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As an expat with years of experience living in Turkey, I’m excited to share with you my personal experience with PayPal Turkey.
In the article below, I will cover: What happened to PayPal in Turkey? How to withdraw old balance if you have, Top 4 Alternatives and more!
What Happened to PayPal Turkey?
I remember my surprise when I first learned PayPal doesn’t work in Turkey. Back in the day, PayPal was huge here; handling a lot transactions. But in 2016, everything changed.
Here’s what happened: The Turkish Banking Regulation and Supervision Agency (BDDK), which is the banking watchdog in Türkiye, stated that PayPal wasn’t following the Turkish laws.
And so, the BDDK presented PayPal with two options: comply or leave. PayPal chose to exit, rather than route transactions through Turkish servers as required by the laws.
For me, this was a little bit of a problem to my expat life here, but Turkey’s digital banking keeps evolving, offering alternative solutions that adapt to its vibrant market and regulations.
PayPal issued the following statement following the discontinuation of service in Turkey:
“We regret to announce that PayPal has suspended its business operations in Turkey,” the company said in a written note. “Starting June 6, 2016, our customers in Turska will no longer be able to send or receive money via PayPal. Customers can still log in to their PayPal account and transfer any balance in their account to a Turkish bank account.”
How to Withdraw Balance from PayPal Turkey Account?
After 2016, users can withdraw money directly from their accounts.
In 2020, there is no option to withdraw the balance directly from the PayPal account. If you have a balance, the only way to withdraw it is to send an email to customer service [email protected].
Paypal Turkey Top 4 Alternatives
There are many Paypal alternatives in Turkey depending on which service you want to use.
Western Union (No Turkish bank account required)
If you’re in Turkey and looking for the best way to handle international money transfers, Western Union stands out as a top-notch alternative.
Super convenient, you can send money abroad or even receive funds from banks using Western Union’s services. Need to pick up a transfer? Simply log into your internet banking with banks like Ziraat Bank, Yapı Kredi, or İş Bank. Prefer face-to-face interaction? Visit the nearest PTT (Turkish post office), and they’ll sort out.
I have received Western Union transfers ovver the years mainly by going to the PTT and other times from Ziraat Bank and Yapı Kredi. I have also used other banks.
You don’t need to be a bank customer to receive Western Union transfers in Turkey.
SWIFT Transfers (Bank account required)
Making money transfers within Turkey is seamless once you grab your SWIFT code from your local bank branch. Just pop into the branch, get the code, and you’re all set to move your money smoothly wherever it needs to go in the country. It’s straightforward banking at its best!
You need a Turkish bank account to receive or send a SWIFT transfer.
Wise (No Turkish bank account required)
Wise is the best Paypal alternative to transfer money and make payments in Turkey.
Wise is one of the best ways to transfer money easily, quickly and safely from Turkey ; It offers lower transfer fees than Western Union and other banks .
Advantages of Wise
- Wise is completely safe for all types of transfers.
- You can send money out of Turkey approximately eight times cheaper than traditional methods .
- Transfer fees are simple and there are no hidden fees .
- The conversion process is easily done online .
- The money is automatically transferred to the recipient’s bank account.
- wise; It covers approximately 750 different currencies that it can transfer, including Turkish Lira, US Dollar, Euro, British Pound and Egyptian Pound .
By clicking here , you can transfer more easily from Western Union and other banks directly online through Wise .
MoneyGram (No Turkish bank account required)
MoneyGram is one of the good alternatives to PayPal in Turkey. You can transfer money to many countries around the world with MoneyGram.
You can also receive money from outside Turkey with MoneyGram offered by Kuveyt Türk Bank.
FAQ
Why can’t PayPal be used in Turkey?
Paypal services are not available in Turkey as the company does not comply with Turkish regulations and laws.
What is the best PayPal alternative in Turkey?
There are many alternatives to PayPal in Turkey, the best ones are Transferwise, Westren Union and money transfer with Swift code in Turkish banks.
Is PayPal available in Turkey
No, PayPal has not been available in Turkey since 2016, but there are many alternatives to transfer money and make electronic payments in Turkey.
Can I send money to PayPal Turkey
No, you cannot send money directly to Turkey using Paypal, but there are many alternatives to sending and receiving money from Turkey.