment value.
Online, cards still lead. The Ministry of Trade reports that e-commerce reached TL 4.57 trillion in 2025, with two thirds of payments made by card, followed by bank transfers and cash on delivery. The Central Bank of the Republic of Türkiye runs FAST, a 24/7 instant payment system with its own QR standard. Global wallets are largely absent: PayPal left in 2016 and neither Apple Pay nor Google Pay is live in the country, so local wallets such as Papara and iyzico fill the space. Across the Aegean, our guide to payment methods in Greece covers the neighboring market.
- 471.7 million payment cards in circulation in June 2026 (BKM)
- 5.4 billion FAST instant transfers in 2025 (Central Bank of the Republic of Türkiye)
- TL 4.57 trillion e-commerce volume in 2025 (Ministry of Trade)
- 90 million TROY cards at the end of 2025 (BKM)
Payment by card in Turkey
Cards dominate Turkish payments, and credit cards matter more than almost anywhere in Europe. At the end of June 2026, BKM counted 150.4 million credit cards, 221.6 million debit cards and 99.7 million prepaid cards. Credit cards made 1.13 billion of the 1.94 billion card payments that month and 86% of their value. Internet payments made up 31% of card spending by value and 14% by number, and 81% of in-store card payments were contactless.
TROY, the national scheme launched by BKM in 2016, is growing fast on the back of bank issuance. Its card base rose 80% in 2025 to 90 million cards, and its transactions reached TL 4.8 trillion. Most Turkish cards remain co-branded with Visa or Mastercard, which matters for cross-border acceptance. In 2025, Garanti BBVA Payment Systems measured TL 24.62 trillion of consumer card spending, up 51.9%. Merchants that understand how card networks work and how interchange fees are set can route Turkish cards more efficiently.
Card schemes in Turkey
TROY
Domestic card scheme
Turkey's national card scheme, operated by BKM, issued by Turkish banks on debit, credit and prepaid cards and used for domestic payments, public transport and, since 2025, Google Play purchases.
25.3% share of card payment value in 2025, with 90 million cards, BKM
Visa
International scheme
One of the two global brands on most Turkish bank cards, needed for cross-border purchases and accepted at virtually every terminal and online checkout.
Mastercard
International scheme
The other global brand carried by Turkish credit and debit cards, used for domestic and cross-border payments and for installment programs run by banks.
Credit cards
Credit card
The default card in Turkey for both in-store and online purchases, because they carry installments and loyalty points from bank programs.
150.4 million credit cards in circulation in June 2026, BKM
Debit and prepaid cards
Debit card
Bank debit cards and prepaid cards from banks and e-money firms are used for everyday and lower-value payments, and for cash withdrawals.
221.6 million debit cards in circulation in June 2026, BKM
Payment by cash in Turkey
Cash has lost ground quickly, but it remains part of daily life. The latest cash usage survey by the central bank dates from 2020. Its payment diary found that 89.5% of point-of-sale transactions were paid in cash, or 76% of their value, and that 18.3% of respondents had no bank deposit account. Card data since then show a sharp shift: by June 2026, four out of five in-store card payments were contactless, and cards are now the norm in cities.
Online, cash survives through cash on delivery, known as kapıda ödeme. The Ministry of Trade ranks it third among e-commerce payment methods in 2025, after cards and bank transfers. Many couriers also take cards at the door. The central bank's QR standard links cash and accounts too: almost all ATMs in Turkey allow cardless cash withdrawals with a TR Karekod QR code.
Cash payment methods in Turkey
Cash
Banknotes and coins
Turkish lira banknotes and coins are still common in small shops, markets and rural areas, though card payments keep replacing them in cities.
89.5% of point-of-sale transactions paid in cash in the 2020 payment diary, Central Bank of the Republic of Türkiye
Cash on delivery
Cash on delivery
Kapıda ödeme lets shoppers pay the courier in cash, and often by card, when the parcel arrives. It is still offered by many Turkish online shops and marketplaces.
QR cash withdrawal
ATM cash access
Banking apps scan a TR Karekod QR code on the ATM screen to withdraw cash without a physical card, a feature available at almost all ATMs in the country.
