28.06.2025 15:08
A new regulation has been introduced for cryptocurrency transfers in Turkey. A daily limit of $3,000 and a monthly limit of $50,000 will be applied to stablecoin transactions.
The Financial Crimes Investigation Board (MASAK) has published a comprehensive regulation regarding cryptocurrency asset transfers in Turkey. With the communiqué that came into effect in the Official Gazette, a daily limit of $3,000 will be applied to stablecoin transfers. The purpose of the regulation has been stated as preventing the laundering of criminal proceeds abroad.
Limit and Time Restrictions on Cryptocurrency Withdrawals
The Ministry of Treasury and Finance has taken significant steps in the fight against money laundering and the financing of terrorism in the cryptocurrency market. With the General Communiqué of the Financial Crimes Investigation Board (MASAK) published in the Official Gazette, new obligations for Cryptocurrency Service Providers (CSPs) and restrictions on transfer transactions have come into effect. These regulations require platforms to tighten their customer identification processes and to be more vigilant against suspicious transactions.
According to the new communiqué, service providers will conduct more comprehensive identity verification of their customers and beneficial owners and will periodically update this information. Additionally, they will be required to investigate the source of the funds involved in the transactions in detail. One of the most notable rules introduced is the time limitation imposed on the transfer processes of cryptocurrency assets. Platforms will be able to fulfill users' cryptocurrency withdrawal requests at least 48 hours after the purchase, exchange, or deposit of the relevant asset. For a user's first withdrawal transaction on the platform, this waiting period has been set to a minimum of 72 hours.
In addition to the time restriction, a quantity limit has also been imposed on stablecoin withdrawal transactions, which are indexed to a fiat currency or another asset. Users will be able to transfer a maximum of $3,000 daily and a total of $50,000 monthly for such assets. However, in transfers known as the "travel rule," which require the complete sharing of sender and receiver information, these limits can be doubled. In all transfers, customers will be required to enter a text of at least 20 characters explaining the purpose of the transaction.
The regulation includes some flexibilities for institutions that engage in professional activities such as market making, liquidity provision, or inter-market arbitrage and can prove this status. Transfers conducted for such activities may be exempt from time and quantity limits with a board approval obtained for each customer. However, transfers made by custodial institutions on behalf of platform customers will be subject to these restrictions. Service providers that do not comply with the new rules will face serious penalties under the Law on the Prevention of Money Laundering. Mehmet Şimşek, the Minister of Treasury and Finance, stated that the purpose of the regulation is to prevent the outflow of criminal proceeds from the country and that non-compliant platforms may face penalties that could lead to license revocation.