Money first or Tapu first? The secure payment system for real estate purchases in Turkey from October 1, 2026
What the Güvenli Ödeme Sistemi actually covers — and what it doesn't. Six case studies from our experience assisting German-speaking buyers. As of September 14, 2026.
· · Decker Real Estate • Approx. 16 min. reading time
Sources: TC Ticaret Bakanlığı and TKGM · Practical information from our own brokerage practice — As of: 14.09.2026
You've found the right apartment, the price is agreed upon, and the closing date is set. It's precisely at this point that the question arises that has been making German-speaking buyers in Turkey nervous for years: Who will make the first move? Secure payment system for buying real estate in Turkey — in Turkish Güvenli Ödeme Sistemi — is intended to alleviate precisely this problem from October 1, 2026, by linking the purchase price payment and the transfer of ownership.
✅ What will get better
The classic trust problem between buyer and seller is diminishing. Additionally, large sums of cash are becoming less significant, and the money trail is becoming more traceable.
⚠ What remains the same
Land registry, tax office, building permit, market price, and powers of attorney still need to be checked. A secure payment doesn't make a problematic apartment a good one.
1. What does the official source say?
The basis is the amendment published on April 29, 2026. Taşınmaz Ticareti Hakkında Yönetmelik, that is, the regulation on real estate transactions. According to this regulation, the purchase price for the covered real estate sales must be processed via a secure payment system that links the payment to the transfer of ownership.
- Sales are recorded where the purchase price is paid in full or in full. partially Payment can be made in cash, by bank transfer or by electronic money transfer.
- Not only real estate companies are obligated, but also explicitly... other natural and legal persons.
- A loan amount financed through a bank or a regulated financing company will be treated separately.
- A usage fee (Kullanım Bedeli) is charged for using the system, which is deducted from the payment amount to the seller.
- The Ministry of Commerce will determine the specific implementation, exceptions, and fee amounts separately.
Source: Taşınmaz Ticareti Hakkında Yönetmelik, consolidated version (mevzuat.gov.tr) · Original version in Resmî Gazete
The mandatory launch was originally scheduled for July 1, 2026. However, due to ongoing technical integrations, the Department of Commerce has officially postponed the date to... October 1, 2026 delay.
Source: TC Ticaret Bakanlığı — Basın Açıklaması to duty · Duyuru: Postponement to October 1, 2026
Why the ministry is taking this step
The Commerce Department cites several reasons for the policy, including fraud prevention, protection against theft and counterfeit money, and reduced disputes over whether payments were actually made. Additionally, it expects cash transactions and unregistered payments to decrease.
The conflict is not a theory, but a daily reality.
The same scenario plays out in almost every transaction: The seller wants to see the money before transferring the title. The German buyer only wants to transfer the money once they are the legal owner. Both positions are understandable, and both sides have borne genuine risk so far.
What is striking is that the uncertainty has less to do with the amount of money involved than with the unfamiliarity of the procedure. German buyers are familiar with the role of a notary escrow account. In Turkey, they have lacked precisely this familiar, neutral intermediary step – and the new system structurally fills this gap for the first time.
2. How the secure payment system works
An existing model is described by the Turkish Land Registry Authority (TKGM) under the name Güvenilir Hesap or in the vicinity of Tapu Takas. The purchase price is initially blocked and only released to the seller after successful registration of the change of ownership. If the process is cancelled, the model provides for a refund to the buyer.
Source: TKGM — Tapu Guvenilir Hesap · TKGM — Tapu Takas
Case 1: The seller demands the full purchase price before the Tapu date.
A German buyer purchases an apartment in Antalya for 7,500,000 TL. The seller wants the entire amount in his account the day before. The buyer, however, only wants to pay once he is registered as the owner.
What this means practically for the buyer
⏳ So far: the intermediate stage
If the buyer pays first, the money remains with the seller—and so does the ownership. This timeframe is by no means insignificant when dealing with 7.5 million TL.
🔒 In the future: the logic
7,500,000 TL are secured, then the title deed is transferred, and only then is the purchase price released. The window of opportunity is largely closing.
Why the uncertainty is greater among foreigners
Foreign buyers are particularly anxious at this point. They are used to different procedures in Germany and are expected to transfer a very large sum of money in Turkey, even though they are not yet registered in the title (Tapu). On the seller's side, the opposite problem exists: Understandably, the owner does not want to transfer ownership until the purchase price is secured.
