Banks in Turkey

The banking sector forms a great part of the Turkish financial system in its dynamic economy. Most of the transactions and activities of money and capital markets are carried out by banks. Most State banks were established to finance a particular industry such as agriculture for example (Ziraat Bank), but private banks generally have close connections to large industrial groups and holdings.

First banking activities started in early 1800's with the so-called money-changers and the Galata bankers. During this period, all quasi-banking activities were carried out by money-changers, and The Galata bankers consisted mostly of the ethnic-minorities in Istanbul. With the deterioration of the Ottoman Empire's financial situation after the Crimean war, the Empire needed external financial support. It was during this period when representatives of several foreign banks came to Istanbul with the purpose of extending credits to the Empire at high interest rates. The Ottoman Bank (Osmanli Bankasi) was established in 1856 with its head office in London and served as the Central Bank until the 1930's.

The Central Bank, founded in the early 1930's, has the usual central bank responsibilities, such as issuing banknotes, protecting the currency, and regulating the banking system and credit. The Central Bank also finances the government's budget deficits and makes loans to public and private banks. But after 1983 the Central Bank began to reduce lending and stepped up its supervisory functions.

Before 1980 there were only 4 foreign banks in Turkey, but their number grew rapidly during the 1980's as the Turgut Ozal government liberalized conditions and today there are almost 50 of them. During these years a series of reforms were adopted to promote financial market development; interest and foreign exchange rates were liberalized, new entrants to the banking system were permitted and foreign banks were encouraged to operate in Turkey.

All banks in Turkey are subject to the Banks Act and to the provisions of other laws regarding to banks. The new Law brought the Banking Regulation and Supervision Agency (abbreviated BDDK in Turkish) into life to safeguard the rights and benefits of depositors. The Banks Association of Turkey (abbreviated as TBB in Turkish) is the representative body of the banking sector in Turkey established for protecting and promoting the professional interests of its members.

As of end of 2023, there are a total of 54 banks operating with 9,482 branches in Turkey and 75 branches abroad.

Name Phone Fax Web Address
All Banks
   Commercial Banks
      Banks Under the Deposit Insurance Fund
Birlesik Fon Bankasi 212-340 10 00 212-288 31 61 www.fonbank.com.tr
      Foreign Banks
         Foreign Banks Founded in Turkey
Alternatif Bank 212-315 65 00 212-233 15 00 www.alternatifbank.com.tr
Arap Turk Bankasi 212-225 05 00 212-225 05 26 www.arabturkbank.com
Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ 216-600 30 00 216-290 64 73 www.tu.bk.mufg.jp
Burgan Bank 212-371 37 37 212-371 42 42 www.burgan.com.tr
Citibank 216-524 50 00 216-524 50 50 www.citibank.com.tr
Denizbank 212-355 08 00 212-274 79 93 www.denizbank.com
Deutsche Bank 212-317 01 00 212-317 01 05 www.db.com
QNB Finans Bank 212-318 50 00 212-318 55 78 www.qnbfinansbank.com
HSBC Bank 212-366 30 00 212-366 33 83 www.hsbc.com.tr
ICBC Bank 212-335 53 35 212-328 13 28 www.icbc.com.tr
ING Bank 212-335 10 00 212-286 61 00 www.ingbank.com.tr
Odea Bank 212-304 84 44 212-304 84 45 www.odeabank.com.tr
Rabobank 212-708 46 00 212-708 46 99 www.rabobank.com.tr
Turkland Bank A.S. 212-368 34 34 212-368 35 35 www.tbank.com.tr
         Foreign Banks Having Branches in Turkey
Bank Mellat 212-296 31 20 212-296 45 85 www.mellatbank.com
Habib Bank Limited 212-246 02 20 212-234 08 07 www.habibbank.com.tr
Intesa Sanpaolo 212-385 06 00 212-385 06 49 www.intesasanpaolo.com.tr
JPMorgan Chase Bank N.A. 212-326 83 00 212-326 83 84 www.jpmorganchase.com
Societe Generale (SA) 212-319 34 00 212-282 18 44 www.sgcib.com
The Royal Bank of Scotland N.V. 212-359 40 40 212-359 50 50 www.rbsbank.com.tr
      Privately-owned Commercial Banks
Adabank 212-272 64 20 212-272 64 46 www.adabank.com.tr
Akbank 212-385 55 55 212-269 77 87 www.akbank.com.tr
Anadolubank 212-368 70 00 212-296 57 15 www.anadolubank.com.tr
Fiba Bank 212-381 82 00 212-258 37 78 www.fibabanka.com.tr
Sekerbank 212-319 70 00 212-245 68 37 www.sekerbank.com.tr
Turkish Bank 212-225 03 30 212-225 03 53 www.turkishbank.com
Turk Ekonomi Bankasi 212-251 21 21 212-249 65 68 www.teb.com.tr
Turkiye Garanti Bankasi 212-318 18 18 212-318 18 88 www.garanti.com.tr
Turkiye Is Bankasi 212-316 00 00 212-316 09 00 www.isbank.com.tr
Yapi ve Kredi Bankasi 212-339 70 00 212-339 60 00 www.ykb.com.tr
      State-owned Commercial Banks
Turkiye Cumhuriyeti Ziraat Bankasi 312-310 37 47 312-310 11 34 www.ziraatbank.com.tr
Turkiye Halk Bankasi 216-503 70 70 212-340 93 99 www.halkbank.com.tr
Turkiye Vakiflar Bankasi 212-398 15 15 212-398 11 55 www.vakifbank.com.tr
   Non-depository Banks
      Foreign Non-depository Banks
BankPozitif Kredi ve Kalkinma Bankasi 212-290 32 32 212-290 32 12 www.bankpozitif.com.tr
Merrill Lynch Yatirim Bank 212-319 95 00 212-319 95 01 www.ml.com.tr
Pasha Yatirim Bankasi 212-705 89 00 212-345 07 12 www.pashabank.com.tr
Standard Chartered Yatirim Bank Turk 212-339 37 00 212-282 63 01 www.standardchartered.com.tr
      Privately-owned Non-depository Banks
Aktif Yatirim Bankasi 212-340 80 00 212-340 89 87 www.aktifbank.com.tr
Diler Yatirim Bankasi 212-253 66 30 212-253 94 54 www.dilerbank.com.tr
GSD Yatirim Bankasi 216-489 97 50 216-489 97 81 www.gsdbank.com.tr
Istanbul Takas ve Saklama Bankasi 212-315 25 25 212-315 25 26 www.takasbank.com.tr
Nurol Yatirim Bankasi 212-286 81 00 212-286 80 01 www.nurolbank.com.tr
Turkiye Sinai Kalkinma Bankasi 212-334 50 50 212-243 29 75 www.tskb.com.tr
      State-owned Non-depository Banks
Iller Bankasi 312-310 31 41 312-310 74 59 www.ilbank.gov.tr
Turk Eximbank 216-666 55 00 216-666 55 99 www.eximbank.gov.tr
Turkiye Kalkinma Bankasi 312-417 92 00 312-418 39 67 www.kalkinma.com.tr
Source: Banks Association of Turkey (TBB)