A panel titled "Capital of Production, Power of Exports" was held as part of Türkiye Innovation Week 2026, organized by the Turkish Exporters Assembly with the support of the Ministry of Trade. The event at the Halic Congress Center took place within the organization, held this year for the 13th time under the theme "Humanity 6.0 - The New Phase of Humanity."
Moderating the panel, Ministry of Trade Director General of Exports Mehmet Ali Kilickaya said Türkiye's exports are approaching $284 billion. Kilickaya said financing plays an important role in the creation, growth and development of exports.
Saying exporters' access to finance is one of the most important issues, Kilickaya noted that most of Türkiye's exports are carried out on an open account basis, adding that financing opportunities are therefore of critical importance.
IGE has connected about 15,000 exporters with loans
Fatih Tugrul Topac, general manager of Export Development Inc. (IGE), said the company provides its own guarantees to banks to make it easier for exporters to access finance. Topac said about 15,000 exporters have been given access to loans so far.
Topac said that thanks to protocols and integrations with banks, IGE provides guarantees without placing an additional operational burden on exporters, adding that the company serves as a bridge between banks and exporters. Topac also said they are working to develop advisory services so that exporters can benefit from financing opportunities more quickly and effectively.
Turk Ticaret Bankasi directs 74 percent of its loans to exports
Turk Ticaret Bankasi General Manager Ilker Yesil said 74 percent of the bank's loans are export-related. Yesil said the bank aims to be a bridge for exporters' access to finance and to provide advisory services in foreign trade transactions.
Saying they want to contribute to the growth of Türkiye's exports, Yesil said: "We have only one concern: the growth of Türkiye's exports. Our task is to be a bridge for our exporters' access to finance." He said the bank aims to support foreign trade activities in areas where exports are made and where investment and production turn into exports.
Ziraat Bank plans a branch or bank for Syria
Ziraat Bank Deputy General Manager for Corporate Banking Mehmet Sukru Tasci said the bank provides 16 percent of the export loans extended across the sector. Tasci said 25 percent of Turkish exports are carried out through Ziraat Bank and that $125 billion of Türkiye's foreign trade passes through the bank.
Noting that this amount corresponds to a share of about 20-21 percent in the sector, Tasci said that in addition to agricultural banking, they see becoming an export bank as one of their main goals.
Noting that Ziraat Bank operates in many countries, Tasci said they are closely following developments in Syria and that contacts are continuing. Tasci said: "We want to open a branch or a bank in Syria; in fact, this has also been discussed at the Wealth Fund. We are in uninterrupted contact with Syria and want to open as soon as possible."
VakifBank extends 1.1 billion euros in funding
Tevfik Erpek, head of SME, Retail and Individual Banking Group at VakifBank, said the bank, with its development-focused value banking approach, directs financing to areas that will contribute to Türkiye's growth, employment and export increase.
Erpek said they secured 1.5 billion euros in financing from the World Bank and extended 1.1 billion euros of it to about 20,000 customers within 5 months. Noting that 96 percent of these customers are SMEs, Erpek said the financing reached customers at about 1,000 branches in all 81 provinces of Türkiye.
Erpek said 800 million euros of the funds were extended to support women's employment, young entrepreneurs and customers in disaster areas.
Halkbank gives 55 percent of commercial loans to SMEs
Halkbank Deputy General Manager for SME and Retail Banking Murat Yildirim said supporting SMEs that want to grow their businesses, invest and operate in international markets is one of the bank's main tasks.
Yildirim said 55 percent of the commercial loans extended went to SMEs. He said the bank offers its SME support under three headings: affordable financing, collateral diversification and services that facilitate foreign trade activities.
Yildirim said financing has been provided in this context to businesses operating in manufacturing, tourism, education, the environment, energy and infrastructure, adding that Halkbank's talks with international institutions are continuing and that it aims to increase its activities for exporters in 2027.
Yildirim also said the bank mediates the exports of businesses working with Europe through its operations in Serbia, North Macedonia, the Netherlands and the U.K.
Turk Eximbank targets $60 billion in support for 2026
Turk Eximbank Deputy General Manager for Marketing Mustafa Cagri Altindag said the bank operates to support companies exporting goods and services and to increase their competitiveness in international markets.
Altindag said Turk Eximbank provided $54 billion in support to exporters in 2025, while a target of $60 billion has been set for 2026. He said that as of the end of September 2026, $50 billion had been reached in loans and receivables insurance.
Also referring to rediscount loans, Altindag said the Central Bank has opened a daily window of 5 billion liras to the banking system, 2.7 billion liras of which has been extended by Turk Eximbank. Altindag also gave information about pre-export loans and work carried out with international markets and institutions.
