How to receive USD in Türkiye
To receive US dollars in Türkiye, give the payer the USD IBAN of your foreign currency account at a Turkish bank, with the bank's SWIFT code, or US account details from a provider that accepts Turkish businesses. Goods export proceeds must reach Türkiye within 180 days, and at least 35% of proceeds linked to an export document must be sold for lira until 31 January 2027. This guide covers the rules for goods and services, what to give the payer, arrival times, published bank fees and platform options.
- A Turkish business receives US dollars into a foreign currency deposit account at a Turkish bank, which has its own IBAN starting TR, separate from the lira account.
- Goods export proceeds must be brought into Türkiye within 180 days of the actual export date under the Communiqué issued under Decree No. 32.
- At least 35% of export proceeds linked to an İBKB or DAB must be sold to the issuing bank, a rate the Central Bank of the Republic of Türkiye has extended to 31 January 2027.
- A CBRT implementing instruction requires service income sold to banks to be sold at least at the current ratio set in the Invisible Transactions Circular of 18 May 2026, documented with the service invoices.
- Tera Bank's published form for commercial customers charges 0.50% to 1.00% on an incoming international transfer, with a TL 175 minimum and a TL 12,500 maximum, excluding BSMV.
- The CBRT regulation in force since 30 April 2021 states that crypto assets, including stablecoins, cannot be used in payments directly or indirectly, so a Turkish business should not accept USDT or USDC as payment.
How to receive USD in Türkiye: the short answer
Turkish businesses that are paid from abroad include manufacturers and exporters of textiles, machinery, automotive parts and food, and service exporters: software studios, game developers, design and marketing agencies, translation firms and freelancers with clients in the United States and Europe. All of them receive US dollars, and all of them must fit the receipt to Turkish foreign exchange rules.
The standard route is a foreign currency deposit account, döviz tevdiat hesabı in Turkish, at a Turkish bank. It is opened alongside the company's Turkish lira (TRY) account, has its own IBAN, and receives dollars from payers abroad by SWIFT. IBAN is the International Bank Account Number, a standard format that identifies an account across borders; Turkish IBANs start with TR. SWIFT is the international network banks use to send cross-border payments, identified by an 8 or 11 character bank code.
Two rules then apply to goods exporters: the proceeds must reach Türkiye within 180 days of export, and at least 35% of proceeds linked to an export document must be sold for lira until 31 January 2027. Service exporters have a separate rule under the Invisible Transactions Circular. This guide covers both, the details to give a payer, arrival times, the fees Turkish banks publish, the platforms that do and do not accept Türkiye, and where a Helm account fits. For the account side of the same question, see our guide to a USD business account in Türkiye.
Turkish rules for money received from abroad
Turkish foreign exchange law rests on Decree No. 32 on the Protection of the Value of the Turkish Currency. The detailed rules sit in a Communiqué under the Decree and in two circulars of the Central Bank of the Republic of Türkiye (CBRT, or TCMB in Turkish): the Export Circular (İhracat Genelgesi) for goods, and the Invisible Transactions Circular (Görünmeyen İşlemler Genelgesi) for services and other non-trade flows.
Goods exports
Proceeds from goods exports must be brought into Türkiye within 180 days of the actual export date. Extensions for force majeure are granted in six-month periods, up to 24 months in total. When a bank receives the proceeds and matches them to the export, it issues an İBKB, İhracat Bedeli Kabul Belgesi, the export proceeds acceptance certificate. A DAB, Döviz Alım Belgesi, is the bank's record of buying foreign currency from a customer. At least 35% of export proceeds linked to an İBKB or DAB must be sold to the bank that issued the document, and the CBRT has extended that rate to 31 January 2027. The standing rate in the Export Circular is 25%.
Service exports
The CBRT's implementing instruction on foreign exchange sales under the Export Circular and the Invisible Transactions Circular names the Invisible Transactions Circular of 18 May 2026 as a legal basis. It states that foreign currency from services provided to non-residents is sold at least at the current ratio set in that circular, at the CBRT's buying rate on the transaction date, and must be documented to the bank with the relevant service invoices. Ask your bank which ratio applies to your service receipts before you price contracts.
