Is PayPal Available in Turkey? Laws, Limits, and Alternatives

If you’re trying to send or receive money from Turkey, you’ve probably run into the same question over and over again: Is PayPal available in Turkey? It’s especially common among freelancers, remote workers, and businesses that deal with international clients and expect PayPal to "just work".

The reality, though, is a little messier. PayPal did operate in Turkey at one point, but it later exited the market, and things haven’t gone back to "normal" since. That’s why platforms like Ogvio have started showing up as alternatives because they enable Turkish users to access the service.

But before I get into how Ogvio works, let’s pause for a second. It’s time to spill the tea on why PayPal left Turkey, what’s actually going on behind the scenes, and why trying to force it shouldn’t be your option.

Did you know?

Want to get smarter & wealthier with crypto?

Subscribe - We publish new crypto explainer videos every week!

What is FUD in Crypto? (Fear, Uncertainty & Doubt Explained)

SUBSCRIBE

ON YOUTUBE

Is PayPal Available in Turkey? No!

If you need to make transactions with a Turkish friend and wonder, “Is PayPal available in Turkey?”, I hope you’re ready for the bad news. PayPal isn’t available in Turkey, and you need to find alternatives that work for both of you.

What does this absence mean for people in Turkey? For individuals, you can’t make or receive payments, shop internationally, or transfer money using PayPal from within Turkey.

Then, does PayPal work in Turkey for businesses? The answer is also no. This restriction means merchants can’t use PayPal as a payment option on their websites or online stores for buyers inside or outside Turkey. E-commerce sites also can’t add PayPal buttons at checkout.

For example, a large share of UK consumers^[1] regularly choose PayPal when shopping online, so not offering it can create friction at checkout. When buyers don’t see a familiar option, they’re more likely to hesitate, abandon the purchase, or look for a seller in a country where PayPal is supported.

Without PayPal, businesses must integrate other payment gateways (e.g., credit card processors, local services like iyzico or BKM Express). It sounds easy on paper, but setting up and managing multiple systems can mean more technical work, more vendor relationships, and higher fees than just turning on PayPal.

The effects don’t stop at business owners and marketplaces; freelancers and digital service providers in Turkey also get headaches. They can’t invoice clients via PayPal easily and need to find an alternative.

The Most Liked Findings

Looking for more in-depth information on related topics? We have gathered similar articles for you to spare your time. Take a look!

Money Transferring

How to Send Money From the UAE to Pakistan: Legal Methods

Money Transferring

Is PayPal Available in the Philippines? Everything You Should Know

Remittance

How to Send Money From UAE to Philippines

Why Is PayPal Banned in Turkey?

PayPal availability in Turkey stopped in 2016 due to a regulatory dispute between the company and Turkish authorities. At the core of the issue of "Why is PayPal banned in Turkey?" was PayPal’s inability (or unwillingness) to meet local licensing and infrastructure requirements set by the Turkish government.

It’s sad knowing that about 2 million users in Turkey were using PayPal around the time it exited the market in 2016. This number includes people who used the platform for online shopping and payments.

Without this license, PayPal was legally unable to continue offering payment services to individuals or businesses in Turkey. As a result, users could no longer send or receive money through PayPal, although they’re temporarily allowed to log in and withdraw any remaining balances to local bank accounts.

The situation is often described as “PayPal is banned in Turkey”, but in practice, it was a license denial followed by a voluntary market exit. So, what were the licensing and infrastructure requirements set by the government that made PayPal eventually withdraw from the Turkish market? Generally, there are two aspects:

• Requirement to localize IT systems and data;
• License requirement for payment services.

BDDK, under Article 23 of Law No. 6493, required payment companies to keep their main systems and backup (disaster-recovery) servers inside Turkey. This way, regulators could directly access the systems whenever needed. For global platforms, that meant setting up local infrastructure instead of running everything from abroad.

With this law, the government aims to protect consumers by keeping financial transaction systems within their reach. If everything is run from overseas, it becomes much harder for them to step in when there’s a legal or financial issue.

