Amendments Regarding Simplified Measures and Digital Customer Onboarding

The Circular on Amendments to the Financial Crimes Investigation Board General Circular (Serial No. 5) (“General Circular“) published in the Official Gazette dated 7 January 2026 (“Publication Date“) and numbered 33130 (“Circular“), amendments have been made about the conditions for applying simplified measures relating to the customer identification principle and about certain sector-specific obligations.

Prohibition of Simplified Measures for Foreign Publicly Influential Persons

The cases in which simplified measures cannot be applied have been expanded.

It is now explicitly stated that simplified measures cannot be applied, not only in transactions assessed as risky, but also in cases where the customer is a foreign publicly influential person.

Payments to Third Parties by Insurance and Pension Companies

For damage and compensation payments to third parties other than the policyholder or insured, subject to the condition that certain identity information is verified through the Ministry of Interior’s General Directorate of Population and Citizenship Affairs database (the “NVI Database“) and the payment is made to a bank account matching the identity information, the requirements to obtain a signature sample and to verify identity in the standard manner, as specified in the General Circular, have been lifted.

Verification Account Requirement in Games of Chance and Betting

In gambling and betting activities, it is mandatory to transfer funds for identity verification purposes, before accepting a customer.

Accordingly, customer acceptance and service provision cannot be carried out without a transfer from a bank account matching the customer’s identity information to a verification account created by the responsible party.

Similar Obligations for Electronic Commerce Intermediary Service Providers

For electronic commerce intermediary service providers, it has also become mandatory to transfer funds from a bank or credit card account matching the customer’s identity information to a verification account prior to accepting the customer for identity verification purposes; as services cannot be provided until the transfer is completed.

New Regulation Regarding Accounts Opened for Public Payments

The Circular adds provisions regarding bank accounts opened for mandatory payments to beneficiaries upon the written request of public institutions and organizations.

For these accounts, it will not be mandatory to obtain a signature sample and apply the standard identity verification procedures set out in the General Circular, provided that certain minimum identity information is obtained and verified through the NVI Database prior to payment.

However, the account may not be used until identity verification is complete.

Entry into Force

The provisions of the Circular introducing the verification account obligations for lottery and betting games and electronic commerce intermediary service providers, will enter into force on 1 February 2026; other provisions of the Circular entered into force on the date of publication.