Türkiye is going through a period of transformation, and one principle has become increasingly clear to me when looking at the Turkish market in 2026: the second quarter of the year brought much more than a new set of incentives. The “Türkiye Century: Strong Hub for Investment” program, announced on April 24, signals a strategic move to strengthen Türkiye's position as a regional financial and operational hub. For investors, senior executives, and entrepreneurs, understanding this changing environment may directly shape their business plans for the next five years.
Several developments deserve particular attention.
Tax and Export Reform
For certain service exports — including software, engineering, design, and data center services — income derived from services provided abroad is now subject to a 100% corporate tax exemption. Meanwhile, the corporate tax rate for transit trade conducted through the Istanbul Financial Center has been reduced to 0%, and for manufacturing exporters, it has been lowered to 9%. For a foreign company weighing where to set up its Turkish entity, this changes the calculation considerably.
HIT-30: Betting on Future Industries
Türkiye is offering significant incentives for the industries that will shape the future, including semiconductors and chips, green energy, battery technologies, and offshore wind energy. With multi-billion-dollar support packages, the objective is not simply to attract investment — it is to build entire technology value chains.
The One-Stop Office
For large-scale and strategic investments, licensing, permits, and land allocation processes are now managed through a single point of contact — meaning fewer institutions and a far more coordinated process. Navigating that process well still calls for a partner who knows which door to open first; that is where the right advisory relationship earns its place.
Global Talent, Not Just Capital
Capital is not the only thing being encouraged; expertise is too. Foreign executives and professionals who have not been Turkish tax residents during the previous three years may benefit from a 20-year tax exemption on certain foreign-source income if they relocate to Türkiye. For global companies considering a regional base, this changes much more than the cost of doing business — it is a fundamental shift in the equation of where people, management, and operations are located. Increasingly, the decision to move is not just corporate; it is personal, and it deserves the same care as any relocation built to last.
Türkiye is no longer positioning itself merely as a manufacturing base, but as a management, technology, and financial hub. For investors looking five years ahead, the question is no longer simply “Why Türkiye?” but rather “How can Türkiye become part of our long-term structure?”
The right time to evaluate a market is not after the rules have fully shifted, but when the direction of change becomes visible. That strategic timing creates the potential to achieve more in less time, and to move faster when opportunities arise.
Could 2026 be the year you reconsider where your next investment or regional operation should be built?
