The number of companies set up in Türkiye rose 3.2% in September from the previous month to 9,506, the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Türkiye (TOBB) said on Friday, according to Anadolu Agency.
Compared with September 2025, company formations were down 2.6%. The number of companies that closed rose 4.6% month on month to 2,212, though this was 5.3% lower than a year earlier. The total capital of newly founded companies jumped 58.2% compared with August.
In the first nine months of the year, 85,320 companies were established, 5.4% more than in the same period of 2025, while closures fell 1.5% to 20,496.
Limited companies dominate
Of the companies founded in September, 8,422 were limited companies (limited şirket) and 1,084 were joint-stock companies (anonim şirket). The limited company is the most common structure for small and medium-sized firms, including those set up by foreigners, because it can be founded with a single shareholder and a relatively low minimum capital.
Istanbul accounted for 38.8% of new companies, followed by Ankara with 11% and İzmir with 5.6%. By sector, wholesale and retail trade led with 3,224 new companies and cooperatives, followed by construction with 1,290 and manufacturing with 1,162. Sixty-nine cooperatives were also founded, 39 of them housing cooperatives.
Foreign-capital firms
TOBB said 799 companies with foreign partners were set up in September. Of these, 264 had Syrian partners and 61 had Iranian partners. Foreign partners held 77.1% of the total capital of these companies.
For foreigners, a company in Türkiye can be a route to a work permit or a residence permit, and it is often used to run rental, tourism or trading businesses. Founding a company involves registering with the local chamber of commerce and trade registry, obtaining a tax number and opening a bank account for the capital deposit, and most founders work with a lawyer and a certified accountant (mali müşavir).
The figures come as Türkiye’s trade sector shows mixed signals: exports hit a September record, while carmakers worry about the EU’s Made in Europe plans. Anyone planning a move with a business in mind can start with our moving to Türkiye checklist.
Sources
Photo: Mehmet Bozgedik / Unsplash License, via Unsplash