Therefore, in our support services, we not only regulate the amount, but above all the Series. Experience shows that a written payment plan with clear triggers defuses most discussions on the morning of the appointment.
Case 2: Transferring Euros from Germany — is that enough?
A German buyer has agreed on a purchase price of €220,000. The money is in his German bank account, and he expects to be able to transfer it shortly before the Tapu appointment.
Two levels that need to fit together
🏦 Level 1: Foreign Exchange Process
Euros or other foreign currencies must be processed in such a way that the DAB proof for the Tapu process is available in time.
💳 Level 2: Secure Payment
The purchase price must then be integrated into the secure payment process intended for the real estate sale.
Therefore, the statement "I will transfer €220,000 from Germany on the morning of the Tapu appointment" is not a sufficient payment plan. Additional factors include SWIFT transit times, bank compliance, daily transfer limits, varying bank opening hours, and the allocation of the payment to the specific transaction.
When the bank becomes the real problem
In one of the transactions we assisted with, the problem wasn't the agreement between buyer and seller, but rather the bank transaction. The purchase price was available and the tapu appointment was scheduled, but the buyer's daily transfer limit was insufficient for the purchase amount.
Such points may seem trivial, but they can significantly delay a scheduled transfer of ownership. Our recommendation: don't check your bank credit limit on the day of the title deed appointment, but several days beforehand – along with finding out what documents the bank requires in advance for a transfer of this size.
Case 3: Purchase price 8 million TL, of which 3 million TL is a bank loan.
A property costs 8,000,000 TL. The buyer is financing 3,000,000 TL through a bank loan and contributing 5,000,000 TL in equity. He is wondering whether the entire amount will have to be processed through the secure payment system in the future.
| ingredient | Amount | Payment method |
|---|---|---|
| Bank loan | 3,000,000 TL | the bank's own financing process |
| Equity capital | 5,000,000 TL | Generally secure payment system |
| Total purchase price | 8,000,000 TL | two streams, one appointment |
Simplified example to illustrate the division — no commitment to specific conditions.
Bank withdrawals are subject to conditions.
A bank disbursement is regularly subject to certain conditions—such as an appraisal, documentation, or the registrability of the security. If these conditions are not met by the due date, the transfer of ownership stalls, even though the buyer has already provided their equity capital.
Therefore, for financed purchases, we first establish the complete payment plan and only then the closing date. A purchase shouldn't fail because the buyer, seller, and bank have three different ideas about the process on the day of transfer of ownership.
Case 4: „We will write 5.5 million TL into the Tapu — you give me the rest in cash.“
The actual purchase price is 7,000,000 TL. The seller proposes officially declaring only 5.5 million TL and handing over the remaining 1.5 million separately. To the buyer, this initially seems like a straightforward side agreement.
The contradiction that the buyer purchases
The official amount documented is 5.5 million TL, but the actual payment was 7 million TL. This means that different amounts may exist simultaneously in several documents.
- Bank documents and payment receipts
- written purchase agreement
- Tapu process
- Döviz Alım Belgesi among foreign buyers
- Broker documents
- actual payment received
This can become relevant later if it needs to be proven what amount was actually paid, what the purchase price was, or how a subsequent transaction is treated for tax purposes. Furthermore, a separately handed-over cash sum falls outside the protective mechanism designed to make the purchase more secure.
„That’s how it’s usually done here“ is not an argument.
The offer is usually made in a friendly and casual manner—and precisely for this reason, buyers sometimes sign it without considering the consequences. However, we regularly see that this understated value becomes a problem when reselling the property later, because the calculated profit is higher than the actual economic profit.
Therefore, our rule is without exception: one purchase price, one number, one money trail. The larger the amount, the more important this rule becomes.
Case 5: Kapora already paid — what happens from October 1st?
A buyer finds an apartment for 6,500,000 TL and pays 250,000 TL Kapora as a reservation fee. The remaining purchase price is therefore 6,250,000 TL. The question now arises as to how the deposit will be taken into account and how the remaining balance will be processed through the new system.
The most common Kapora agreement is the worst
In practice, we frequently see receipts that simply state "250,000 TL received." However, this doesn't specify whether the payment is part of the purchase price, under what conditions it will be refunded, what happens if the audit is unsuccessful, or what applies if the seller decides otherwise.
