Turkey's Secure Payment System for Property Sales Delayed to 2026

Turkey's initiative to bolster security in real estate transactions, the Secure Payment System, will not be implemented as planned. The mandatory system, designed to combat fraud and build trust in property sales, has been pushed back to October 1, 2026. This delay is attributed to ongoing technical preparations required for its launch.

The system's core function is to synchronize the transfer of property deeds with the payment of funds. This simultaneous process aims to eliminate risks associated with carrying large sums of cash and the potential for counterfeit money. By ensuring that the deed is transferred only upon successful payment, and vice versa, the system intends to create a more secure environment for buyers and sellers alike.

However, the system faces hurdles in completely addressing certain persistent issues within the Turkish property market. Specifically, the practice of underreporting property values on official documents to reduce taxes remains a significant challenge. Experts suggest that to fully tackle this problem, Turkey needs to develop a comprehensive real value map for properties and implement necessary adjustments to its fee and tax regulations. Without these measures, the Secure Payment System may not entirely eradicate the problem of artificially low valuations.