Turkey's competition authority launches investigation into Mastercard, Visa

The Turkish Competition Board announced on Monday the launch of an investigation into global payment giants Mastercard and Visa over allegations of anti-competitive practices in Türkiye.

The investigation, launched under Law No. 4054 on the Protection of Competition, aims to determine whether the companies' practices – namely scheme services and digital wallet services – have restricted market competition and harmed rival service providers.

Authorities are scrutinizing the companies' activities in the scheme services market, which involves establishing standards and rules for card payments and facilitating connections between card issuers and institutions that accept payments.

The investigation will focus on digital wallet services, allowing consumers to register payment cards from various providers. These wallets enable users to make transactions without re-entering their card details repeatedly, offering convenience and efficiency.

Concerns have been raised that Mastercard and Visa may have implemented practices that exclude competitors or create barriers to entry in these markets.