Bitcoin in Turkey: rules, tax and how it's priced
In Turkey bitcoin is quoted in lira per 1 BTC (BTC/TRY), and smaller holdings are usually expressed as a fraction of a bitcoin or in satoshis (100 million sats = 1 BTC). The figures on this page are the international BTC/USD price converted at today's USD/TRY exchange rate, before platform fees, spreads and any local premium.
Is bitcoin legal in Turkey?
Owning and trading bitcoin is legal in Turkey, but it is not legal tender and cannot be used to pay for goods and services. Since 30 April 2021 a Central Bank of the Republic of Turkey (CBRT) regulation has banned the direct or indirect use of crypto assets in payments, and payment and e-money institutions may not act as intermediaries for crypto platforms. Law No. 7518, which amended the Capital Markets Law and entered into force on 2 July 2024, defined crypto assets in Turkish law for the first time and placed crypto asset service providers under the Capital Markets Board (SPK, also called the CMB). Platforms need CMB permission to operate, running an unlicensed platform is a criminal offence, and crypto ATMs had to stop operating within three months of the law taking effect.
How is crypto taxed in Turkey?
As of October 2026 Turkey has no crypto-specific tax on individuals' gains in force. A draft omnibus bill submitted to parliament on 2 March 2026 proposed a 0.03% transaction tax on crypto sales and transfers through licensed platforms and a 10% withholding tax on gains, but the crypto provisions were removed from the bill during parliamentary proceedings in late March 2026. Officials indicated that revised measures could return in a separate bill. General income tax rules may still apply in some cases, for example to commercial-scale trading or mining. Under Law No. 7518, licensed platforms pay 1% of their annual income to the CMB and 1% to TÜBİTAK. Check the current position with the Revenue Administration (GİB) or a tax adviser.
Buying bitcoin in Turkey
Turkish residents can buy bitcoin with lira on domestic platforms that offer BTC/TRY trading. The CMB publishes a temporary list of crypto asset service providers that have declared they operate under the law's transitional provisions, plus a list of firms in liquidation. The CMB stresses that appearing on the operating list does not by itself mean a firm is authorised, and it has barred some listed platforms from taking new customers. Foreign platforms may not target Turkish residents: opening an office in Turkey, running a Turkish-language website or marketing services in Turkey counts as unlicensed activity. It is worth checking a platform's status on the CMB website before depositing money.
Bitcoin and the lira exchange rate
Because the lira floats, the BTC/TRY price shown here moves with two things at once: the dollar price of bitcoin and the USD/TRY exchange rate. When the lira weakens against the dollar, the lira price of bitcoin rises even if bitcoin's dollar price has not changed. A chart of the lira price over time therefore mixes bitcoin's own volatility with currency movements, and the BTC/USD price is a cleaner guide to how bitcoin itself has performed. Prices on Turkish platforms can also differ slightly from the converted figure on this page because of spreads, fees and the depth of each platform's order book.
Legal and tax information last reviewed October 2026. Crypto rules change quickly — check with the regulator or tax authority, or a qualified adviser, before acting. This is not tax, legal or investment advice.