PayPal Alternatives in Turkey: 2026 Guide for Freelancers

Last Updated: February 2026

PayPal does not work in Turkey. The platform shut down all operations in June 2016 after Turkey's banking regulator rejected its license application. Turkish freelancers cannot create PayPal accounts, send money, or receive payments through the platform.

This has been the case for nearly a decade, and there is no sign PayPal will return. If you freelance from Turkey and receive international payments, you need an alternative. This guide covers why PayPal left, what options exist today, and what each one actually costs.

Why PayPal left Turkey

Turkey's Banking Regulation and Supervision Agency (BDDK) introduced data localization rules under Law No. 6493, requiring all payment companies to store user data and run their technology infrastructure on servers located within Turkey.

PayPal declined to comply. The company operates a single global platform across 200 markets and does not build country-specific infrastructure for any one market. Rather than restructure its operations for Turkey, PayPal suspended all services on June 6, 2016.

The decision affected hundreds of thousands of Turkish users who relied on PayPal for receiving international payments, paying for online services, and conducting cross-border transactions.

As of February 2026, PayPal remains unavailable in Turkey. While Turkey updated its general data protection laws in 2024, the payment services regulations under Law No. 6493 that caused PayPal to leave remain in effect. PayPal has made no announcements about returning. Turkish residents cannot create accounts, cannot receive payments, and cannot access any PayPal features.

What PayPal would cost if it worked

For context, PayPal charges 8.5% in total fees on international payments in countries where it operates.

The breakdown:

• Receiving international payments: 1%

• Withdrawing funds: 3%

• Currency conversion: 4.5% markup above mid-market rate

• Total cost: 8.5%

For a $1,000 payment, that means $85 in fees. You would keep $915.

This matters because some alternatives available in Turkey charge similar or even higher rates. Knowing the PayPal baseline helps evaluate whether your current payment method is actually competitive.

PayPal alternatives for Turkish freelancers

Cenoa

Cenoa provides a US bank account with the lowest total fees among available options for Turkish freelancers.

How it works:

• Sign up and verify your identity with a Turkish ID or passport

• Receive a US bank account number and routing number

• Add these details to Upwork, Fiverr, or share directly with clients

• Receive USD payments via ACH or wire transfer

• Convert to TRY and withdraw to your Turkish bank account

Fee structure:

• Receiving payments: 0.5%

• Converting to TRY: 0.49%

• Withdrawing to Turkish bank: Free (via FAST)

• Account opening: Free

• Monthly fees: None

• Total cost: 0.99%

For a $1,000 payment, Cenoa charges $9.90. You keep $990.10.

Cenoa uses the mid-market exchange rate with no markup. Withdrawals to Turkish banks arrive within minutes via the FAST payment system. The platform is built on Stripe infrastructure and partners with Lead Bank, an FDIC-insured US bank. Turkish Lira transactions are processed through BitBNS Turkey, which operates under SPK (Capital Markets Board) regulation.

Grey

Grey provides US, UK, and EU bank accounts to Turkish freelancers, plus a USD virtual card.

Fee structure:

• Receiving via ACH (USD): 0.8% (minimum $2, maximum $10)

• Receiving via SEPA (EUR): 0.8% (minimum 2 EUR, maximum 10 EUR)

• Currency conversion: 1% (capped at $6)

• Cross-border card payments: 2% + $0.50

• Monthly fees: None

• Total cost for $1,000: Approximately 1.4%

For a $1,000 payment with conversion, Grey charges approximately $14. You keep approximately $986.

Grey offers a USD virtual card that works in Turkey. This is useful if you want to spend your balance directly on international services without converting to TRY first.

Limitations: Daily deposit limit of $5,000, monthly limit of $30,000.

Payoneer

Payoneer is the most established option with the widest platform compatibility in Turkey.

Fee structure (according to Payoneer pricing):

• Receiving payments: 1%

• Withdrawing to bank: 2% (same currency) or up to 3% (different currency)

• Currency conversion: Up to 4.5% markup

• Annual fee: $29.95 if you receive less than $2,000 in 12 months

• Total cost for USD to TRY: Approximately 8.5%

For a $1,000 payment converted to TRY, Payoneer charges approximately $85. You keep $915.

Payoneer works with Amazon, Etsy, Upwork, Fiverr, and most major platforms. The main drawback is the fee structure, which is significantly higher than newer alternatives.

SWIFT Bank Transfer

SWIFT is the traditional method for receiving international wire transfers directly to your Turkish bank account.

Fee structure:

• Sender's bank fee: $30 to $50 per transfer

• Intermediary bank fees: Variable, deducted from transfer amount

• Turkish receiving bank fee: $10 to $30

• Currency conversion: Bank's own rate with markup

• Total cost for $1,000: Approximately $50 to $100

For a $1,000 payment, SWIFT fees can consume $50 to $100. You keep $900 to $950.

Processing time is 2 to 5 business days. Each bank in the chain takes its cut, and the intermediary fees are unpredictable. You often do not know the final amount until the money arrives.

SWIFT makes sense only for large, infrequent transfers where the fixed fees become a smaller percentage of the total amount. For a $10,000 transfer, the 5 to 10% effective fee rate drops to 0.5 to 1%.

Wise

Wise stopped offering full services to Turkish residents on May 31, 2023, citing local regulations.

What Turkish residents lost access to:

• Cannot hold balances in any currency

• Cannot request new account details (USD, EUR, GBP accounts)

• Cannot receive incoming transfers to a Wise account

• Cannot convert between currencies

• Cannot open new currency wallets or savings jars

• Cannot send money to other people (only to themselves)

What still works:

• Sending money from a Turkish bank account to abroad

• Withdrawing any existing balance to a Turkish bank

Without the ability to receive payments or hold foreign currency, Wise cannot serve as a receiving account for freelance platforms or client payments.

