Turkey's Capital Markets Board updates investor requirements

The Capital Markets Board (SPK) of Turkey has implemented significant changes to the criteria for professional and qualified investor status. The minimum total financial assets required for demand-based professional customer status have been increased fivefold, rising from 10 million TL to 50 million TL. Additionally, the required transaction volume threshold has been raised from 5 million TL to 25 million TL.

The new regulations also remove previous exemptions for investors in real estate and venture capital investment funds, subjecting them to the general qualified investor requirements. Existing qualified investors must document that they still meet the new criteria; otherwise, they may be restricted to placing only sell orders on capital market instruments.

Furthermore, the SPK has extended the deadline for investment funds to achieve full compliance with new portfolio and investment limits. The previous staggered compliance schedule has been replaced by a single final deadline of January 31, 2027, a move intended to account for recent market developments and liquidity concerns within the sector.