PayPal rejected the idea because its platform is designed to run from shared data centers and systems around the world, not localized per country. Setting up an entire local stack (with servers, backups, and compliance under Turkish jurisdiction) would have required a major technological restructuring.

Besides the infrastructure, any company that wants to operate as an e-money or payment service provider needs a formal payment license from the BDDK. Without this license, the company can’t legally provide payment services to Turkish customers. PayPal applied for this license but was rejected because it didn’t meet the infrastructure requirements.

However, the Turkish government actually talked about PayPal entering Turkey as a “cross-border” entity. They were basically saying, “You can still serve Turkish users, but only in a limited way, and without fully operating as a local payment company in Turkey”.

If PayPal had accepted this option, it could have continued operating in Turkey under foreign jurisdiction. Yet, its services would likely have been limited, such as offering only basic money transfers without full merchant tools or local customer support.

PayPal finally didn’t pursue the license, probably because limited services can restrict the full use of the platform and didn't align well with PayPal’s global business model.

What Happens If You Try to Use PayPal Anyway?

Getting stuck on the question, “Is PayPal available in Turkey?”, can lead people to force PayPal to work from Turkey. I suggest you don’t push it because the reality is that it usually ends badly.

Since PayPal officially stopped serving Turkish users in 2016, sending or receiving money within Turkey has no longer been possible. If you log in, the platform won’t process payments because it isn’t supported in the country.

Then, what if you try workarounds like using a VPN, a fake address, or a foreign-registered account? Well, PayPal’s own rules explicitly prohibit accessing the service from unsupported countries, including via “hacks” mentioned.

Here’s what can happen in practice:

So, does PayPal work in Turkey if I just bypass the rules? Well, instead of risking your money and account, it’s much safer to look into legitimate alternatives that support Turkish users.

📚 Read More: Best Way to Send Money to Turkey

Will PayPal Be Available in Turkey Anytime Soon?

As of now, there’s still no official timeline for PayPal availability in Turkey. When PayPal stopped its services in 2016, it said it would keep trying to get the proper license, meaning it might one day meet Turkey’s regulatory requirements and come back.

However, nothing public has changed since then:

• PayPal has not relaunched full payment services in Turkey.
• There have been no major announcements from PayPal or Turkish regulators confirming a return date.
• The fundamental issue (needing to comply with local licensing and infrastructure rules) still hasn’t been resolved in a way that allows PayPal to reopen in the country.

Some people online have pointed to recent changes in Turkey’s data protection laws that may help global payment companies like PayPal to operate there again.

For example, Turkey amended its Data Protection Law (Law No. 6698) in 2024 to update how personal data can be transferred abroad. The authorities aligned it more closely with the EU's GDPR, which is known to be a gold standard for data protection.^[2]

If the destination country is not officially recognized as safe, the company can still transfer data, but only if it puts extra protections in place, such as binding contracts that spell out how the data will be protected and used.

The goal of these new rules is to let data move across borders while still giving Turkish regulators confidence that users’ information is protected, even when it is processed outside the country.

This update relaxes Turkey’s old “data must stay here” rule, which was one of the main reasons global companies like PayPal didn’t want to operate in the country. It brings Turkey closer to international data standards, without completely dropping privacy protections. Anyhow, there’s no guarantee PayPal is coming back yet, because other licensing hurdles may still exist.

Can You Still Receive Money in Turkey Without PayPal?

Of course, you can still get money from friends abroad without PayPal. “PayPal’s banned in Turkey” isn’t the end of the world. Turkish citizens can still receive and send money abroad, but instead of PayPal, they use other platforms that handle international transfers, digital wallets, and even crypto.

The real trick is knowing which options actually work, what you’re giving up with each one, and how to use them without overpaying or getting stuck. So, what are the payment platforms that work in Turkey? Let’s find out!

Ogvio

Ogvio is one of the newest players in the global money-transfer space, and it aims to make international payments as simple as messaging a friend. The platform enables you to send money from around the world using a unique @Tag username, so you don’t have to share bank details or IBANs.

