Turkey sees 93,095 small businesses close in first nine months

TESK data show that 93,095 small businesses ceased operations in Turkey during the first three quarters, an increase of 9,793 (11.8%) over the comparable period in 2025. Istanbul recorded the highest number of closures at 10,956, with İzmir (6,421), Antalya (5,009), Ankara (4,862) and Bursa (4,246) following. September alone saw 1,259 closures in Istanbul, representing roughly 12% of the 10,426 closures nationwide.

The closures consist of 73,121 firms removed from the registry and 19,974 that halted activity in a registered business line. Despite the closures, 219,177 new businesses were registered in the same timeframe, outpacing the shutdowns. The trend occurs amid high inflation and a 37% benchmark interest rate maintained by the central bank.