The End of Cash? Turkey’s Digital Wallet Explodes with 2.3 Trillion Lira Surge

Turkey is witnessing a massive shift in consumer behavior as physical currency continues to lose its throne. New data from the Interbank Card Center (BKM) reveals that card payments skyrocketed in January 2026, reaching a staggering 2.3 trillion TL. This 45% annual increase signals a digital revolution that is fundamentally changing how the nation shops, eats, and travels.

Credit Cards Dominate the Trillion-Lira Market

The appetite for plastic is reaching historic levels. Of the total 2.3 trillion TL spent, credit cards accounted for the lion’s share, fueling nearly 2 trillion TL of economic activity. While the number of credit cards in circulation climbed to 143.4 million, the total number of cards in Turkey—including debit and prepaid—is now approaching 465 million.

Interestingly, while credit and debit card usage surged by 46% and 55%, respectively, prepaid card transaction value dropped by 77%. This suggests a consolidated move toward traditional banking lines as consumers seek higher credit limits and loyalty rewards.

The 1.7 Billion Transaction Milestone

It isn’t just the value of transactions that is rising; it’s the frequency as well. In January alone, Turkish citizens swiped, dipped, or tapped their cards 1.7 billion times.

• Credit Card Transactions: Crossed the 1 billion mark.

• Debit Card Transactions: Reached 664.7 million.

• E-Commerce Boom: Online shopping now accounts for 30% of all card spending, with internet payments hitting 687.4 billion TL.

This high frequency of use indicates that even small, daily purchases are now almost entirely digitized, moving away from the “cash-only” culture of previous decades.

The Rise of the “Invisible” Payment

Perhaps the most telling statistic of the 2026 economic landscape is the dominance of contactless payments. The convenience of “tap-and-go” has become the standard, with 80% of all in-store payments now being made without a PIN or physical contact.

Total contactless spending jumped by 49% to reach 751.8 billion TL, proving that speed and hygiene are top priorities for the modern Turkish consumer. As the Google algorithm tracks these shifts in consumer tech and fintech trends, Turkey’s rapid adoption of contactless infrastructure stands out as a global leader in digital banking integration.