Turkey's new cryptocurrency regulation requirements: March 31, 2026, becomes a key deadline

Source: BTCHaber Original Title: Critical Turn in Turkey’s Crypto Regulations: Deadline March 31 Original Link: Turkey has entered a critical phase of regulatory compliance for crypto asset service providers(KVHS). To continue operating in Turkey, crypto asset platforms must complete contract signing with custodians and comply with the information system and technical infrastructure standards issued by TÜBİTAK, with a deadline of March 31, 2026.

Custody Contract Requirements

The regulations issued by the Capital Markets Board(SPK) in March 2025 explicitly require that, before March 31, 2026, crypto asset platforms with operational licenses must sign contracts with at least one custodian and complete necessary technical processes and system integration within a mutual agreement framework. This deadline has been extended from the previous December 2025.

According to the latest regulations, crypto asset trading platforms need to sign custody agreements with custodians and submit the relevant contracts to the Capital Markets Board before March 31, 2026.

TÜBİTAK Infrastructure Standards

The compliance deadline for the KVHS information system and technical infrastructure standards issued by TÜBİTAK is also March 31, 2026. These standards mandate that crypto asset service providers must cooperate with custodians within Turkey. The standards explicitly state: “Within initialization and backup scope, the security hardware used in the main and backup systems, as well as the software, servers, and other elements required to operate these hardware, must be located within Turkey.”

Key Significance of Technical Requirements

After March 31, 2026, storage technology providers must comply with TÜBİTAK standards, making the location and management of keys crucial. Turkey’s crypto regulation framework clearly states that control of private keys is inseparable from asset custody. Regulatory requirements specify that wallet keys and the software and servers managing these keys cannot be outside Turkey.

Regulators aim to have access to custodial institutions when necessary to protect user assets and establish clear legal interfaces. This means that from March 2026 onward, merely obtaining storage technology from technical providers will no longer be sufficient. Existing operational methods of crypto platforms operating in Turkey will be considered non-compliant with TÜBİTAK regulations after this date.

Specific Provisions of TÜBİTAK Standards

TÜBİTAK’s infrastructure standards aim to strengthen wallet security in crypto asset custody services while ensuring Turkey’s digital sovereignty in the crypto space. The standards require:

• Cold wallets must be completely offline
• Hot wallet private keys must be protected within secure hardware or environments
• Key management is to be performed solely by relevant KVHS
• Transfer operations must use multi-signature systems and threshold cryptography
• Authorized users require multi-factor authentication
• All transactions must be recorded in an auditable manner
• Information security policies are to be formulated by senior management
• Operational details such as address definitions, key ownership, and transfer limits must be governed by clear policies

These standards reflect Turkey’s strict requirements for the security and regulatory compliance of crypto assets.