| Who is paid, for what | Rule | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Exporter of goods | Bring proceeds into Türkiye within 180 days of the actual export date | Communiqué under Decree No. 32 |
| Exporter of goods | Sell at least 35% of proceeds linked to an İBKB or DAB to the issuing bank, until 31 January 2027 | CBRT Export Circular, temporary rate; CBRT decision reported August 2026 |
| Exporter of services | Sell at least the current ratio set in the Invisible Transactions Circular; document with service invoices | CBRT implementing instruction, citing the circular of 18 May 2026 |
| Company selling foreign currency to the CBRT | Conversion support of 3% until 31 January 2027, with a base rate of 2% | CBRT communiqué on foreign exchange conversion support |
| Anyone | Crypto assets cannot be used in payments, directly or indirectly | CBRT regulation, in force 30 April 2021 |
Sources: Andersen Türkiye, Mevzuat Sirküleri 2026/26 (6 May 2026); Para Ajansı report of the CBRT decision (8 August 2026); CBRT, implementing instruction on foreign exchange sales under the Export Circular and the Invisible Transactions Circular; CMS, Turkey introduces its first regulation on crypto assets. As published on 29 October 2026. Confirm current ratios and dates with your bank.
After the required sale, the remaining dollars can stay in the USD account, be used to pay suppliers abroad, or be sold later.
How the sale rule works on a USD payment
Take a Turkish manufacturer that ships goods to a buyer in the United States and invoices $100,000.
| Step | What happens | Dollars after the step |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Shipment | Goods leave Türkiye; the 180 day window starts on the actual export date | $0 received |
| 2. Buyer pays | The buyer sends $100,000 by SWIFT to the company's USD IBAN | Up to $100,000, less any intermediary fees on SHA terms |
| 3. Bank records the proceeds | The bank matches the payment to the export and issues the İBKB | $100,000 linked to the İBKB |
| 4. Required sale | At least 35%, here $35,000, is sold to the bank, which sells it to the CBRT at the CBRT's buying rate | $65,000 stays in the USD account |
| 5. Lira credited | The company receives the lira equivalent of $35,000 | $65,000 in USD, plus TRY |
Worked example by the Helm Editorial Team based on the mechanism described by Andersen Türkiye (6 May 2026), as published on 29 October 2026.
SHA is a SWIFT charge code meaning the fees are shared: intermediary banks can deduct theirs from the amount in transit. OUR means the sender pays all fees, and BEN means the receiver pays them all. On a large invoice, agree OUR in the contract so the full amount arrives and the İBKB matches the invoice. A company that both exports and imports in dollars keeps the $65,000 for supplier payments rather than converting twice.
What to give the payer
Akbank's published guidance states that to receive a SWIFT transfer, the sender needs the bank's SWIFT code, the recipient's name and the IBAN. In practice, give a payer abroad the full set below, and ask your bank for its USD inbound instructions, including any correspondent bank.
| Field on the invoice | What to write | Common mistake |
|---|---|---|
| Beneficiary name | Company's registered name, exactly as on the account | Trade name or abbreviation |
| Beneficiary IBAN | The IBAN of the USD account, starting TR | The lira account's IBAN |
| Beneficiary bank and SWIFT code | Bank's full legal name, address and 8 or 11 character code | Branch name only |
| Intermediary bank | The US correspondent your bank names, if any | Left out when the bank requires it |
| Charges | OUR, if the payer agreed to pay all fees | SHA by default, so the amount arrives short |
| Reference | Invoice number and, for goods, the export declaration number if your bank asks | No reference, so matching to the export is delayed |
Sources: Akbank, SWIFT transfers; field list reflects standard SWIFT practice. As published on 29 October 2026.
A correspondent bank is a bank that holds an account for another bank and settles payments in its currency; Turkish banks receive US dollars through correspondents in the United States. A Turkish USD IBAN has no US routing number, so a US client cannot pay it by ACH, the low-cost US domestic bank transfer system, and must send an international wire. Our guide on how to receive USD from overseas buyers shows how US account details change that.
How long a USD payment takes to arrive
Arrival time depends on the rail.
| Rail | Published timing | Source |
|---|---|---|
| International SWIFT transfer to a Turkish bank | Usually 1 to 2 business days; cut-off hours and public holidays can affect timing | İş Bankası, SWIFT transfers |
| Transfer between accounts at the same Turkish bank | Instant | İş Bankası, SWIFT transfers |
| ACH to US account details | About 80% of ACH volume settles in one banking day or less | Nacha, 28 August 2023 |
| Fedwire to US account details | Real-time gross settlement, final once processed; business day 9:00 p.m. ET the previous day to 7:00 p.m. ET, Monday to Friday | Federal Reserve |
Sources as listed, as published on 29 October 2026.
