Strong Support for the Services Sector
Ahmet Zafer Seyar, Executive Vice President of Commercial, Corporate and Retail Banking at Türk Ticaret Bankası, participated in the roundtable discussion titled "The Importance of Financing in Services Exports," organized by Inbusiness Magazine.
Speaking about Türk Ticaret Bankası's renewed journey and the products and services it offers, Seyar said: “Although Türk Ticaret Bankası is still in the early years of its renewed operations, we have already become a strong supporter of the services and tourism sectors, and we will continue to expand that support in the years ahead. Last year, we provided TRY 76.3 billion in financing to exporters. Our target for this year is TRY 110 billion. With the continued trust of our exporters and our strengthened capital base, we aim to increase our financing capacity even further over the coming years.”
Commenting on Türk Ticaret Bankası’s support for the sector, Seyar said: "What sets Türk Ticaret Bankası apart from other banks is, above all, that it is a bank for exporters. İhracatı Geliştirme A.Ş. (İGE) holds 99.83% of our share capital. The Turkish Exporters Assembly (TİM) and 61 Exporters' Associations together hold a majority stake in İGE, while Türk Eximbank and commercial banks hold the remaining shares. In that sense, it would be fair to describe Türk Ticaret Bankası as a bank owned by exporters. We see Türk Ticaret Bankası as a mission-oriented bank that combines private-sector agility with public responsibility. Our mission is to provide exporters with every banking product and service they need through innovative financial solutions, with speed, security, and competitive terms. We began onboarding customers in September 2024. In just a year and a half, we have built a conventional banking model offering a full range of products and services, from retail banking to commercial and corporate banking, while adopting a "phygital" banking model that seamlessly integrates physical and digital channels. We now serve our customers through 16 branches. One of the main differences between Türk Ticaret Bankası and other commercial banks is that we extend credit exclusively to companies engaged in exports or other foreign exchange-earning activities. Rediscount credits are among the most important financing instruments we offer exporters. We have built a strong position in this area and are working hard to make these facilities available to an even broader group of exporters. This year, Türk Ticaret Bankası joined the Ministry of Trade's Export Action Plan alongside Türk Eximbank and İGE. Our total financing support reached TRY 76.3 billion in 2025, and we aim to increase that figure to TRY 110 billion in 2026. In the years ahead, we want exporters to see Türk Ticaret Bankası not simply as a growing bank, but as one of their most important partners in export financing.
Our Bank extends loans exclusively to exporting companies. Our financing solutions include export loans, letters of guarantee, letters of credit, Türk Eximbank letters of guarantee, Turkish lira working capital loans, and medium- and long-term investment loans. We have built our technology infrastructure to deliver fast and efficient banking services to exporters across Türkiye, and we continue to invest in its ongoing development. We also make extensive use of İGE guarantees to help SMEs gain access to financing. Exports account for approximately 30% of Türkiye's GDP, yet export financing, including financing provided by Türk Eximbank, represents only around 14% of total lending. This highlights the significant growth potential in export finance. The financial sector needs to place greater emphasis on this area and increase the share of export loans in total lending.
There is one final point I would like to emphasize. While we are fully committed to fulfilling our role as a financial institution, I believe SME exporters should also place greater emphasis on financial literacy. In my view, this remains one of the most fundamental challenges facing businesses across Türkiye. Strengthening financial literacy will enable companies to make better-informed financial decisions, manage risks more effectively, and support sustainable growth.”