Garanti BBVA

BBVA’s Turkish franchise has unveiled ‘My Banker,’ a new program aimed at delivering tailored financial services and lifestyle benefits to its affluent customer segment.

BBVA’s Turkish franchise has successfully completed the issuance of a $500 million Tier 2 bond in the international markets. This marks the bank’s first such transaction in 2025, following a $750 million Tier 2 issue in November 2024.

Garanti BBVA has been recognized as the “Best Cash Management Bank” in Türkiye by Global Finance magazine for the second year in a row. The publication, which has been evaluating financial institutions globally for 37 years, honored the bank for its continued excellence in the cash management field.

Garanti BBVA Crypto is partnering with Wyden, a global provider of institutional digital asset trading infrastructure, to strengthen its crypto service offering for retail and institutional clients. As part of the collaboration, Garanti BBVA Crypto will support trading pairs between the Turkish Lira, US Dollar, and other cryptocurrencies, expanding local market access and providing a seamless, efficient trading experience for Turkish investors.

The Blue Breath project was launched in 2021 by Garanti BBVA in collaboration with DenizTemiz Derneği/TURMEPA to protect Turkish marine ecosystems. Over the past four years, Blue Breath has worked with a variety of stakeholders to carry out clean-up projects, training sessions, and other environmental protection initiatives.

Garanti BBVA has contributed over $440 million in support to the Turkish economy by renewing its existing syndicated loan.

With the latest update to Garanti BBVA’s mobile app, customers can leave their cards at home. GarantiPay allows users to make payments in stores or online using the GarantiPay and NFC contactless payment options  on their smartphones.

BBVA’s Turkish franchise offers a wide range of digital solutions, catering to every financial need in the life cycle of the self-employed and SMEs and covering their entire ecosystem. It delivers services across all digital channels to streamline and accelerate business processes. The self-employed and SMEs are able to perform a variety of financial transactions, such as applying for credit, drawing on commercial loans, obtaining letters of guarantee, arranging checkbooks, and requesting POS terminals, all via Garanti BBVA’s mobile or internet channels without ever needing to visit a branch.

Garanti BBVA Crypto recently launched a variety of advanced new features on its mobile app. With nearly 100,000 users, the app is powered by the bank’s robust infrastructure and highest quality standards, ensuring a simple, fast and secure investment experience.

Garanti BBVA Asset Management has succeeded in building an investment fund topping 600 billion TL in the year to date, thanks to a consistently strong performance and the trust and support of its investors.

Garanti BBVA reported its earnings for the first quarter of 2025. The bank earned TL 25.40 billion in net income, with total assets reaching TL 3.50 trillion, and cash and non-cash loans totaling TL 2.60 trillion. Customer deposits continued to be the main source of funding, accounting for 73 percent of all assets. The deposit base rose by 21.4 percent to TL 2.55 billion. Furthermore, Garanti BBVA achieved a return on average equity (ROAE) of 30.5 percent, and a return on average assets (ROAA) of 3.2 percent. Meanwhile, the bank maintained its strong capital position, with a capital adequacy ratio of 16.2 percent.*

*Not including the forbearance introduced by BRSA

BBVA's Turkish unit recently updated the design of its digital banking app, Garanti BBVA Mobile, to offer its customers a more personalized, user-friendly experience and a range of new smart features.

Garanti BBVA was once again selected for the world’s most prestigious occupational healthand safety award at the 2025 International Safety Awards, organized by the U.K.-based non-profit organization, the British Safety Council. Of the 350 Turkish organizations that applied for the award, Garanti BBVA was the only financial institution to receive the award for the sixth year in a row.

Garanti BBVA has launched another highly innovative digital banking solution tailored for its corporate and sole trader customers. Thanks to the new digital service—a first in the industry in terms of scope and variety—corporate and sole trader customers can instantly check their loan agreements, credit limits, risk facilities, bank guarantees, real estate mortgages held as collateral, and valuations or appraisals, along with information on the latest prices and fees.

BBVA's Turkish unit updates the smart assistant on its mobile app, Ugi, using cutting-edge generative artificial intelligence (AI) based on large language models. Ugi now offers the bank’s customers a more natural experience with dynamic, and hyperpersonalized solutions.

‘Is our last chance?’ features eight documentaries that aim to draw attention to the urgent environmental and social impacts of climate change. From rising sea levels and increasing droughts to ecological devastation, the documentaries emphasize the pivotal role water plays in ecosystems, economies, and communities, and call for sustainable management of this vital resource. The screenings will take place at Salt Beyoğlu's Open Cinema from March 19 to April 19, 2025.

The winners of the 18th Türkiye’s Women Entrepreneurs Competition, organized by Garanti BBVA alongside Ekonomist magazine and the Women Entrepreneurs Association of Türkiye (KAGİDER), have just been announced at an award ceremony held on February 27.