Fedwire is the Federal Reserve's real-time system for large or urgent US dollar payments, and real-time gross settlement means each payment settles individually as it is processed. For a goods exporter, the date that matters most is not arrival but the 180 day deadline from export, so chase late payers well before it.
What it costs: published bank and platform fees
Turkish banks publish their charges for commercial customers on fee information forms. The table shows published figures from two banks and from platforms. Other banks set their own charges.
| Provider and item | Published charge | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Tera Bank: incoming international fund transfer | 0.50% to 1.00%; minimum TL 175, maximum TL 12,500 | Excludes BSMV; correspondent charges collected when the funds arrive |
| Tera Bank: export proceeds collection fee | Minimum USD 20, maximum USD 100 | Excludes BSMV |
| Akbank: Dış Ticaret 10 package | TL 45,000 for 12 months | 10 foreign trade transactions, 10 incoming and 10 outgoing international transfers; correspondent charges separate |
| Payoneer: receiving into a non-local-currency receiving account | 1%, minimum $1 | Fees depend on sender and recipient locations |
| Payoneer: withdrawal to a local bank account | 1.2% to 4% | Minimum fees may apply |
| Grey: withdrawal in lira to a Turkish bank | $1.50 plus 0.10% | 1 business day |
Sources: Tera Bank, commercial customers product and service request and information form (created 20 April 2026); Akbank, foreign trade tariffs; Payoneer fees page (updated 1 January 2026); Grey, "Grey charges explained" (fees stated as at March 2026). As published on 29 October 2026.
BSMV, the banking and insurance transactions tax, is added on top of bank fees. On large receipts, Tera Bank's TL 12,500 maximum caps the bank charge, with BSMV and any correspondent charge added. For a business with regular inflows, a package such as Akbank's can cost less per transfer than paying each fee separately, so ask your bank what packages it offers. The rate at which the required share is sold is set by the CBRT's buying rate, as the implementing instruction states.
Platforms, freelancers and stablecoins
Many service exporters and freelancers look for US account details so clients can pay by ACH. Each provider decides whether it accepts Türkiye.
| Provider or route | What it publishes about Türkiye | Point to check |
|---|---|---|
| Wise | Türkiye is not on its list of countries where customers can hold money | Not available for holding balances |
| Airwallex | Türkiye is not on its list of supported business registration locations | Not available to companies registered in Türkiye |
| Payoneer | Fees published globally; fees depend on sender and recipient locations | Availability and fees shown at registration |
| Grey | Describes receiving from US, UK and EU clients for freelancers in Türkiye, with lira withdrawals to Turkish banks | Setup written for individuals |
| A US company of your own | Form a US company, obtain a US tax ID (EIN), then apply to a US bank or fintech | Proceeds belong to the US company, not the Turkish one |
Sources: Wise country list; Airwallex eligible countries; Payoneer fees page; Grey, freelancers in Turkey. As published on 29 October 2026.
Freelancers
Freelancers and small agencies who bill clients abroad, such as software developers, designers and translators, can open a foreign currency account at a Turkish bank as individuals or through a sole proprietorship. As with companies, the account has no US routing number, so US clients pay by international wire. Keep the invoice for every receipt, because the CBRT instruction ties service income to the service invoices.
Stablecoins
Stablecoins are digital tokens designed to hold a steady value against a currency; USDT and USDC track the US dollar. The CBRT's Regulation on the Disuse of Crypto Assets in Payments, in force since 30 April 2021, states that crypto assets cannot be used in payments directly or indirectly. Law No. 7518, published on 2 July 2024, requires crypto asset service providers to be authorized by the Capital Markets Board (SPK). A Turkish business should therefore not accept USDT or USDC as payment for goods or services, whatever a client offers.
Where a Helm account fits
Helm serves businesses in Türkiye. Helm is a financial technology company, not a bank, and accounts are held with regulated partner institutions. Helm provides USD account details in the company's own name, with a routing and account number that receives ACH, Fedwire and SWIFT, so US clients can pay as they pay domestic suppliers. EUR details (IBAN, SEPA and SWIFT) and GBP details (sort code, Faster Payments and SWIFT) sit alongside.
- Goods exporters can use the account to collect a buyer's payment, then transfer the proceeds to the company's USD account in Türkiye within the 180 day window so the bank can issue the İBKB and apply the sale rule.
- Service exporters can collect by ACH or Fedwire and move proceeds to their Turkish bank, documented with the service invoices; ask your bank how it records funds that arrive from an account abroad.
