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Bank Asya

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بنك آسيا

A former Turkish participation bank in Istanbul that operated from 1996 to 2016 and is widely considered tied to the Gülen movement; the banking regulator cancelled its licence on 22 July 2016, and it was declared bankrupt on 16 November 2017.

Depth

At a glance

Region
Anatolia
Identifiers
Wikidata

Trade and financeThe halal economy

In the Modern Islam Browser

Modern Islam BrowserEnterprise, brands and finance1996Türkiye

Footprint

On Wikipedia in:arenjatr (read on 2026-11-07)

Wikidata:Q4855899

Summary

Bank Asya was a Turkish participation bank in Istanbul that operated from 1996 to 2016. 1 The sources the article cites describe it as strongly tied to the Gülen movement, led by the preacher Fethullah Gülen, and widely considered founded and run by his followers. 1

Opening

Its first branch opened in Altunizade, Istanbul, on 24 October 1996, at a ceremony attended by Deputy Prime Minister Tansu Çiller, State Minister Abdullah Gül and Istanbul's mayor Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. 1

Closure

On 18 September 2014 President Erdoğan told a meeting of the Turkish Industry and Business Association, without naming the bank, that "that bank is already bankrupt." 1 The article quotes the banking regulator's Decision No. 6318 of May 2015 transferring the bank's management to the Savings Deposit Insurance Fund. 1 On 22 July 2016 the regulator cancelled its licence as part of the measures after the coup attempt, and on 16 November 2017 an Istanbul commercial court declared it bankrupt. 1

After 2016

After the 2016 coup attempt the Turkish government accused the Gülen movement of plotting it and designated it a terrorist organisation. 1 The UK Home Office's country note on the movement (October 2023), as the article reports it, says that being a partner, employee or customer of the bank became a factor in criminal investigations for membership. 1

References

  • English Wikipedia, "Bank Asya", revision 1362525051. 1

People and things also explored

Islamic banks and conventional banks — the difference, the doubts and the performance· Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank· Alrajhi Bank· Alinma Bank· Bank Albilad· Dubai Islamic Bank· Dukhan Bank· Emirates Islamic

Sources

  1. Bank Asya — English Wikipedia
  • Wikidata
Cite this page

islam.museum contributors. “Bank Asya”. islam.museum, https://islam.museum/en/listing/bank-asya/. CC BY-SA 4.0. Last updated 2026-11-07.

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