Turkey’s ruling AK Party has introduced a broad economic bill in parliament that would formalize taxation of cryptocurrencies while revising wider tax and spending rules. The draft legislation, now before the Turkish Grand National Assembly, would amend the Income Tax Law and the Expenditure Taxes Law to establish a dedicated tax framework for digital assets.
According to state news agency Anadolu Ajansı, the bill ties crypto taxation directly to Turkey’s existing Capital Markets Law. Key definitions — including “crypto asset,” “wallet,” and “platform” — would carry the same meaning as under the current financial regulatory framework, embedding digital assets into established capital markets rules rather than creating a parallel regime.
If approved, the crypto provisions would take effect two months after publication.
Under the proposal, regulated crypto platforms would withhold a 10% tax on gains each quarter. The rule would apply regardless of whether the investor is an individual or company, and whether they are resident or non-resident.
The president would have authority to adjust that rate between 0% and 20%, depending on factors such as the type of token, how long it was held, who issued it, or the type of wallet used. That discretionary power introduces flexibility into the regime but also leaves future tax exposure subject to executive decision.
For trades conducted outside licensed platforms, investors would be required to declare gains annually. Brokers and intermediaries would be responsible for tax checks based on their records, while individuals providing incorrect or incomplete information could face direct recovery action from tax authorities.
In addition to the gains tax, the bill introduces a 0.03% transaction tax on service providers facilitating crypto transactions. The levy would be calculated on the sale amount or market value of the crypto assets brokered.
This charge would apply at the intermediary level rather than directly to investors, adding a marginal cost to crypto transactions conducted through regulated entities. The draft specifies that crypto deliveries subject to this transaction tax would be exempt from value-added tax, preventing double taxation on the same activity.
The structure suggests Ankara is seeking steady transaction-based revenue while ensuring that crypto transfers remain clearly categorized within the tax code.
Turkey has seen sustained retail interest in cryptocurrencies amid currency volatility and inflation pressures. By linking crypto taxation to the Capital Markets Law, lawmakers are aligning digital assets more closely with traditional financial instruments rather than treating them as informal or fringe activity.
The withholding model also increases transparency for authorities. Instead of relying solely on self-reporting, the state would receive tax flows directly from regulated platforms each quarter. At the same time, investors trading outside licensed venues would remain under declaration requirements, reducing opportunities to bypass the system.
Beyond crypto, the broader economic bill includes other fiscal adjustments, such as ending corporate tax exemptions for foundation university hospitals beginning in 2027. But the crypto provisions stand out as one of the most detailed attempts yet to codify digital asset taxation in Turkey.
If enacted in its current form, the law would place Turkey among jurisdictions using platform-level withholding to capture crypto tax revenue. The final shape of the regime — particularly how and when rate adjustments are used — will determine its impact on trading volumes and platform competitiveness.