	OGVIO
Overall Score	9.8
Transaction Fees	Free-to-Low
Pricing Model	Per-transaction
Value For Money
Verdict	A global money transfer service with an additional volatile currency rate pegging to USD or EUR.
	Visit site Read review

Table: Ogvio features

Unlike some older platforms, Ogvio supports multiple ways to fund your account, including Apple Pay, Google Pay, and crypto (specifically USDC). It also offers various methods of sending money. Yes, it has its @Tag feature for instant and free transfers, but you can choose to transfer crypto or money to someone’s bank account.

While Turkish lira support for top-ups isn’t fully live yet, Ogvio continues expanding its currency options and user base, meaning more localizations could arrive over time.

📚 Read More: Ogvio Review

Western Union

Stop asking, “Is PayPal available in Turkey?”, when your recipient wants to receive cash. Try Western Union instead because it widely operates in Turkey, allowing users to both send and receive money internationally.

	WESTERN UNION
Overall Score	9.4
Transaction Fees	Varies
Pricing Model	Per-transaction
Value For Money
Verdict	A global service trusted for decades for sending money digitally or in person, though often pricier than newer alternatives.
	Visit site Read review

Table: Western Union features

Western Union works with major Turkish banks like Akbank, Ziraat Bankası, and Garanti BBVA to make sure the service is accessible across the country. They act as cash pickup locations to let users receive and send money in person. Funds can also be sent directly into their bank accounts.

In some cases, recipients can also withdraw cash or receive deposits through participating bank ATMs using the transfer’s tracking number.

📚 Read More: Western Union Review

Wise

Wise has always been known for its fair exchange rate. It offers no hidden markups or surprise fees, although it can get pricey if you transfer a small amount because the platform uses a percentage model. With the benefits, Wise, in fact, became a popular PayPal alternative in Turkey after PayPal left.

	WISE
Overall Score	9.6
Transaction Fees	Varies
Pricing Model	Per-transaction
Value For Money
Verdict	A trusted digital remittance service with upfront fees and great rates, but limited options for cash delivery.
	Visit site Read review

Table: Wise features

However, things changed. Due to regulatory updates in Turkey, Wise placed restrictions on users with Turkish addresses. You can no longer:

• Open new multi-currency balances;
• Add money to balances, convert currencies;
• Receive funds into a Wise account like before.

In other words, Wise no longer works as a PayPal-style wallet for Turkish residents. That said, Wise isn’t useless. You can still send money internationally from your Turkish bank account, and you can withdraw any remaining balance you already have.

📚 Read More: Wise Review

TransferGo

In Turkey, TransferGo’s service is operated by Moka United Ödeme Hizmetleri ve Elektronik Para Kuruluşu A.Ş. (called “Birleşik Ödeme”). TransferGo Ltd (based in the UK) acts as an agent, but TransferGo itself isn’t licensed as an electronic money institution in Turkey (the local provider is).

	TRANSFERGO
Overall Score	8.7
Transaction Fees	Up to 0.2%
Pricing Model	Per-transaction
Value For Money
Verdict	A low-cost transfer app for European senders reaching 160+ countries.
	Visit site

Table: TransfrerGo features

The service lets you send TRY from your Turkish bank account (it must use your name) to recipients in other countries in a different currency. After you pay into TransferGo, they convert your TRY and pay it out abroad.

Overall, you have to sign up with real information, verify who you are, and send the money exactly as the app tells you. TransferGo shows you the fees upfront and convert your money into the other currency. If any details are entered incorrectly or the terms aren’t met, the transfer may be cancelled.

How People in Turkey Can Use Ogvio (Step-by-Step)

If you’re based in Turkey and need an easier way to get paid from abroad, there's no need to wonder "Is PayPal banned in Turkey?" anymore. Ogvio can help you in various possible scenarios: working with international clients, receiving support from family overseas, or moving money across borders yourself. Here’s how everything works, step by step.

Did you know?

Want to get smarter & wealthier with crypto?

Subscribe - We publish new crypto explainer videos every week!

What is an NFT? (Explained with Animations)

SUBSCRIBE

ON YOUTUBE

Set Up Your Ogvio Account

Before you can receive or send money, you’ll need to create an Ogvio account.

Once your @Tag is set, your account is ready. At this point, you can start receiving payments from clients, employers, or contacts abroad right away.

