July 2026

The disinflation policy remains at the heart of the government's priorities. While annual inflation stood at 32.1% in June, the Central Bank of the Republic of Türkiye kept its policy rate unchanged at 37% during its July 23 meeting. Against a backdrop of geopolitical tensions and volatile energy prices, the central bank continues to adopt a cautious approach while leaving the door open to further monetary easing in the fourth quarter, should the downward trend in inflation continue.

July also placed Türkiye at the center of the international agenda with the 36th NATO Summit held in Ankara. On the sidelines of the summit, the Turkish government announced a USD 5 billion investment package under the HIT-30 program to support large-scale investments in innovative defense technologies through tax incentives, employment support, grants, preferential financing, land allocation, and other measures. The initiative aims to attract international investment while accelerating the scaling-up of projects developed by SMEs and start-ups.

Türkiye is also pursuing its strategy to strengthen its attractiveness to foreign investors. With the launch of the "Powerhouse for Investments in the Türkiye Century" program, the government unveiled a new package of tax incentives designed to stimulate international investment. The initiative includes enhanced tax benefits for industrial activities, service exports, and international trade, along with targeted incentives supporting technology investments, reindustrialization, and capital repatriation. Through this reform, Türkiye aims to reinforce its position as a regional hub for manufacturing, innovation, and exports while further enhancing the competitiveness of its business environment.

To help companies better understand this reform, Advantis has prepared a comprehensive guide outlining all of these new investment incentive measures.

Economic & business news from Türkiye

Trilateral Financing Agreement Between France, Türkiye and the World Bank

On July 14, 2026, on the sidelines of the French National Day celebrations, a new EUR 400 million financing agreement was signed under the auspices of Isabelle Dumont, French Ambassador to Türkiye, and Osman Çelik, Deputy Minister of Treasury and Finance. The partnership brings together the French Development Agency (AFD), the World Bank, and the General Directorate of Construction Works (Yapı İşleri Genel Müdürlüğü), operating under the Turkish Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change (Çevre, Şehircilik ve İklim Değişikliği Bakanlığı).

Objective: to build nearly 3,000 additional homes in the rural areas affected by the February 6, 2023 earthquakes.

This new EUR 400 million financing package (EUR 150 million provided by the AFD and EUR 250 million by the World Bank) represents the second phase of an ongoing reconstruction program. An initial EUR 400 million package had already enabled the construction of nearly 3,000 homes across more than 250 villages. Altogether, this international cooperation will provide housing for approximately 6,000 families.

This second round of financing further strengthens an existing partnership aimed at supporting the reconstruction of the regions affected by the earthquakes.

Source: Manşet, July 15, 2026.

Dutch Logistics Group GLS Enters the Turkish Market

The Dutch-founded European logistics group GLS is continuing its international expansion with the creation of GLS Türkiye, a joint venture marking its entry into the Turkish parcel delivery market.

This new venture is built on a partnership with several leading figures from the Turkish logistics industry, including Aslan Kut, Turgut Erkeskin (former President of FIATA), and Şerafettin Aras (President of UND). Özgür Fırat Kut will lead the new entity, with operations expected to be launched by the end of 2026.

Today, Türkiye is one of Europe's most dynamic parcel logistics markets, driven by the rapid growth of e-commerce and the increasing volume of international trade. Strategically located at the crossroads of Europe and Asia, the country has established itself as a key logistics hub for both regional and global supply chains.

As Dr. Karl Pfaff, CEO of GLS Group, stated: "Türkiye is a strategic extension of our European network and an essential gateway to Asia." He added: "For several years, we have seen strong growth in parcel flows between Türkiye and Europe. Establishing a local presence will enable us to better support this momentum."

By combining its pan-European network with well-established local expertise, GLS aims to accelerate its growth while strengthening cross-border parcel flows between Türkiye and Europe.

Source: GLS Press Release, July 1, 2026.

Freedom Holding Acquires TurkishBank

The Kazakhstan-founded international financial group Freedom Holding Corp. has received approval from the Banking Regulation and Supervision Agency (BRSA) to acquire 99.32% of TurkishBank Group, a long-established bank founded in 1982.

This transaction goes far beyond a traditional banking acquisition. Freedom Holding's objective is to build an integrated financial ecosystem in Türkiye, combining:

• Banking services
• Brokerage
• Capital markets
• Insurance
• Payment solutions
• And, ultimately, high-value digital financial services

Freedom is leveraging the success of the model it developed in Kazakhstan, where its SuperApp has already attracted 5.67 million users in less than two years.

