The Financial Action Task Force published its 2026 mutual evaluation of Türkiye, finding that the country has strengthened its illicit finance defenses through effective financial intelligence and international cooperation but still has material gaps in implementation. Türkiye is compliant or largely compliant with 38 of the 40 FATF Recommendations, and all 11 effectiveness outcomes are rated moderate or substantial. However, eight outcomes remain at moderate effectiveness, resulting in enhanced follow-up and a three-year improvement roadmap. This process is separate from the increased monitoring process that Türkiye exited in June 2024. Key weaknesses include uneven understanding and reporting of terrorist financing risks outside the banking sector, partially effective politically exposed person controls and sanctions that do not adequately deter serious or systemic compliance breaches. Supervision of lawyers and notaries remains limited, while beneficial ownership information is not consistently accurate or current. Money laundering enforcement is weighted toward fraud and needs to address more complex cases involving drug trafficking, smuggling, illegal betting, professional launderers, legal persons and cross-border activity. Asset seizures and confiscations remain modest, particularly for assets abroad, and targeted financial sanctions are not always implemented without delay. Türkiye must complete the roadmap within three years and report its progress to FATF. Priority actions include strengthening reporting entities’ terrorist financing controls, pursuing the full range of terrorist financing threats, prioritizing high-risk money laundering cases, improving cross-border asset recovery and applying more proportionate and dissuasive sanctions.
2026-09-23Financial Action Task Force
Financial Action Task Force places Türkiye in enhanced follow-up with three-year illicit finance roadmap
The Financial Action Task Force placed Türkiye in enhanced follow-up after finding strong financial intelligence and international cooperation but material gaps in supervision, beneficial ownership, complex investigations and overseas asset recovery. Türkiye is compliant or largely compliant with 38 of 40 FATF Recommendations, but eight of 11 effectiveness outcomes are rated moderate. A three-year roadmap targets high-risk money laundering cases, terrorist financing controls, targeted sanctions and cross-border asset recovery.