
The Turkish Central Bank is the country's monetary authority, responsible for implementing monetary policy to maintain price stability and promote economic growth. It was established in 1931.
Located in Ankara, the bank's headquarters is a significant landmark in the city. The bank's main goal is to maintain the stability of the Turkish lira, the country's official currency.
The bank's functions are overseen by the Central Bank of the Republic of Turkey Law No. 4743. This law gives the bank its independence and autonomy to make decisions without government interference.
History of Central Banking
The history of central banking is a long and fascinating one. The first central bank, the Sveriges Riksbank, was established in Sweden in 1668.
Central banking as we know it today began to take shape in the 19th century. The Bank of England, established in 1694, is often considered one of the first modern central banks.
In the United States, the Federal Reserve System, also known as the "Fed", was created in 1913 to provide a more stable financial system.
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2001 Crisis and Aftermath
The 2001 crisis marked a significant turning point for the Turkish economy. The Central Bank had been following policies to ensure stability in the financial markets from 1995 to 1999, but a period of uncontrollable inflation led to the adoption of a new stability program in 2000.
This program, however, ceased to be implemented by the end of 2001 due to a loss of confidence in the economy. A free floating exchange rate regime was adopted on February 22, 2001, as a result.
The Turkish economy underwent a structural transformation following the crisis. Significant amendments were made to the CBRT Law on April 25, 2001, which explicitly described the Central Bank's primary objective as achieving and maintaining price stability.
The Bank was given the discretion to determine its own monetary policy and instruments, granting it "instrument independence."
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Central Bank Structure
The Central Bank of Turkey has undergone significant changes over the years, with the most notable being the Law on the Central Bank of the Republic of Turkey No. 1211, accepted on 14 January 1970. This law transformed the Bank's structure, increasing its capital from TL 15 million to TL 25 million and establishing a new decision-making body, the executive committee.
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The executive committee is composed of the governor and the vice governors, who work together to make key decisions for the Bank. The Board of Directors, which consisted of eight members, was restructured to include six members, known as the Board of the Bank.
The Bank's duties and powers have also been enhanced, with a primary objective of achieving and maintaining price stability. The Bank has the authority to carry out open market operations, protect the value of the Turkish lira, and determine reserve requirements and liquidity requirements.
Here are some of the fundamental duties and powers of the Central Bank of Turkey:
- Carry out open market operations
- Protect the value of Turkish lira and establish exchange rate policy
- Determine reserve requirements and liquidity requirements
- Manage the gold and FX reserves of the country
- Regulate the volume and circulation of Turkish lira
- Ensure stability in the financial system and monitor financial markets
And here are some of the fundamental powers of the Central Bank of Turkey:
- Exclusive right to issue banknotes in Turkey
- Right to determine inflation target and implement monetary policy
- Privilege to grant advance to the Savings Deposits Insurance Fund
- Role of lender of last resort
- Power to request necessary information from financial institutions
The CBRT Law
The CBRT Law was enacted on 11 June 1930, with the primary aim of supporting the country's economic development. The Law No. 1715 gave the Central Bank the duty to set rediscount ratios and regulate money markets. It also required the Bank to execute Treasury operations and protect the value of Turkish currency in collaboration with the Government.
The Central Bank's duties were redefined in the 1960s with the introduction of economic development plans. The Law No. 1211, enacted on 26 January 1970, aimed to implement the money and credit policy within the framework of these plans. It redefined the Bank's duties and responsibilities to achieve this goal.
The Central Bank's current powers and duties are defined by the CBRT Law. This law was accepted on 14 January 1970, and it has been instrumental in shaping the Bank's role in the country's economy.
Here are the key duties and powers of the Central Bank, as defined by the CBRT Law:
- Set rediscount ratios and regulate money markets
- Execute Treasury operations
- Protect the value of Turkish currency in collaboration with the Government
- Implement the money and credit policy within the framework of development plans
Ownership
The Central Bank of the Republic of Turkey (CBRT) is a joint stock company, which means it's owned by shareholders who hold shares of its capital. The CBRT's capital is divided into 250,000 shares, with a total value of 25,000 Turkish liras.
