Turkey's Konya gold merchants condemn ATM gold sales

Tahir Azman, president of the Konya Goldsmiths and Jewelers Association, criticised the recent introduction of gram‑gold and jewellery sales through bank ATMs. He said the practice has caused serious unease in the gold‑trading sector because gold retail is normally subject to licensing, tax obligations, MASAK regulations and strict oversight.

Azman argued that any party selling the same product must be bound by the same legal, fiscal and administrative responsibilities. He warned that gold purchased at ATMs will still need to be taken to a jeweller for purity checks, expert appraisal and anti‑counterfeit verification, and that shifting commercial profit to banks while leaving responsibility with jewellers is unacceptable. He called on the Ministry of Trade and other relevant authorities to reassess the arrangement and introduce measures to preserve fair competition in the jewellery market.