The Regulation Amending the Regulation on Measures Regarding the Prevention of Laundering Proceeds of Crime and Financing of Terrorism (the “Regulation”) has been published in the Official Gazette dated 7 October 2026 and numbered 33393 and entered into force on the same date.
The amendments increase the monetary thresholds for customer identification, allow financial institutions to dispense with signature specimens for transactions verified through certain methods, and simplify the audit reporting process for obliged entities other than financial institutions. These amendments are summarized below.
Monetary Thresholds for Customer Identification Increased
The general transaction threshold triggering the customer identification requirement has been increased from TRY 185,000 to TRY 370,000.
The customer identification threshold applicable to transactions carried out by crypto asset service providers and electronic transfers has been increased from TRY 15,000 to TRY 30,000. This also covers crypto asset transfers carried out by crypto asset service providers.
These thresholds apply to the value of a single transaction or the aggregate value of multiple linked transactions.
Customer identification will continue to be required regardless of the transaction value when establishing an ongoing business relationship, where circumstances require a suspicious transaction report, or where there are doubts about the adequacy and accuracy of previously obtained customer identification information.
Threshold for Information and Verification Requirements in Transfer Messages Increased
The monetary threshold determining the scope of information to be included in electronic transfer and crypto asset transfer messages, and the applicable verification requirements, has also been increased from TRY 15,000 to TRY 30,000. The substance of the information and verification requirements remains unchanged.
Signature Specimens May Be Dispensed with for Subsequent Transactions
Financial institutions may now dispense with signature specimens for subsequent face-to-face transactions requiring customer identification within an ongoing business relationship, provided that the customer has previously been duly identified and the transaction is verified through specified methods.
Verification may be performed through:
- Internet or mobile service channels; or
- A one-time SMS verification code sent to the customer’s mobile phone number registered with the institution and previously verified.
The verification must be appropriate to the nature and risk level of the transaction, provide sufficient assurance that the person carrying out the transaction is the previously identified customer, and incorporate appropriate security measures against the risk of unauthorized persons acting on the customer’s behalf.
Audit Reporting Procedure Changed for Obliged Entities Other Than Financial Institutions
For obliged entities other than financial institutions, breaches identified during a compliance audit will be recorded in the compliance audit report, rather than in a separate report examining breaches of obligations. Only a compliance audit report will be prepared for these entities. Where a breach is identified, that report will also serve as the report examining breaches of obligations.
The full text of the Regulation is available
here.
Aslı Kınsız, Managing Associate
Sevim Özkan, Associate
Yiğit Ali Keleş, Trainee Lawyer