Turkey will restrict stablecoin transfers and slow down withdrawals on platforms

The Turkish Ministry of Finance has prepared a new package of measures to combat money laundering in the cryptocurrency sphere. According to the draft, users of crypto platforms are required to specify the purpose of each transfer with a length of at least 20 characters, and the platforms themselves are required to track the origin and purpose of transactions. If Travel Rule is not fully implemented, most withdrawals will be slowed by 48 hours, and the first withdrawal from any account will be slowed by 72 hours.

The key measure will be to limit transfers in stablecoins to no more than $3,000 per day and $50,000 per month. At the same time, platforms that fully comply with the international Travel Rule standard will be able to double the limits. Exemptions are provided for transactions related to liquidity, arbitrage and market making – subject to documentary proof of the origin of funds and internal controls.

Finance Minister Mehmet Şimşek emphasized that the purpose of the rules is to limit criminal schemes without suppressing legitimate market activity. Violation of the new requirements will result in sanctions, including denial and revocation of licenses. Administrative and legal liability measures are also provided for.

The initiative will be part of the adaptation of Turkey’s legislation to international FATF standards. The authorities hope that this will allow the country to get off the “gray list” in which it has been since 2021. Previously, since February 2025, users are required to identify themselves when making crypto payments over 15,000 Turkish liras.