Yandex Türkiye Launches $50M Phase of $400M Plan

Yandex Türkiye has invested $50 million as the initial phase of a $400 million strategic investment plan aimed at transforming its search engine services and e-commerce infrastructure in Türkiye, said Alexander Popovskiy, General Manager of Yandex Türkiye and CEO of Yandex Search International.

Speaking at WORLDEF Istanbul 2025, Popovskiy described Türkiye’s booming e-commerce market—now accounting for 20% of all retail turnover—as “very unique” and ripe for digital innovation and AI-driven solutions.

‘Yandex Türkiye Merchants’ Platform Debuts

Popovskiy officially unveiled Yandex Türkiye Merchants, a new tool designed to help Turkish merchants gain traffic and monitor performance directly within Yandex’s search ecosystem.

“This platform empowers sellers by offering more control over how their listings appear and perform in Yandex search results,” he said.

He also highlighted the Yandex Metrica analytics platform, a free, powerful user-behavior tracking tool, already being adopted by e-commerce startups across Türkiye.

AI-Powered Search Expansion & Yazeka Tool Gains Popularity

Yandex’s search engine is undergoing an AI-enhanced transformation. At the heart of this evolution is Yazeka, Yandex’s smart assistant tool that delivers detailed, source-based responses. Popovskiy said Yazeka is seeing “significant uptake” among Turkish users, especially after it was upgraded with image and video-based results.

“Customers are now solving search queries more comprehensively and faster thanks to AI,” he noted.

Popovskiy emphasized that Yandex aims to evolve from a traditional search engine into a “finding engine,” which he believes will become the foundation for additional services in Türkiye, including Yandex Maps and AI integrations.

$400M Vision for Türkiye: “Fasten Your Seatbelts”

The $50 million already invested marks the beginning of a broader $400 million commitment, announced in 2024, with a focus on AI, search engine enhancements, e-commerce platforms, and digital advertising tools.

“Fasten your seatbelts,” Popovskiy said. “We’ll be announcing new tools across our entire Turkish ecosystem—including Yandex Maps and future AI services.”

Yandex Ads, which has a global reach of over 100 million, is also gaining traction in Türkiye. “Many Turkish businesses already use it to expand their reach and sales,” he added.

Praise for Türkiye’s Regulatory Framework

On digital regulation, Popovskiy praised Türkiye’s competitive e-commerce environment, attributing it to well-structured, forward-thinking government policies. He called for similar regulatory frameworks for search engines, browsers, and AI platforms.

“This is not coincidence—it’s the result of intentional and effective regulation,” he said.

He urged lawmakers to expedite Türkiye’s proposed digital competition law, currently under parliamentary review. “This is essential for making Türkiye competitive in AI, search, browsers, and beyond,” he said.

Türkiye’s Growing Role in Global Tech

Popovskiy closed his remarks by expressing optimism about Türkiye’s rapid adoption of artificial intelligence, saying AI was “the most discussed topic” at WORLDEF Istanbul 2025.

“Türkiye is moving fast, and we want to be part of that growth story—by offering tools that help users and businesses make smarter, more informed decisions,” he concluded.

IMPORTANT DISCLOSURE: PA Turkey intends to inform Turkey watchers with diverse views and opinions. Articles in our website may not necessarily represent the view of our editorial board or count as endorsement.

Follow our English language YouTube videos @ REAL TURKEY: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKpFJB4GFiNkhmpVZQ_d9Rg
Twitter: @AtillaEng
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/realturkeychannel/