Doing Business in Turkey: Market Entry, GTM Strategy & Growth Potential

The population of Turkey is 87,926,082, and is growing at the rate of 0.3%. The GDP per capita, which represents the potential spending power of the people, is $46,672, measured on a purchasing power parity (PPP) basis to allow comparison with other countries.

89.64% of Turkey’s population lives in urban areas. 63.42% of the population is of working age (15-59). 89.77% of the population has internet access and % has 5G mobile coverage. These factors are important for digital-first businesses to keep in mind.

The Accuracast International Growth Index ranks Turkey #30 overall for market attractiveness, no change from last year’s position.

How we can help you grow in Turkey:

Accuracast offers a comprehensive range of international digital marketing services to support brands looking to grow their presence in Turkey. Whether you need an international SEO agency, an international advertising agency, or an international social media marketing agency specialising in Turkey, we’ve got you covered.

How Digitally Mature is the Market in Turkey

The digital search demand score for Turkey is 37.32.

Türkiye (Turkey)’s lower score reflects fragmented search habits rather than low levels of online activity. According to Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat) 92.3% of the population uses the internet and 60% shop online. However, product discovery often bypasses standard search engines entirely, with consumers frequently searching directly within domestic marketplaces such as Trendyol and Hepsiburada. Even within traditional search, the market is fragmented. Google holds around 81% share while Yandex captures approximately 17% as of July 2026 according to Statcounter. As a result, high-intent product searches are distributed across local retail platforms and search engines, lowering standard search demand volumes.

Go-To-Market Strategy Considerations for Turkey

The purchasing power score for Turkey is 60.83, and the country scores 72.88 for digital readiness.

Türkiye’s strong digital readiness, combines with improving purchasing power, creates a promising environment for digital commerce. The 6.45-point rise in purchasing power score suggests some stability despite ongoing inflation. However, consumers remain highly price sensitive, meaning affordability and value for money continues to play an important role in purchasing decisions.

Financial & payment infrastructure

In terms of financial infrastructure, Turkey scores 75.92.

This score reflects a well-developed domestic payments ecosystem. The FAST system, operated by the Central Bank of the Republic of Turkey enables instant, 24/7 bank transfers, while credit card instalments (taksit) are widely used for online purchases. Local payment providers such as iyzico also support payment methods commonly used by Turkish consumers, making it easier for businesses to meet local checkout expectations.

Regulatory & business setup friction

From a business expansion point of view, Turkey scores 57.35 for regulatory complexity and legal restrictions. This is reverse-scored, meaning the higher the score, the easier it is to navigate local regulation.

This moderate score reflects rules designed to protect the domestic market and domestic data, where expanding businesses must manage strict data localisation laws (KVKK) and complex cross-border customs regulations. Recent government decrees have eliminated the previous tax-free limit for overseas parcels, raising import duties to 30% for EU shipments and 60% for non-EU shipments to add significant barriers to direct cross border e-commerce.

The score of 39.98 indicates the costs and friction associated with setting up a business presence in Turkey.

Establishing a local company can involve significant bureaucracy, administrative requirements and ongoing tax reporting, making the process time-consuming for international businesses. This can increase the cost and complexity of entering the market, particularly for businesses that need a local operational setup. Working with local partners and third-party logistics providers can help businesses navigate these requirements to establish manage their operations.

Turkey market attractiveness change

Compared to last year, the overall International Growth Index score for Turkey has changed 1.66 points, but this wasn’t sufficient to change its ranking from 2025, so Turkey still ranks #30 in 2026.

This improvement was primarily driven by stronger economic fundamentals. Purchasing Power saw the biggest increase, rising by 6.45 points, while Market Demand also improved slightly. Together, these gains suggest that consumer capacity is showing resilience despite ongoing inflation and gradual economic stabilisation.

Most Popular Social Media Platforms in Turkey:

1. WhatsApp
2. YouTube
3. Instagram
4. Facebook
5. TikTok
6. X
7. Telegram
8. Snapchat
9. Pinterest
10. LinkedIn

The official national language is Turkish. English is spoken by about 17% of the population, while Kurdish is the primary language for 10.4% of the population and Arabic for 1.4%.

Marketing teams should prioritise Turkish across website, SEO, social media and advertising content. Kurdish and Arabic could also be considered for targeted campaigns where relevant.

What Are the Risks of Expanding into Turkey

While new market expansion can be exciting, it is important to also consider the risks when entering a market like Turkey.

Currency Volatility & Slow Growth: High inflation and continued currency depreciation can put pressure on margins and make local pricing more difficult, requiring businesses to adjust pricing frequently.

High Import Costs: Türkiye has tightened rules on low-value overseas shipments, with import duties of up to 60% increases the cost and complexity of direct cross-border fulfilment.

Fierce Local Competition: Established platforms such as Trendyol and Hepsiburada have strong local reach and fulfilment capabilities, making it harder for international businesses to compete without local marketplace and logistics partnerships.

Data Privacy Requirements: Businesses handling Turkish consumer data must comply with KVKK requirements, adding complexity to data management and international operations.

Türkiye-Iran Geopolitical Exposure: Türkiye’s close economic ties with Iran, particularly in energy and regional trade, leave it exposed to wider disruptions from the Iran conflict and tightening international sanctions. For businesses, this could create additional risks around cross-border payments, trade routes and regional supply chains.

How Does Turkey Compare to Other Top Markets?