Payment by bank transfer in Turkey
Turkey has one of the busiest instant payment systems in Europe. FAST, built and run by the central bank since 2021, processed 5.4 billion transactions worth TL 43.23 trillion in 2025, with a daily record of 28.7 million on September 15, 2025. It runs 24/7 between 49 banks and payment firms, with a TL 100,000 limit per transfer and a TL 250,000 limit for dynamic QR payments to merchants. Its easy addressing service, which links accounts to phone numbers, had 26 million unique customers at the end of 2025.
Classic transfers remain common online. Havale moves money inside one bank and EFT between banks, and the Ministry of Trade ranks transfers second among e-commerce payment methods. New overlays are spreading. TR Karekod QR payments over FAST were possible at more than 41% of POS terminals at the end of 2025, and the FAST request-to-pay service opened to businesses in January 2025. Open banking payment initiation is live with 41 licensed providers. Our guide to account-to-account payments explains why these rails matter.
Bank transfer methods in Turkey
FAST
Instant payment
The central bank's instant payment system, available around the clock in every banking and e-money app, with transfers by IBAN or by phone number through easy addressing.
5.4 billion transactions worth TL 43.23 trillion in 2025, Central Bank of the Republic of Türkiye
TR Karekod
QR payment
Turkey's national QR code standard, used to pay merchants by card or by FAST transfer from a banking app, and to withdraw cash at ATMs.
41%+ of POS terminals able to accept FAST TR Karekod payments at the end of 2025, Central Bank of the Republic of Türkiye
Havale and EFT
Bank transfer
Traditional transfers within one bank (havale) or between banks (EFT), still offered at online checkouts with the merchant's IBAN and order reference.
FAST Request to Pay
Request to pay
Ödeme İste lets a payee send a payment request that the payer approves in their app. Since January 2025 businesses can use it, with partial, early and deferred payments.
Open banking payments
Pay by bank
Licensed payment initiation providers start transfers from the customer's bank account through the GEÇİT open banking gateway run by BKM.
41 payment initiation providers, 24 of them banks, at the end of 2025, Central Bank of the Republic of Türkiye
Payment by installment and BNPL in Turkey
In Turkey, buy now, pay later mostly means credit card installment payments. Shoppers pick a number of monthly installments at checkout, and the issuing bank carries the credit. In 2025, 19.5% of credit card purchases were paid in installments, according to Garanti BBVA Payment Systems, and installments made up 57.8% of e-commerce purchases, up from 55.5% in 2024. Bank card programs such as Bonus, World, Axess, Maximum and CardFinans compete on installment campaigns and points with member merchants.
The banking regulator BDDK sets the maximum number of installments by product category and has used it as a credit brake. Card installments are not allowed on new mobile phones. In October 2026, BDDK set new loan term limits for phone purchases and raised the minimum card repayment to 40% of the balance for cards with limits above TL 100,000. Payment providers bundle installments for merchants, and iyzico offers up to 12 installments on its physical POS.
Installment and BNPL providers in Turkey
Credit card installments (taksit)
Card installments
Installment plans on any Turkish credit card, offered at checkout within the maximum number of installments BDDK allows for each product category.
19.5% of credit card purchases paid in installments in 2025, Garanti BBVA Payment Systems
Bonus
Card installment program
Garanti BBVA's credit card program and merchant network, which offers installments and points campaigns at member merchants.
World
Card installment program
Yapı Kredi's credit card program, with installment campaigns and points that cardholders can spend at member merchants.
Axess
Card installment program
Akbank's credit card program, which combines installment options and rewards at a network of partner merchants.
Maximum
Card installment program
İşbank's credit card program, used for installment purchases and points at Maximum member merchants online and in stores.
CardFinans
Card installment program
QNB's credit card program, offering installments and points campaigns at participating merchants.
Payment by digital wallet and X-Pay in Turkey
Turkey is an unusual X-Pay market because the global wallets are missing. Turkey does not appear on Apple's list of Apple Pay countries or on Google's list of Google Pay countries, and PayPal stopped operating in Turkey in June 2016 after the regulator refused its license. Local wallets from e-money institutions and banks took their place. The central bank counted 24 payment institutions and 62 e-money institutions at the end of 2025.
The sector is under close watch. In 2025 the central bank revoked seven licenses. Papara was placed under the trusteeship of the deposit insurance fund TMSF in May 2025, during a criminal investigation, and sold through a TMSF tender in 2026. Param's operator is also under TMSF trusteeship. Wallets tied to large platforms grew instead: iyzico reports 9 million digital wallet users.