We also frequently encounter the WhatsApp version: "Send €5,000 and I'll take the apartment off the market." The new payment system doesn't retroactively fix a bad Kapora contract—it only starts to take effect later.
Case 6: The tapu appointment does not take place — what happens to the money?
The buyer has already submitted their payment request securely. However, a problem arises at the scheduled appointment: the seller fails to appear, a power of attorney is insufficient, a document is missing, or the authority does not complete the process.
✅ With a secure payment system
- The payout requirement was not met.
- The amount remains secured instead of with the seller.
- Return is provided for in the process.
⚠ For normal bank transfers
- The money is already in the seller's account.
- The buyer is responsible for the refund.
- The duration and outcome are uncertain.
Anyone making a deposit should know how to get it back beforehand.
Deadlines are less often missed due to ill will than due to missing documents, an insufficiently worded power of attorney, or an unremoved entry. Therefore, before every major payment, we review how a cancellation is reported and how long a refund realistically takes.
Additionally, we ask buyers to retain all payment confirmations, reference numbers, bank statements, and appointment documents. This sounds obvious, but it isn't always the case.
9. Private sale, power of attorney, IBAN and fees
Four specific questions arise particularly frequently in consultations. The following cards briefly summarize the official status and the practical consequences of each.
🏠 Does this also apply to private individuals?
The regulation refers to real estate companies. and other natural or legal persons. The assumption "I buy directly from the owner, so this doesn't affect me" is therefore incorrect according to the current regulatory approach.
📜 What applies to powers of attorney?
TKGM lists transactions via Vekaletname as a supported use case. Nevertheless, it must be clarified beforehand who is authorized to dispose of the property, who is entitled to receive the purchase price, and whether the power of attorney is sufficient for this specific sale.
💳 Suddenly changed IBAN?
The TKGM model describes the verification of IBAN data and its assignment to the Tapu transaction. A changed bank account number should never be accepted solely based on a WhatsApp or email message.
🧾 How much does the system cost?
The regulation stipulates a usage fee that is deducted from the payment amount to the seller. The final fee structure will be determined separately by the ministry—therefore, we are deliberately not mentioning an amount that could soon be incorrect.
10. What the system explicitly states not provides
In our view, this is the most important section of the entire article. A secure payment system prevents the purchase price and the transfer of ownership from diverging uncontrollably. However, it doesn't answer a single question about the property itself.
🔒 Protected
The transfer of money: blocking, linking to registration, release, return in case of cancellation, traceability of payment.
🔍 Not checked
Right of disposal, encumbrances, İskan, building rights, correspondence of Tapu and actual dwelling, Aidat, market price and resaleability.
Imagine you buy an apartment for 8 million TL. The payment process goes smoothly, you receive your title deed (Tapu), and the seller gets their money. Four weeks later, however, you discover that the enclosed balcony isn't part of the approved project, the additional room in the attic has building code issues, and the monthly rent (Aidat) is significantly higher than stated.
Four separate tasks that a buyer should distinguish between
Broker and market research: Is the offer plausible, what does it really cost, what is the location like, what is the resale value like?
Technical inspection: Building condition, moisture, roof, renovations and building fabric — the task of a civil engineer.
Legal review: Tapu, powers of attorney, contracts, encumbrances and complicated legal issues — the job of a lawyer.
Secure processing of the purchase price: the fourth component — and precisely the one that the new system will cover from October onwards.
11. Our checklist before making a payment from October 1, 2026
We will not begin with the transfer.
Our purchase support doesn't begin with the sentence, "Here's the IBAN, please transfer the money." Before any money is transferred, several questions need to be answered: Are you actually buying the property that was shown to you? Is the seller authorized to dispose of the property? What encumbrances exist? What purchase price was actually agreed upon—and not three different amounts in three different documents?
Only then do the foreign exchange process, payment method, and the actual secure payment follow. The new system makes part of the real estate purchase safer, but it doesn't make careful preparation unnecessary.
Before a buyer releases larger sums of money, at least these twelve points should be clarified.
Seller and registered owner agree.
If a power of attorney existed, its scope and validity were checked.
The Tapu data matches the actual property.
The agreed purchase price is documented in writing and unambiguously.
Any capora already paid is documented and credited towards the purchase price.
The payment method is specified in writing, including the sequence and triggers.