Türkiye represents a particularly attractive market for international financial institutions thanks to its population of more than 86 million people, the rapid digitalization of consumer behavior, and its unique geostrategic position at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. The acquisition is also part of Freedom Holding's broader international expansion strategy, with operations already established in Tajikistan, an ongoing market entry in Georgia, and a recently submitted banking license application in France.

This acquisition highlights the ongoing transformation of Türkiye's financial sector, where digitalization and the integration of financial services are becoming key competitive differentiators.

Source: Freedom Holding Press Release, July 1, 2026.

Italy's BolognaFiere Strengthens Its Presence in the Turkish Market

Following the signing of their strategic partnership in 2025, Italy's Zoomark BolognaFiere Group and Türkiye's Petzoo Eurasia Pet Exhibition have announced the expansion of their collaboration.

The partnership will lead to the launch of a new international pet industry trade show in Türkiye starting in 2028, combining the expertise of Zoomark—one of Europe's leading organizers of pet industry exhibitions—with the know-how of Ulusal Fuarcılık, organizer of Petzoo Eurasia in Istanbul, the country's leading trade fair for the pet industry.

Ahead of this launch, Zoomark will support the 2026 and 2027 editions of Petzoo Eurasia to further strengthen its international profile and attract more exhibitors, buyers, and industry professionals from Europe, the Middle East, North Africa, and Asia.

Beyond the pet care industry, this announcement sends a strong signal to the entire trade show and exhibition sector.

It reflects the growing confidence of major international event organizers in Türkiye, whose strategic geographic location, world-class exhibition infrastructure, and role as a bridge between Europe, the Middle East, North Africa, and Asia continue to enhance its appeal as a destination for regional and international B2B events.

Source: BolognaFiere Press Release, July 2026.

CyberFOX Acquires Turkish Cybersecurity Company Timus Networks

U.S. cybersecurity company CyberFOX has acquired Timus Networks, a Turkish company specializing in Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) and Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) cloud solutions.

Through this acquisition, CyberFOX plans to integrate Timus' technologies into its cybersecurity platform, particularly in the following areas:

• Secure network access
• Secure web access
• Zero Trust architecture
• Real-time risk analysis
• User- and device-based security policy management

The objective is to provide businesses with a more comprehensive, proactive, and centralized cybersecurity infrastructure within a single platform.

For Timus Networks, the acquisition also marks a new phase of international growth. The company will initially continue operating under its existing brand, while the gradual integration of its products and partner ecosystem into the CyberFOX platform is planned.

As David Bellini, CEO of CyberFOX, stated: "Our customers want to source their security solutions from a smaller number of trusted technology providers. By integrating Timus, we will be able to deliver the secure network access they need through a best-in-class solution that has already proven its value in the field."

For international companies, Türkiye also represents a rapidly evolving technology ecosystem, offering attractive opportunities for partnerships, investments, and strategic acquisitions.

Source: Egirişim, June 30, 2026.

Polymarket Enters the Turkish Market Through Paribu

U.S.-based prediction market platform Polymarket has partnered with Paribu, one of Türkiye's leading cryptocurrency and digital asset exchanges. Polymarket enables users to take positions on the outcomes of future events, including political, economic, geopolitical, and cultural developments.

Through this integration, Paribu users can now access Polymarket directly from the application's Decentralized Finance (DeFi) section and use their existing account balances to open positions.

The partnership comes at a time of rapid growth for the prediction markets industry. According to TRM Labs data cited by Paribu, the sector's monthly trading volume increased from approximately USD 1.2 billion at the beginning of 2025 to more than USD 20 billion in January 2026. With nearly 7 million users, access to more than 220 cryptocurrencies, and daily spot trading volumes exceeding USD 100 million, Paribu provides Polymarket with direct access to a substantial user base in Türkiye.

The launch also raises an important regulatory question. Turkish legislation does not yet provide a specific legal framework for prediction markets, while Türkiye maintains strict regulations governing unauthorized online gambling and betting activities.

Polymarket's entry into the Turkish market reflects a broader trend: international blockchain and decentralized finance (DeFi) platforms are increasingly seeking new growth opportunities in markets where the adoption of digital assets is particularly strong.

Source: Türkiye Today, July 2, 2026.