The war in and around the Persian Gulf has intensified volatility in global markets, making it increasingly difficult for individuals to find reliable and easily accessible investment tools. As uncertainty grows, consumers are turning toward financial applications that are easy to use, low-cost and offer greater flexibility.

While global fintech investment has entered a more selective phase due to high interest rates and valuation corrections, Türkiye's ecosystem has managed to diverge from this slowdown. In particular, it stands out with solutions tailored to local needs in areas such as embedded finance and buy now, pay later (BNPL) models.

The "platformization" trend highlighted in CB Insights reports, including the "Fintech 250," is finding concrete expression in Türkiye through the rapid growth of local financial apps such as Midas, Turan, Colendi and Param.

Financial literacy

Data from CB Insights shows that the use of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) in global fintech is transforming areas such as fraud detection and personalized financial advisory. In Türkiye, however, the adoption of these technologies is more focused on improving operational efficiency and customer experience.

While global players prioritize complex risk models, fintech startups in Türkiye, according to startups.watch, place greater emphasis on financial inclusion. Bringing unbanked or underbanked populations into the system via digital wallets has become a key driver, positioning Türkiye among the leading countries in digital payment penetration in CB Insights' emerging markets analysis.

Growing focus on SMEs

One of the most critical areas where global and local trends converge is the rise of B2B fintech solutions. CB Insights notes that global investment is shifting away from consumer-focused (B2C) models toward infrastructure services that enable institutional digitalization, such as software-as-a-service (SaaS) and banking-as-a-service (BaaS).

A similar shift is visible in Türkiye. With the increase in open banking licenses, investment rounds are accelerating for startups developing financial management tools tailored to micro-enterprises and small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs).

This demonstrates that the fintech ecosystem is no longer just a payment tool but is transforming into a comprehensive technological layer that forms the digital backbone of the economy, aligning structurally with global trends.

Türk Telekom strengthens its lead in domestic patent filings

Amid a global 5G patent landscape dominated by Chinese companies, Türk Telekom is maintaining its top position in Türkiye for the second consecutive year.

In an environment where companies such as Huawei, Qualcomm and Ericsson dominate the global 5G patent rankings, and where Chinese firms account for more than 40% of declared 5G patent families, Türk Telekom is becoming an increasingly significant player from Türkiye.

According to 2025 data released by the Industry and Technology Ministry, the company retained its domestic leadership with 921 patent applications, sustaining its upward trajectory in research and development (R&D) and innovation.

Focus on 5G, 6G

The company concentrates its patent efforts on critical technology areas, including 5G and 6G communication systems, satellite-independent communication technologies, non-terrestrial networks (NTN), AI-based network management, signal processing and fiber-optic infrastructure.

Beyond patent numbers, Türk Telekom has also achieved notable growth in R&D outputs. Its contributions to international standards increased by 237%, while its number of academic publications rose by 129%.

The company is also the leading Turkish contributor to the International Telecommunication Union's Standardization Sector (ITU-T) and plays an active role in 6G-related work within 3GPP and ETSI, further expanding its position in the global technology ecosystem.

Tech-producing vision

Zafer Orhan, deputy general manager of network at Türk Telekom, summarizes the driving force behind the success, saying that the achievement reflects the company's innovation-driven corporate culture and strong engineering capabilities.

"Beyond developing technology, we transform our solutions into globally valuable products. As Türk Telekom, we remain committed to advancing national technologies and integrating them into every aspect of life in line with Türkiye's vision of becoming a technology-producing and exporting country," Orhan noted.

With its strong R&D infrastructure and global collaborations, Türk Telekom continues to bring its technologies to international markets, contributing to Türkiye's capacity for high-value-added production.

In the 5G domain, the company has already implemented a wide range of pioneering applications, from remote surgery and smart agriculture to intelligent port logistics, tactile VR experiences, live sports broadcasting and industrial 5G networks.

17 different use cases

To showcase its R&D capabilities, Türk Telekom has established a 600-square-meter Technology and Innovation Center at its Gayrettepe headquarters, designed with a focus on 5G.

The center features 17 different use cases developed by Turkish engineers, offering real-time demonstrations of 5G's high speed, low latency and high capacity across applications ranging from industrial transformation and smart cities to simulation technologies and augmented reality.