Receive Money Instantly Using Your Ogvio @Tag

If the person sending you money already uses Ogvio, this is hands down the fastest option.

As soon as the sender enters your @Tag and completes the transfer, the money lands in your Ogvio balance instantly. Neither of you needs bank info or follow-ups asking if the payment went through.

Request Money with a Payment Link

In case you want something more structured (especially for freelance work or recurring payments), Ogvio also lets you send a payment request link. Here’s how:

Ogvio will generate a secure payment link that you can send to your client or employer. This method feels more official than sharing a username and works well for salaries, invoices, or long-term collaborations.

Receive Money Directly to a Turkish Bank Account

Besides allowing you to keep the money within the platform, Ogvio supports direct bank transfers to Turkey, covering both traditional banks and modern digital banking options.

If the sender is holding funds in currencies like GBP, EUR, or USD, this money transfer tool automatically handles the conversion behind the scenes. When TRY is selected as the payout currency, the recipient receives Turkish lira directly. For someone sending money to Turkey from abroad, the process looks like this:

The recipient doesn’t need to log in or manually withdraw anything because the money goes straight to their bank account. You can use the same steps to withdraw your own Ogvio balance to a Turkish bank whenever you want.

Get Paid in Crypto Using Ogvio

Are you more crypto-native? Feel free to receive stablecoins via Ogvio – no need to change platforms. Follow these steps to find your wallet address:

Once the USDC arrives, it shows up in your Ogvio balance and can be used just like regular funds: you can hold it, send it internationally, or buy crypto within the platform. For users who already operate in crypto, this is often the fastest way to fund an account without relying on banks.

Send Money Internationally Using Ogvio @Tag

Before you can send money through Ogvio using an @Tag, your account needs to have a balance. If your balance is still zero, you’ll need to top up first. Right now, Ogvio supports top-ups through several methods. You can add funds via bank transfer, card payments, or by sending USDC from your crypto wallet.

In this guide, I’ll walk you through how to add money using a card payment, and then send that balance instantly to another Ogvio user via their @Tag.

Once confirmed, the money is sent instantly and will appear in the recipient’s Ogvio balance right away, wherever they are.

The Most Trending Findings

Browse our collection of the most thorough Crypto Exchange related articles, guides & tutorials. Always be in the know & make informed decisions!

Money Transferring

How to Withdraw Money From Fiverr: A Full Guide

Money Transferring

How to Withdraw Money From a Prepaid Card Online

Money Transferring

How to Withdraw Money from Webull: Guide, Tips, and a Good Alternative

Conclusions

So, circling back to the big question everyone keeps asking: is PayPal available in Turkey? Short answer: no. And no, PayPal leaving Turkey wasn’t some random drama. It came down to regulatory clashes and business calculations around infrastructure, compliance, and whether meeting local requirements was worth it for the company.

But don’t stress; you’re not stuck. People in Turkey can still get paid, send money abroad, and run online businesses every single day, just without PayPal in the picture. Also, remember that relying on VPNs or random “hacks” isn’t a safe or sustainable option.

Scientific References

1. Xu H., Li J.: 'How Can Users Be Confident About Self-Disclosure in Mobile Payment? From Institutional Mechanism Perspective';

2. Pauletto C.: 'Options Towards a Global Standard for the Protection of Individuals With Regard to the Processing of Personal Data'.

Send Money Worldwide

Check out the best ways to send money to other countries quickly, safely, and with minimal fees.

Send Money to Australia

Send Money to Brazil

Send Money to Canada

Send Money to China

Send Money to Colombia

Send Money to Dominican Republic

Send Money to Egypt

Send Money to El Salvador

Send Money to Europe

Send Money to France

Send Money to Germany

Send Money to Indonesia

Send Money to Italy

Send Money to Mexico

Send Money to Nigeria

Send Money to Pakistan

Send Money to Philippines

Send Money to Portugal

Send Money to Singapore

Send Money to South Africa

Send Money to Thailand

Send Money to Turkey

Send Money to Ukraine

Send Money to United Arab Emirates

Send Money to United Kingdom

Send Money to USA

Send Money to Vietnam