- Importers can send payments to suppliers by SWIFT and by local rails in the supplier's currency where available, with the rate, fee and expected arrival shown before sending. See our guide on paying Chinese suppliers from Türkiye.
Helm accounts can receive, send and convert USDC and USDT, but a company in Türkiye should not use those features to make or receive payments, given the CBRT regulation. Trade finance is arranged case by case. Each account has a named account manager, and review questions are answered in writing within one business day. Helm agrees pricing with each business in writing before the account opens, and shows the rate, the fee and the expected arrival before you confirm each payment.
Checklist for receiving USD in Türkiye
- Open a USD foreign currency account at your Turkish bank and give payers its TR IBAN, not the lira IBAN.
- Agree OUR charges with payers on large invoices.
- Diary the export date plus 180 days for every shipment.
- Budget for at least 35% of goods export proceeds to be sold for lira until 31 January 2027.
- For services, ask your bank for the current ratio under the Invisible Transactions Circular and keep every service invoice.
- Ask your bank how it documents proceeds that arrive from an account abroad.
- Do not accept crypto assets, including stablecoins, as payment.
Open a Helm account
USD, EUR and GBP accounts in your company's name, with a named account manager.
Open accountQuestions
How can a business in Türkiye receive US dollars from abroad?
The payer sends a SWIFT transfer to the IBAN of the business's US dollar foreign currency account at a Turkish bank, using the bank's SWIFT code. A business can also collect through US account details from a provider that accepts Türkiye, but goods export proceeds must still reach Türkiye within 180 days of export.
Do Turkish exporters have to sell the dollars they receive?
Partly. At least 35% of export proceeds linked to an İBKB or DAB must be sold to the bank that issued the document, and the CBRT has extended that rate to 31 January 2027. The remaining dollars can stay in the company's USD account.
Do Turkish service exporters have to sell their foreign currency income?
A CBRT implementing instruction states that foreign currency from services provided to non-residents is sold at least at the current ratio set in the Invisible Transactions Circular of 18 May 2026, documented with the service invoices. Ask your bank for the ratio that applies to your receipts.
What details does a foreign client need to pay a Turkish bank account in USD?
The client needs your registered name, the IBAN of the USD account starting TR, the bank's name and SWIFT code, and any intermediary bank your bank names. Akbank's guidance states that the sender needs the SWIFT code, the recipient's name and the IBAN.
How long does a USD transfer to Türkiye take?
İş Bankası states that international transfers usually take 1 to 2 business days, and that cut-off hours and public holidays can affect timing. A US client paying US account details by ACH usually settles in one banking day or less, as Nacha reports for about 80% of ACH volume.
How much do Turkish banks charge for incoming transfers from abroad?
Each bank publishes its own fees. Tera Bank's commercial customer form charges 0.50% to 1.00% on an incoming international transfer, with a TL 175 minimum and a TL 12,500 maximum, excluding BSMV, and passes on correspondent charges when the funds arrive.
Can I receive money with Wise in Türkiye?
Türkiye is not on Wise's list of countries where customers can hold money, and Airwallex does not list Türkiye as a supported business registration location, as published on 29 October 2026. Check both pages again before applying, because the lists change.
Can a Turkish business accept USDT or USDC from a foreign client?
No. The CBRT's Regulation on the Disuse of Crypto Assets in Payments, in force since 30 April 2021, states that crypto assets cannot be used in payments directly or indirectly. Crypto asset service providers must also be authorized by the Capital Markets Board under Law No. 7518.
Can a Turkish exporter be paid into an account abroad?
A buyer can pay an account outside Türkiye, but goods export proceeds must still be brought into Türkiye within 180 days of the export date, and the sale rule applies once a Turkish bank links them to an İBKB. Ask your bank how it will document the transfer from the account abroad.
References
- Andersen Türkiye: Mevzuat Sirküleri 2026/26, export proceeds sale obligation continues (6 May 2026)
- Para Ajansı: CBRT changes foreign exchange conversion support, 35% sale obligation extended to 31 January 2027 (8 August 2026)
- CBRT: Implementing instruction on foreign exchange sales to the CBRT under the Export Circular and the Invisible Transactions Circular
- Tera Bank: Commercial customers product and service request and information form
- Akbank: Foreign trade tariffs
- İş Bankası: Foreign currency transfers (SWIFT)
- CMS: Turkey introduces its first regulation on crypto assets
- Payoneer: Fees
This guide is general information for businesses, not financial, legal or tax advice. Rules, fees and timings were checked against the sources listed on the review date and may change.