The rise of bounced checks in 2025: What has changed in the Turkish check market?

According to data from the Central Bank of the Republic of Turkey (TCMB), significant changes are occurring in check usage and the rates of bounced checks. Although total check usage in terms of volume has not shown a major change since 2020, the increase in amounts reflects the shift in economic conditions.

In the first four months of 2025, total check usage fell by 17 percent compared to the same period in 2024, while a 15 percent increase was observed in the number of bounced checks. During the same period, while the total check amount increased by 29 percent, the increase in the amount of bounced checks was recorded at 53 percent.

The ratio of bounced checks to total checks, in terms of volume, rose to 1.70 percent in April 2025. This rate was recorded at 1.41 percent in April 2024 and 1.04 percent in April 2023. In terms of value, the ratio of bounced checks reached 2.9 percent in April 2025; this rate was 2.22 percent in April 2024 and 1.04 percent in April 2023.

There has also been a significant increase in the average amount per check. While the average check amount was 54,293.65 TL at the beginning of 2020, this amount rose to 515,326.80 TL in April 2025. For bounced checks, the amount per check was 54,312.34 TL in January 2020, while it climbed to 694,810.76 TL in April 2025.