On the IoT side, advanced image processing solutions, low-earth-orbit satellite communication systems and predictive maintenance technologies stand out among the center's key components.

Investing becomes as easy as finding match, with control in your hands

During periods of global uncertainty, investing is no longer about complexity but about simplicity. Developed in Türkiye, the financial app GRAND aims to meet this need by offering a user-friendly and secure experience, putting full control directly in the hands of the user, much like social platforms such as Tinder or Facebook.

While most financial applications still rely on traditional interfaces built around complex charts and trading screens, GRAND enters the market with a fundamentally different approach. Despite being a relatively new player, what sets it apart is not only what it offers but how it delivers that experience.

At the core of its appeal is its simplicity. GRAND positions itself as the "Tinder for Finance," building the investment experience around a swipe-based interface.

Users swipe right to invest and left to pass. This eliminates traditional barriers such as reading charts or placing orders, significantly lowering the entry threshold, especially for a new generation of investors.

All assets on single screen

Another key differentiator is its "multi-asset on one screen" approach. GRAND integrates cryptocurrencies, stocks, ETFs, commodities, and even prediction markets within a single platform.

By offering a wide range of products, from tokenized equities to gold, it moves beyond being just a crypto app and becomes an all-in-one investment platform.

A third major advantage is its gasless experience. One of the biggest challenges in blockchain-based transactions, network fees, is handled by the platform itself. Users can trade directly with USDT without dealing with technical processes like bridging. This creates a much smoother onboarding experience, particularly for those new to Web3.

Control remains with user

The most strategic point of differentiation, however, lies in its self-custody model. GRAND adopts a "your key, your assets" philosophy, giving users full control over their holdings.

Unlike traditional platforms where assets are held by the provider, access here depends entirely on private keys controlled by the user.

Yet this freedom comes with responsibility. Making investing as easy as using a social media app can also accelerate decision-making. When combined with self-custody, this places users in a position of both complete autonomy and full accountability.

In addition, the platform introduces what could be described as a "behavioral investment engine." Instead of overwhelming users with complex data, it offers a personalized feed of opportunities tailored to individual interests. This effectively brings the logic of social media into finance, creating a more engaging and intuitive investment experience while increasing user interaction and retention.

'Walled gardens' cracking: EU tightens historic grip on Apple, Google

The European Union's push to reshape digital markets through the Digital Markets Act (DMA) has begun to yield tangible results as of this March. Both Apple and Google are now facing the risk of billions of dollars in fines over App Store practices and search engine dominance, respectively.

For years, these companies have built tightly controlled ecosystems, often described as "walled gardens," where they exercised near-total control. Now, under strict scrutiny from the European Commission, they are being forced to dismantle key elements of those defenses. The latest broad investigation goes beyond technical compliance; it represents a fundamental challenge to their long-standing business models.

App store monopoly under pressure

On Apple's side, the main focus is its policy of steering users and developers toward its own payment system. The commission argues that while Apple formally allows sideloading (installing apps from outside the App Store), additional costs, such as the "Core Technology Fee," act as barriers designed to limit the growth of alternative app marketplaces.

While Apple continues to emphasize security and privacy concerns, EU regulators maintain that the "default choice screens" offered to users are not sufficiently enabling real competition. Greater integration of alternative browsers beyond Safari and third-party app stores could put billions of dollars in Apple's service revenues at risk.

Fairness in search results

For Google, the battle centers on how it leverages its dominance in search to favor its own services, such as shopping, flights and hotel listings. This practice, known as "self-preferencing," has long been criticized for sidelining competitors.

With the March 2026 probe, Google is being pushed to make its search algorithms more transparent and to provide greater visibility to rival platforms. Additionally, new requirements around data portability in the Android ecosystem aim to prevent the company from using user data as a lock-in mechanism.

New digital order

This combined legal and technological pressure is opening the door to a new era in the tech industry. If Apple and Google fail to fully comply with the commission's "fair and non-discriminatory" conditions, they could face fines of up to 10% of their global revenues, amounting to billions of euros.

Analysts suggest that this pressure may force tech giants to adopt more open operating systems and service models, at least within Europe. As these "walled gardens" begin to break down, smaller developers and local tech startups are, for the first time, gaining access to a significantly broader and more competitive marketplace.