If you are sending or receiving money to or from Turkey in 2026 — whether you are an expat, a freelancer getting paid by an overseas client, or a business settling invoices with a Turkish supplier — you will be asked for two codes: an IBAN and a SWIFT/BIC code.
Most people can find their IBAN on a bank statement or in their banking app. The SWIFT code is the one that trips people up, because every Turkish bank has a head-office code plus a set of branch-specific codes, and the right one depends on exactly where the money is going.
This guide covers the three banks international senders ask about most — Ziraat Bankası, Garanti BBVA, and Akbank — and shows you how to find the exact code you need, plus how the Turkish IBAN works alongside it.
What a SWIFT/BIC code actually is
A SWIFT code (also called a BIC — Business Identifier Code) is an 8- or 11-character identifier that tells the international payment network which bank to route your transfer to. The format is:
- First 4 characters — bank code (letters)
- Next 2 characters — country code (letters)
- Next 2 characters — location code
- Last 3 characters — branch code (often
XXXfor the head office)
Example: TCZBTR2A breaks down as TCZB (Ziraat) + TR (Turkey) + 2A (location) + no branch = head office.
It is not the same as an IBAN. The SWIFT code identifies the bank; the IBAN identifies your specific account. You usually need both for a cross-border transfer.
Quick reference: SWIFT codes for the big three
| Bank | Head-office SWIFT/BIC | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Ziraat Bankası | TCZBTR2A (TCZBTR2AXXX) | State-owned, largest branch network in Turkey |
| Garanti BBVA | TGBATRIS (TGBATRISXXX) | Part of Spain's BBVA group; strong international desk |
| Akbank | AKBKTRIS (AKBKTRISXXX) | Also operates Akbank AG in Germany (AKBKDEFF) |
For most transfers, the head-office (XXX) code is enough. Branch-specific codes only matter when the recipient's own branch requires its own identifier — common with corporate and free-zone branches.
Ziraat Bankası — TCZBTR2A
Ziraat Bankası (T.C. Ziraat Bankası A.Ş.) is Turkey's largest bank by assets and is state-owned. Its head-office SWIFT code is TCZBTR2A (full form TCZBTR2AXXX).
Ziraat's network is the widest in the country, which is why it is the default choice for cross-border remittances into rural and provincial Turkey — families receiving money from relatives working abroad, agricultural exporters, and development-funded projects all route through Ziraat branches.
One important nuance: according to Ziraat's own documentation, only its Corporate and Free Zone branches use separate SWIFT numbers. For the overwhelming majority of personal and standard business transfers, you should use the head-office code TCZBTR2A.
- Full branch-code table and IBAN examples → Ziraat Bankası SWIFT Code & Branch Codes
- Validate a Turkish IBAN → IBAN Validator
Garanti BBVA — TGBATRIS
Garanti BBVA is Turkey's largest privately owned bank and is part of the Spanish BBVA group, which gives it the most mature international banking operations of the three. Its head-office SWIFT code is TGBATRIS (full form TGBATRISXXX).
Because Garanti sits inside a global banking group, it handles a high volume of corporate and trade-finance transfers and is comfortable with multi-currency wires (EUR, USD, GBP). For USD transfers originating in the United States, you may also be asked for the bank's CHIPS UID in addition to the SWIFT code — ask the recipient or Garanti's international desk for the exact value.
- Full branch-code table and IBAN examples → Garanti BBVA SWIFT Code & Branch Codes
- Validate a Turkish IBAN → IBAN Validator
Akbank — AKBKTRIS (and AKBKDEFF for Germany)
Akbank's head-office SWIFT code is AKBKTRIS (full form AKBKTRISXXX).
Akbank has a unique advantage for Germany ↔ Turkey flows: it operates a full subsidiary in Germany, Akbank AG, with its own SWIFT code: AKBKDEFF — Akbank AG, Eschborn (near Frankfurt), Germany.
If you are sending money between a German account and Turkey, using the Akbank AG code (AKBKDEFF) on the German side and AKBKTRIS on the Turkish side keeps the transfer inside the same banking group, which is typically faster and cheaper. This is the route many Turkish-German families and importers/exporters use.
- Full branch-code table and IBAN examples → Akbank SWIFT Code & Branch Codes
- Validate a Turkish IBAN → IBAN Validator
How to find your SWIFT code
If you are the recipient and need to give your SWIFT code to a sender abroad:
- Open your banking app — the SWIFT/BIC is usually shown on the account details screen next to your IBAN.
- Check a bank statement — paper and PDF statements list both the IBAN and the BIC/SWIFT.
- Visit a branch — any teller can print your account's full international details.
- Use an IBAN validator — paste your IBAN and the tool confirms the format and extracts the bank identifier for you.
If you are the sender, get the recipient's SWIFT code directly from them, never guess it. A wrong SWIFT code can send the money to the wrong bank or bounce the transfer entirely.
Turkish IBAN: the 26-character format
Turkey is not part of SEPA, so every international transfer in or out of the country runs over the SWIFT network and requires a full IBAN. A Turkish IBAN is exactly 26 characters long:
| Part | Length | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Country code | 2 letters | TR |
| Check digits | 2 digits | 33 |
| Bank code | 5 digits | 00061 |
| Reserved digit | 1 digit | 0 |
| Account number | 16 digits | 0519786457841326 |
In print format (grouped in fours) a real-looking example looks like: TR33 0006 1005 1978 6457 8413 26.
Common mistakes to avoid:
- Counting the length wrong. A Turkish IBAN is 26 characters, not 24 and not 22. If a form rejects it, check for stray spaces or a dropped digit.
- Using the SWIFT instead of the IBAN. The SWIFT identifies the bank; the IBAN identifies your account. You need both.
- Lowercase or Turkish-specific letters. IBANs use only uppercase A–Z and digits; never
İ,Ç,Ğ,Ö,Ş,Ü.
Deep dive on the format, bank-specific IBAN examples, and validation → Turkey IBAN Guide
FAQ
- Do I need a SWIFT code for domestic transfers inside Turkey?
- No. Domestic transfers inside Turkey use the local EFT system and your IBAN. SWIFT/BIC codes are only required for international (cross-border) wires in or out of the country.
- Is TCZBTR2A the same as TCZBTR2AXXX?
- Yes. The XXX simply denotes the head office. Both forms identify the same entity; most banking systems accept either. The 8-character form is the primary BIC, and appending XXX gives the 11-character head-office form.
- Which code do I give for a transfer to Germany via Akbank?
- On the Turkish side use AKBKTRIS (Akbank head office, Istanbul). On the German side, if the recipient banks with Akbank AG, use AKBKDEFF and the recipient's 22-character German IBAN (DE...). Keeping both legs inside the Akbank group is usually faster and cheaper than routing through a third-country correspondent.
- My transfer was rejected for an "invalid IBAN." What now?
- Paste the IBAN into a validator to catch length or check-digit errors, then re-confirm the exact IBAN with the recipient. A Turkish IBAN is 26 characters; the most common mistake is miscounting it as 24. Never edit an IBAN manually.
- Are there other Turkish banks I should know?
- Yes — Türkiye İş Bankası (ISBKTRIS), Yapı Kredi (YKBNTRIS), VakıfBank and others all have their own SWIFT codes. See the Türkiye İş Bankası SWIFT code page for ISBKTRIS and its London (ISBKGB2L) and Frankfurt (ISBKDEFF) branch codes.