Türkiye Published the 2026-2030 Financial Crime Strategy Document

With the decision published in the Official Gazette, the Strategy Document on Combating Money Laundering and Financing of Terrorism and Increasing Effectiveness in Confiscation Practices (2026-2030) has entered into force. This circular represents a systematic step taken to ensure the more effective implementation of the current legislation in the country and covers a five-year period. The primary aim of the strategy document is to strengthen the state capacity behind the fight against money laundering (AML) and financing of terrorism (CFT). In this context, it is aimed to monitor and prevent illegal financial flows and to facilitate the confiscation of assets obtained through these means. The document not only draws a legal framework but also serves as a roadmap for ensuring coordination in implementation processes.

The new strategy document aims to increase financial transparency by focusing on strengthening the compliance between current national legislation and international obligations. Increasing administrative and technical capacity is considered essential to ensure full compliance with the standards of international regulatory bodies such as the FATF (Financial Action Task Force). The measures envisaged in the document include tightening the audit mechanisms of financial institutions and liable entities, and making suspicious transaction reporting processes more efficient. Additionally, increasing the effectiveness of confiscation practices to cleanse crime revenues from the economic system is of strategic importance in terms of breaking the economic power of criminals. In this framework, strengthening cooperation and information sharing between the judiciary and law enforcement agencies stands out as a critical objective.

Considering that methods of crime financing have become more complex in the era of technological developments and digitalization, the new strategy document allocates extensive space to cybersecurity and digital monitoring mechanisms. It mandates the use of new technologies to detect illegal transactions carried out via crypto asset service providers and digital platforms. It is envisaged that data analytics and AI-supported systems will be used more actively by financial intelligence units. In this way, it is planned to audit digital asset flows as well as cash flows and to financially decrypt illegal activities. The document identifies strengthening the technological infrastructure to ensure the security of the financial system parallel to digitalization as a priority.

Ensuring inter-institutional coordination, which is one of the most important elements for the success of the application, requires a holistic approach covering all relevant public institutions and organizations and private sector stakeholders. Within the scope of the circular, it has been emphasized that the Ministry of Treasury and Finance, MİT, the General Directorate of Security, MASAK, and other relevant units must act in cooperation. Accelerating the flow of information between these institutions and developing joint operational competencies will increase the chance of success in the struggle. Also, the integration of the banking sector, financial consultancy companies, and other financial intermediaries into this process is part of the strategy. The document aims to facilitate the inclusion of seized assets in the state treasury by targeting the acceleration of confiscation processes through the removal of bureaucratic obstacles and simplification of procedures.

The publication of the Strategy Document and the measures to be implemented in the 2026-2030 period are a step that reinforces Türkiye's determination in the fight against financial crimes in the international arena as well. This action plan aims not only to combat current threats but also to create a proactive defense mechanism against new types of financial crimes that may emerge in the future. Cleansing illegal financial flows from the system is of great importance for sustaining economic stability and trust. In this direction, it is expected that money laundering will become more difficult and the financial resources of terrorism activities will be cut off with the implementation of the policies in the document. These steps, which strengthen Türkiye's international accreditation, will also contribute to the establishment of a legal and reliable investment environment.