Buyer and seller IBANs were verified through official channels.
For foreign buyers, the DAB process has been prepared and scheduled.
Bank transfer limits and processing times were checked several days in advance.
The purchase price and financing are indeed available on the agreed date.
The tapu appointment and payment process are coordinated in terms of timing.
Open legal or technical questions are before The payment has been clarified.
12. Sources and data status
| Authority / Document | Contents | link |
|---|---|---|
| TC Ticaret Bakanlığı | Basın Açıklaması on the mandatory introduction of the Güvenli Edema Sistemi | ticaret.gov.tr |
| TC Ticaret Bakanlığı | Duyuru on the postponement of the start date to October 1, 2026 | ticaret.gov.tr |
| Taşınmaz Ticareti Hakkında Yönetmelik | Legal basis including credit arrangements, usage fees and authorization of the ministry | mevzuat.gov.tr |
| Resmî Gazete | Original publication of the regulation | resmigazete.gov.tr |
| TKGM | Tapu Güvenilir Hesap — Blocking the purchase price until registration | tkgm.gov.tr |
| TKGM | Tapu Takas — existing model of coupled settlement | tkgm.gov.tr |
| TKGM | Döviz Alım Belgesi upon acquisition by foreign natural persons | tkgm.gov.tr |
Editorial note: According to the current official schedule, mandatory implementation begins on October 1, 2026. Specific technical implementation details may be further refined before or after the launch. Practical information in this article is based on the author's own brokerage experience, has been anonymized, and is sometimes presented in a simplified manner.
Your next step
Are you planning a purchase in Turkey and would like to manage payment processing, DAB, Tapu appointment, and property inspection as a single, integrated process? Decker Real Estate will guide you personally, transparently, and without sales pressure — we coordinate the necessary due diligence, but we do not replace a lawyer, tax advisor, or civil engineer.
Decker Real Estate · Yetki Belgesi No 3506573 · İzmir / Alanya · info@decker-realestate.com
Frequently Asked Questions
According to the Taşınmaz Ticareti Regulation, amended in April 2026, the secure payment system will be mandatory for real estate sales when the purchase price is paid in whole or in part in cash, by bank transfer, or electronic transfer. The launch, originally planned for July, has been postponed by the Ministry of Commerce to October 1, 2026.
Under the existing Güvenilir-Hesap model described by TKGM, the amount remains blocked until successful registration. If the process is cancelled, a refund to the buyer is provided. For the mandatory application starting in October, the final procedural details should be reviewed again before any specific transaction.
The regulation does not differentiate between Turkish and foreign buyers with regard to the basic payment obligation. Foreign individuals are also subject to the existing foreign exchange regulations, including the obligation to provide proof of purchase (Döviz Alım Belgesi).
According to the wording of the amendment, the regulation covers real estate companies and explicitly also other natural or legal persons. The widespread assumption that a direct purchase from the owner is not affected is therefore incorrect under the current regulatory approach.
The final special details for foreign buyers regarding the mandatory new application, as of September 14, 2026, have not yet been published separately in full. The current TKGM documentation for the existing secure account model uses personal IBAN and identification data. Therefore, this point should be clarified with the bank involved before making a specific purchase.
The loan amount itself is handled separately through the bank's financing process, as stipulated by the regulation. For the portion of the purchase price not financed by the loan, however, the secure payment system is generally used. Both payment methods must be coordinated with the timing of the Tapu (title deed) process.
Advance payments are not rendered irrelevant by this regulation. Since the provision explicitly covers partial payments, buyers should carefully review the final implementation rules and under no circumstances make a capora without a clear written agreement regarding crediting and repayment.
The regulation stipulates a usage fee that will be deducted from the amount payable to the seller. The Ministry of Commerce will determine the final fee structure for mandatory application separately. Existing fees under the Tapu Takas model cannot be automatically transferred.
No. The system protects the payment process, not the legal or economic quality of the property. Land registry entries, permits, powers of attorney, building rights, encumbrances, and contract drafting still require separate review.
Conclusion: Finally, a better answer to "Who trusts whom first?"„
From October 1, 2026, the purchase price and transfer of ownership will be much more closely linked. This is a real step forward, especially for foreign buyers who are not familiar with the Turkish tapu system on a daily basis. However, this also carries the risk of misunderstanding: Secure payment does not automatically guarantee a secure property purchase.
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