The Turkish Competition Authority initiated a probe into global payment system giants Visa and Mastercard to investigate allegations of competition law violation.
The probe will examine whether the discount and incentive systems individually developed by Visa and Mastercard—key players in the Turkish market for bank-issued credit, debit, and prepaid cards—create de facto exclusivity with card-issuing businesses.
The Turkish Competition Authority has launched an investigation into global payment giants Visa and Mastercard over potential violations of competition law.
The inquiry will focus on whether the discount and incentive programs independently implemented by Visa and Mastercard—major players in Türkiye’s credit, debit, and prepaid card market—effectively create exclusivity agreements with card-issuing institutions.
The investigation aims to determine if these practices, either independently or cumulatively, pose a risk of market foreclosure to competitors in the card scheme services sector.
Potential abuse of digital wallet services market under investigation
Additionally, the investigation will assess potential anti-competitive effects stemming from Visa’s non-compete obligations imposed on its merchant network in the digital wallet services market, restricting merchants from working with rival providers.
It will also evaluate whether Mastercard has engaged in predatory pricing or other practices in the digital wallet services market that could obstruct competition and constitute abuse of its dominant position.
The Competition Authority clarified that the decision to launch an investigation does not imply that Visa or Mastercard has violated competition laws or will face penalties. The inquiry is ongoing, and conclusions will be drawn based on evidence collected during the process.