Digital wallets and X-Pay in Turkey
Papara
E-money wallet
Wallet app with prepaid cards and transfers. TMSF became its trustee in May 2025, its license cancellation was lifted in January 2026, and the group was sold to Türkiye Emlak Katılım Bankası in April 2026.
TL 4.27 billion estimated value set by TMSF for the Papara companies in January 2026, Webrazzi
Pay with iyzico
Checkout wallet
The consumer wallet of payment provider iyzico, offering one-click checkout with stored cards or wallet balance and buyer protection at its merchants.
9 million digital wallet users and 185,000+ merchants in June 2026, iyzico
BKM Express
Card wallet
BKM's digital wallet, launched in 2012, stores bank cards for online checkout and is used to deliver TROY campaigns, according to BKM's general manager.
Param
E-money wallet
Wallet and prepaid ParamKart from TURK Elektronik Para, which also offers virtual and physical POS. Its website states that TMSF has been appointed trustee of the company and its group.
Tosla
E-money wallet
A wallet app with a prepaid card aimed at young users, launched by Akbank, used for transfers, bill splitting and card payments.
Hepsipay
Marketplace wallet
The wallet of the Hepsiburada marketplace, used to store cards and balance for one-click payments on Hepsiburada and partner sites.
Payments in Turkey: FAQ
What is the most popular payment method in Turkey?
Cards, and above all credit cards. In June 2026, credit cards made 1.13 billion of the 1.94 billion card payments and 86% of their value, and shoppers often split larger purchases into installments, or taksit. Online, cards covered two thirds of e-commerce payments in 2025, ahead of bank transfers such as FAST and cash on delivery.
Can you use Apple Pay, Google Pay or PayPal in Turkey?
No. Turkey is not on Apple's list of Apple Pay countries or Google's Google Pay list, and PayPal left in 2016 after it was refused a license. Merchants rely on cards, FAST transfers and local wallets such as iyzico and Papara instead.
Why do installments matter in Turkey?
Turkish shoppers expect to split larger purchases into monthly installments on their credit cards. In 2025, installments accounted for 57.8% of e-commerce purchases, according to Garanti BBVA Payment Systems. A checkout without taksit options loses high-value orders.
What is TROY?
TROY is Turkey's domestic card scheme, launched by the Interbank Card Center (BKM) in 2016. It reached 90 million cards and 25.3% of card payment value in 2025. Many TROY cards are used only domestically, so merchants selling to Turkey should accept it.
How fast are bank transfers in Turkey?
Instant. The central bank's FAST system runs 24/7 and processed 5.4 billion transfers in 2025, with a limit of TL 100,000 per transaction. FAST also powers TR Karekod QR payments and a request-to-pay service for businesses.
Accept local payments in Turkey with NORBr
Turkish merchants accept payments through licensed aggregators such as iyzico, Sipay and PayTR, or through a bank virtual POS such as Garanti BBVA. Check the partner's central bank license, TROY acceptance, installments across loyalty card programs and lira settlement.
With NORBr, you can connect any acquirer, PSP or local provider that offers TROY, card installments (taksit), FAST transfers and local wallets such as Papara and Pay with iyzico. Some are already in our connector catalog; Mapper™ gets the others live in days, and Smart Checkout shows each shopper the right methods. Explore the other #PayWorldTour guides.
Local payment providers in Turkey
iyzico
Aggregator
Istanbul-based payment institution, part of PayU, giving online merchants of every size one integration for Turkish cards and installments, plus the Pay with iyzico wallet for shoppers.
Covers: Cards, TROY, Visa, Mastercard, Installments, Pay with iyzico
GarantiPay
Acquirer bank
Digital payment option of Garanti BBVA, one of Turkey's largest private banks and card acquirers, letting Bonus card holders pay online without typing card details.
Covers: Bonus (Garanti BBVA), Cards, TROY, Installments
Sipay
Payment gateway
Istanbul-based licensed payment and e-money institution offering virtual POS, wallet and marketplace payment services to Turkish e-commerce merchants.
Covers: Cards, TROY, Visa, Mastercard, Installments, Sipay wallet
PayTR
Aggregator
Istanbul-based payment institution serving SMEs and online stores with virtual POS, payment links and bank transfer collection.
Covers: Cards, TROY, Visa, Mastercard, Installments, Bank transfer (EFT)