Fee comparison: $1,000 USD payment

What you keep after all fees when receiving $1,000 and converting to TRY:

Cenoa (0.99% total):

• Fees: $9.90

• You keep: $990.10

Grey (approximately 1.4% total):

• Fees: $14

• You keep: $986

Payoneer (8.5% total):

• Fees: $85

• You keep: $915

SWIFT (approximately 5 to 10% total):

• Fees: $50 to $100

• You keep: $900 to $950

• Note: Fees vary by bank chain, unpredictable

Fee comparison: $2,000 USD monthly income

Annual costs by platform for a freelancer earning $2,000 per month:

• Cenoa: $237.60 in annual fees. You keep $23,762.

• Grey: Approximately $336 in annual fees. You keep $23,664.

• Payoneer: $2,040 in annual fees. You keep $21,960.

• SWIFT: Approximately $1,200 to $2,400 in annual fees. You keep $21,600 to $22,800.

Switching from Payoneer to Cenoa saves $1,802.40 per year. Switching from SWIFT to Cenoa saves $962 to $2,162 per year.

Why SWIFT is not a good default

Many Turkish freelancers default to SWIFT because it requires no extra accounts. Your client sends a wire, your bank receives it. Simple.

But the simplicity comes at a cost. Each transfer passes through multiple banks, and each one takes a fee. Your Turkish bank also applies its own exchange rate markup when converting USD to TRY, which is typically 1 to 3% worse than the mid-market rate.

For a freelancer receiving $2,000 per month, the difference between SWIFT and Cenoa can exceed $80 per month. That adds up to over $960 per year in unnecessary fees.

The better approach is to receive payments into a US bank account (through Cenoa or Grey), then transfer to your Turkish bank when you choose. This gives you control over timing and exchange rates.

Which platform should you use

If you want the lowest fees: Cenoa at 0.99% total offers the lowest cost for receiving and withdrawing international payments in Turkey.

If you need a USD card: Grey provides a virtual USD card that works in Turkey. This lets you spend your balance directly on international websites without converting to TRY.

If you need maximum platform compatibility: Payoneer works with nearly every freelance platform and marketplace. Despite higher fees, it may be necessary for specific platforms that do not support bank transfers.

If your client only sends SWIFT: Ask your client to send to your Cenoa US bank account instead. Most clients do not care whether they send to a US account or a Turkish account. They just need bank details.

Recommended setup

Primary account: Cenoa for lowest total fees

Secondary account: Payoneer for platforms that require it

Ask clients to pay via ACH to your Cenoa US account instead of SWIFT to your Turkish bank

This combination gives you flexibility while minimizing fees on direct payments and platform payouts that support bank transfers.

How to switch to Cenoa

1. Click here and create a Cenoa account

2. Complete identity verification with your Turkish ID or passport

3. Receive your US bank account details

4. Add these details to Upwork, Fiverr, or share with clients

5. New payments will be deposited to your Cenoa account

The switch takes approximately 10 to 15 minutes. Platform payments typically update within one payment cycle.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use PayPal in Turkey?

No. PayPal stopped operating in Turkey on June 6, 2016. Turkish residents cannot create accounts, send, or receive money through PayPal. There are no announced plans for PayPal to return.

Why did PayPal leave Turkey?

Turkey's banking regulator (BDDK) required payment companies to store all user data on servers located in Turkey. PayPal chose to exit the market rather than comply with this requirement.

Will PayPal come back to Turkey?

There is no indication of a return. While Turkey updated its general data protection laws in 2024, the payment services regulations under Law No. 6493 that caused PayPal to leave remain in effect. PayPal has not announced any plans to re-enter the Turkish market.

Does Wise work in Turkey?

Only partially. Wise stopped offering full services to Turkish residents in May 2023. Turkish residents cannot hold balances, request account details, receive transfers, or convert currencies. The only remaining function is sending money from a Turkish bank to abroad.

Can I receive USD in a Turkish bank account?

Yes, through SWIFT transfers. However, SWIFT fees are high ($50 to $100 per transfer) and exchange rates from Turkish banks include a markup. Using a US bank account through Cenoa and then transferring to your Turkish bank is significantly cheaper.

Which platforms work with Cenoa?

Any platform that pays via ACH or US bank transfer works with Cenoa. This includes Upwork, Fiverr, Amazon, Etsy, Shopify, and direct client payments.

What about Papara for international payments?

Papara can receive international transfers through Remitly, but all incoming funds are automatically converted to TRY at Papara's exchange rate. You cannot hold USD or EUR in a Papara account. For freelancers who want to control when they convert currencies, a dedicated foreign currency account through Cenoa or Grey is a better option.

What documents do I need to sign up for Cenoa?

A valid Turkish ID or passport and proof of address.

Conclusion

PayPal has been unavailable in Turkey since 2016, and it is not coming back. Turkish freelancers need alternatives that offer low fees, direct bank withdrawals, and the ability to receive payments from international clients and platforms.

The options available today:

• Cenoa: 0.99% total, lowest fees, direct bank withdrawal

• Grey: Approximately 1.4% total, includes USD virtual card

• Payoneer: 8.5% total, widest platform compatibility

• SWIFT: $50 to $100 per transfer, only practical for large amounts

Switching from Payoneer to Cenoa saves $1,802 per year on a $2,000 monthly income.

Sign up for Cenoa to start keeping more of what you earn.