Türkiye's fintech sector received USD 7 million in investment in the first quarter of 2026

According to the ''Türkiye Startup Investments'' report prepared by the KPMG Türkiye Mergers and Acquisitions Advisory and 212 teams, Türkiye’s fintech sector became the second-highest-funded vertical in the first quarter of 2026, attracting USD 7 million in investment.

The Q1 2026 results of the Türkiye Startup Investments report, prepared to reveal the key trends, opportunities, and challenges facing Türkiye’s venture capital market, have been published. According to data in the report prepared by the KPMG Türkiye Mergers and Acquisitions Advisory and 212 teams, Türkiye’s startup ecosystem reached a total transaction volume of USD 559.2 million in the first quarter of the year, including acquisitions. During the same period, the fintech sector became the second-highest-funded vertical after the record-breaking gaming sector, with a total of two transactions and an investment volume of USD 7 million. 

Strategic Local Fintech Acquisitions Came to the Fore

In addition to investment transactions, strategic acquisitions also stood out in the fintech sector during the first quarter of 2026. In January 2026, Ödüyo, which provides online collections and open banking solutions, was acquired in full by QNB eSolutions for USD 5 million. Meanwhile, a 90.5% stake in the fintech startup Ortak was acquired by Neo Yatırım for USD 2 million.

Turkish Startups in the Global Fintech Arena

Turkish fintech startups continued to take significant steps on the global stage. Axiology, which provides infrastructure for European capital markets, received USD 5.917 million in seed funding from a consortium including local investors in February 2026. In addition, Clave, a UK-based fintech vertical, was acquired by Paribu in March 2026.

Artificial Intelligence Is Moving to the Center of Fintech Operations

According to the report, the fintech vertical is expected to see an increase in startups and deal activity focused on AI-powered automation and security infrastructure. Operational AI and AI-driven workflows are set to become key priorities on the fintech agenda in the coming years. As fintech companies evolve into intelligent infrastructures capable of processing raw data, automating risk analysis, and improving operational efficiency, the sector is expected to move beyond the capabilities of traditional software. 

“Fintech Ecosystem Growth Will Accelerate in the Coming Period” 

Commenting on the report, Sinem Cantürk, Fintech and Digital Finance Leader at KPMG Türkiye, said: “Türkiye’s fintech sector stood out in the first quarter of 2026 not only for its investment volume but also for its strategic acquisitions. As demonstrated by QNB eSolutions’ acquisition of Ödüyo, the trend of major financial institutions acquiring agile startups specializing in online collections and open banking will continue. In the coming period, growth in the fintech ecosystem will accelerate not only through organic investments but also through corporate acquisitions and strategic mergers of this kind. The open banking and online collections solutions highlighted by the Ödüyo transaction will become key drivers of the digitalization of business-to-business (B2B) commerce. The fintech vision will increasingly focus on delivering faster, more transparent, integrated, and scalable collections experiences for the entire ecosystem, from micro-enterprises to large corporations.”.

The full report is available here.