The CBRT's shares are categorized into four classes, each with its own set of owners. Here's a breakdown of the different classes:
As of the end of 2018, class A shares held the largest portion of the CBRT's capital, making up over 55% of its total value.
Central Bank Starts Rate Cuts, Narrows Corridor

The Central Bank of Turkey has started cutting interest rates, with a 250bp reduction to 47.5%, marking the beginning of an easing cycle.
This move was widely expected, and the bank has also narrowed the interest rate corridor from 600bp to 300bp, which will reduce volatility in overnight rates and push them closer to the policy rate.
The Central Bank of Turkey initiates rate cuts with 250bp and narrows the corridor.
The bank has eight planned MPC meetings in 2025, up from twelve originally, which suggests a higher size of rate cuts per meeting.
This change in the number of MPC meetings implies that the bank will convene more frequently to assess the inflation outlook and adjust interest rates accordingly.
The bank's statement also emphasized that the rate cuts will be gradual and data-dependent, with a focus on the inflation outlook.
The CBRT Law defines the Central Bank of Turkey's current powers and duties, which include setting rediscount ratios and regulating money markets.
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The bank's duties have evolved over time, with changes made in the 1960s to implement money and credit policy within the framework of development plans.
The bank has also inaugurated interbank money markets and started using open market operations, expanding its toolkit to manage the economy.
The bank's commitment to keeping rates higher for longer until a significant and sustained decline in monthly inflation and convergence of inflation expectations is a key factor in its decision-making process.
This approach suggests that the bank will prioritize inflation control over other economic considerations, at least for now.
The bank's forward guidance implies that rate cuts will be gradual and dependent on data, rather than aggressive and uninterrupted.
This approach may help to reduce volatility in the economy and provide a more stable environment for businesses and consumers.
Monetary Policy
The Monetary Policy Committee is a key part of the Turkish Central Bank, chaired by the governor and composed of deputy governors, a member elected by the board members, and a member appointed by the President of Turkey.
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The Monetary Policy Committee is responsible for setting monetary policy, which is focused on controlling inflation. The committee's goal is to keep inflation within a target range of 5% with a tolerance band of 2%.
The committee uses a range of tools to achieve this goal, including setting the policy rate, which is currently 47.5%. The policy rate is used to control the money supply and influence inflation expectations.
The committee also monitors indicators of inflation and the underlying trend of inflation, and adjusts its stance on a meeting-by-meeting basis. The committee has a commitment to maintaining a tight monetary stance until a significant and sustained decline in the underlying trend of monthly inflation is observed and inflation expectations converge to the projected forecast range.
Here is a list of the current members of the Monetary Policy Committee:
- Fatih Karahan
- Osman Cevdet Akçay
- Hatice Karahan
- Elif Haykır Hobikoğlu
- Fatma Özkul
The committee's commitment to maintaining a tight monetary stance has helped to bolster disinflation by moderating domestic demand, fostering real appreciation in the Turkish lira, and improving inflation expectations.
Rate Changes and Market Reactions
The Turkish Central Bank's decision to cut the policy rate by 250bp to 47.5% was widely expected, but the size of the cut varied between 100bp-to-250bp.
The policy rate cut was accompanied by a narrowing of the interest rate corridor from 600bp to 300bp, which will reduce the volatility in overnight (ON) rates and push them closer to the policy rate.
The euro-lira exchange rate remained stable following the rate cut decision, holding steady at 36.61.
Recent Developments
The Turkish Central Bank has been making some significant moves in recent times. The bank has been actively managing its foreign exchange reserves to maintain a stable currency.
In 2020, the bank's foreign exchange reserves reached a record high of $119 billion. This was largely due to the bank's efforts to boost the value of the Turkish lira.
The bank has also been working to reduce its reliance on short-term funding, which can be volatile. It has been doing this by issuing longer-term bonds, such as 5-year bonds.
In 2022, the bank issued a 5-year bond with a yield of 10.25%, which was a significant increase from previous years. This move was seen as a way to attract more long-term investors.
The bank's efforts to manage its foreign exchange reserves and reduce its reliance on short-term funding have been paying off. The Turkish lira has been relatively stable in recent times, with some fluctuations due to global economic trends.
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