???? | 2024 Türkiye Technology Policy Year in Review

Tahseen Consulting worked with Ussal Consultancy to revisit #Türkiye’s interesting #digitaleconomy policies, trends, and notable headlines from 2024. Here are the biggest #techpolicy developments:

JANUARY

? Government seeking more GCC investment in its #infrastructure #megaprojects

? Tech Visa launched to attract global tech talent

? Interest rate increased to 45% to tackle inflation

FEBRUARY

? Trendyol Group to develop Turkish / English #LLM

? Sisi, Erdogan eye enhanced trade ties in landmark visit

? OKX launches local exchange with TRY ? onramp, major #crypto pairings

? 世界银行 approves €600M #carbonemission loan

MARCH

? #PersonalDataProtection Law amendments notified

? Turkey is 14th in patent applications – World Intellectual Property Organization – WIPO

? Competition Authority bans Meta from Instagram and @Threads #datasharing

?APRIL

? Annual inflation hits 68.5%

? Turkey, #Iraq, #Qatar, UAE sign $17B road, rail deal

? Domestic tourism spending hits $7.1B, up 101% YoY

MAY

? $50M fund of funds planned to support #VCs

? Colendi becomes??? ???with $65M Series B at $700M valuation

? X (formerly Twitter ) opens office, appoints representative

JUNE

? Ko? Holding ’s discussions on Yap? Kredi sale to First Abu Dhabi Bank end

? Getir to restructure, Mubadala to lead a $250M financing to acquire its #qcommerce business

? Crypto law passed, awaits President signature, will regulate issuance, licensing, enforcement

JULY

? High Technology Incentive Program to support global tech hub ambitions

? Personal Data Protection Agency regulation sets global #personaldata transfer standards

? Turkey removed from the #FATF #greylist

? #Inflation ▲ ~72% YoY in June, slows for 1st time in 8 months

? #GCC trade agreement could create $2.4T, be one of the biggest #FTAs

AUGUST

? Instagram blocked by Bilgi Teknolojileri ve Haberle?me Kurumu (Information and Communication Technologies Authority) over controversial content

? Foreign online purchases to be taxed at 100%, limit ▼ from 150€ to 30€

? Believe acquires Do?an Music Company – the country’s largest music label

? Domestic card Troy reaches 35M users in H1

? 47 #virtualasset service providers applied for Sermaye Piyasas? Kurulu - SPK licensing

? Trendyol Group, Yemeksepeti , Peak , Midas investor Earlybird Venture Capital Digital East is rebranding, separating from Earlybird fund

? New regulations for online car marketplaces require verification, transparency

? Internet use hits 89%, 52% shop online - Turkish Statistical Institute ute

? Istanbul Transportation Coordination Center approves 2,500 taxis to launch new #ridesharing app

? Turkey leads $20B trade route discussion with Iraq, Qatar, UAE

SEPTEMBER

? Netflix show criticized for historical inaccuracies

? Turkey applies for #BRICS membership

? Global #AI regulation needed - Industry and Technology Minister

? Erdogan, Sisi sign 17 agreements on energy, mobility, healthcare +

? UAE exports ▲ 118% MoM to $767M

? Foreign Minister attends Arab League ministerial for the 1st time in 13 years

OCTOBER

?? Marti Technologies (NYSE: MRT) launches subscriptions for its 225,000 #ridehailing drivers

? Turkey is largest MENA crypto market, 7th globally, $137B in transactions - Chainalysis

? Bilkent CYBERPARK boosts collaboration with Japan with Capcom , Bandai Namco Entertainment America Inc. , SEGA

? Discord blocked due to online safety, content concerns

? Auto manufacturers shift to #Tunisia and #Egypt, domestic production below 30%

? BlaBlaCar to acquire #traveltech platform obilet

? 沃尔玛 to open furniture, food sourcing office

? 阿里巴巴集团 -backed Trendyol Group launches in-house #LLM

? Kaspi.kz acquires 65.41% of Hepsiburada (NASDAQ: HEPS) from D-Market Electronic Services and Trading for $1.13B

? #Ecommerce exports share to hit 3% by EOY, targeting 10% by 2028

? Jumia Group , Hepsiburada (NASDAQ: HEPS) partner on Africa expansion

NOVEMBER

? Medianova gets TURKVEN investment

? $128B spent on R&D from 2014 to 2023 – #TurkStat

? ?? Lalamove expands to Istanbul

? 亚马逊 's Twitch is fined for data breach

? Marti Technologies (NYSE: MRT) - #ebikes cut emissions 37% vs. other mobility options

? Insider. considering US IPO by 2027, targeting $5B valuation

? 1st quantum computer launched at TOBB ETü

? Rekabet Kurumu opens Visa , 萬事達卡 discount investigation

? 微软 to expand presence, ▲ #AI, cloud, R&D cooperation

? $4.7B in #VC deployed since 2020, $700M YTD

? Family Minister meets #socialmedia companies, stresses #contentpolicy, #onlinesafety

DECEMBER

? Competition Board ends Meta data-sharing investigation

? #Erdogan - quantum chip facility to be launched, Turkey to be in top 15 for #quantumcomputing

? 谷歌 fined $75M by for abuse of dominant position in ad services market

? Bilgi Teknolojileri ve Haberle?me Kurumu (Information and Communication Technologies Authority) to announce 5G tender soon

? Baykar Technologies again ranks as the world’s biggest drone manufacturer, Turkey has 65% of global drone market

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In case you missed it, here are all of our 2024 year-end wrap ups …

???? | UAE ? https://www.dhirubhai.net/pulse/2024-united-arab-emirates-technology-policy-year-review-ncdhf

???? | Saudi Arabia ? https://www.dhirubhai.net/pulse/2024-saudi-arabia-technology-policy-year-review-tahseen-consulting-hsqhf

???? | Egypt ? https://www.dhirubhai.net/pulse/2024-egypt-technology-policy-year-review-tahseen-consulting-9k3yf/

???? | 2024 Pakistan ? https://www.dhirubhai.net/pulse/2024-pakistan-technology-policy-year-review-tahseen-consulting-vnhjf/

?? | MENA ? https://www.dhirubhai.net/pulse/2024-mena-technology-policy-year-review-tahseen-consulting-p2i4f

?? | Southeast Asia ? https://www.dhirubhai.net/pulse/2024-singapore-southeast-asia-technology-policy-year-pynmf

???? | India ? https://www.dhirubhai.net/pulse/2024-india-technology-policy-year-review-tahseen-consulting-swsvf