Photo cover: Garanti BBVA CEO Mahmut Akten and Özlem Kahramaner, Türkiye's female entrepreneur of the year.

The Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) recently recognized Garanti BBVA’s efforts in sustainable development by including the bank in its global ‘A’ List of its Climate Change and Water Security Programs.

At a meeting with Turkish media, CEO Mahmut Akten shared Garanti BBVA’s strategies and 2025 goals, while assessing the state of the global and Türkiye’s economies and the banking sector. Akten acknowledged ongoing global economic uncertainty but expressed optimism, citing Türkiye’s macroeconomic program and a balancing trend in the banking sector.  The event, held at the Pendik Technology Campus, also included a visit to Garanti BBVA’s TIER IV-certified Data Center.

Garanti BBVA, one of Türkiye’s leading banks with its investments in technology, has once again earned Tier IV Certification of Operational Sustainability – Gold TCOS from Uptime Institute, the highest certification for data center infrastructure worldwide. With this achievement, Garanti BBVA’s data center is now one of only 24 in the world to boast this accolade.

The BBVA Foundation is once again sponsoring the Salt Artistic Research and Production Grant Program, now in its 2025 edition. This initiative aims to create a dynamic platform for artistic research and production, supporting artists from Türkiye who explore contemporary social issues through interdisciplinary approaches.

Garanti BBVA recently held a ‘Demo Day’ event in celebration of the five startups that completed the 2nd year of its Garanti BBVA Partners Tech Program.The program aims to support newly founded tech startups with the potential to attract investment and grow.

Garanti BBVA continues to lead the way when it comes to digital transformation, adding value for its customers while steering the industry with its innovative solutions. In 2024, the bank’s mobile banking app, Garanti BBVA Mobil, reached over 16.5 million active users, making it one of Türkiye’s most popular banking apps.

Garanti BBVA announced its financial results as of December 31, 2024. Net income totaled TL 92.18 billion while assets stood at TL 3 trillion. The bank also contributed TL 2 trillion to the economy through cash and non-cash loans. Customer deposits funded 70 percent of assets, with a total customer deposit base of TL 2.10 trillion (up 30.8 percent in 2024). Garanti BBVA also reported a capital adequacy ratio of 18.2 percent,*  Return on Average Equity (ROAE) of 32.5 percent and Return on Average Assets (ROAA) of 3.5 percent.

*Does not include the forbearance introduced by BRSA

Garanti BBVA Crypto, a subsidiary of Garanti BBVA, recently entered a partnership with Bitstamp, the world’s longest-operating crypto exchange platform and core liquidity provider. The aim of this partnership is to allow customers to trade in multiple currencies. In addition, investors in both crypto currencies and traditional financial markets can trade a series of approved digital assets, thus helping to boost crypto access and adoption in Türkiye.

BBVA’s Turkish franchise secured its highest-ever score of 85 in the 2024 S&P Global Corporate Sustainability Assessment (CSA), leading Türkiye’s banking sector once again. The bank also ranked 15th globally among 668 financial institutions assessed, further cementing its position as a leader in sustainability. S&P Global-CSA is one of the most respected platforms for evaluating corporate sustainability, providing a benchmark for international investors. The assessment covers areas such as business ethics, governance, risk management, climate action, transparency, and human rights.

Garanti BBVA recently revamped ‘Garanti BBVA Mobile’, making it faster and easier for investors to monitor and manage their investment portfolios directly on the app. The new menu for investments allows customers to view their portfolio distribution, check the status and research investment options that match their investment goals - all on a single screen. Furthermore, Garanti BBVA Mobile also offers educational content designed to improve customers’ investment knowledge in its Investment Academy.

For the first time this year, Garanti BBVA has secured a syndicated loan aligned with the Sustainable Debt Financing Framework. The loan is part of the bank’s international borrowing program and has a maturity of 367 days. The loan consists of two tranches, $244 million, and €162.4 million, with 43 banks participating. The loan was fully renewed, with costs set at SOFR + 1.75 percent, and Euribor +1.5 percent, respectively.

Garanti BBVA, in collaboration with the Turkish Business Confederation (TÜRKONFED), has launched an innovative initiative to empower SMEs in Türkiye through the ‘New Horizons in Twin Transformation’ project. This forward-thinking program aims to prepare SMEs for global trends in green and digital transformation, setting them up for long-term success in an increasingly dynamic and competitive world.

Garanti BBVA has successfully completed a new Basel III-compliant Tier 2 bond issuance, demonstrating the bank’s strong position in international markets. This marks its second Tier 2 bond this year. The bond was issued with a 10-year maturity, a five-year call option, and a total value of $750 million. Garanti BBVA also extended a tender offer to its investors for the $750 million nominal value of the Tier 2 bond it issued in 2017, with a 2027 maturity.