ISTANBUL

Türkiye’s current account balance saw a deficit of $25.2 billion last year, the Turkish Central Bank announced on Friday.

Last year's deficit was higher than the $10.4 billion deficit in 2024, according to the data.

The balance saw a surplus in four of the 12 months last year.

In 2025, the goods deficit amounted to $69.7 billion, while services saw a net surplus of $63.5 billion.

Primary and secondary income realized a net deficit of $18.5 billion and $528 million, respectively.

In December 2025 alone, the account posted a deficit of $7.25 billion.

The current account excluding gold and energy indicated a net deficit of $691 million in December.

The goods posted a deficit of $7.44 billion, while services saw a surplus of $2.65 billion in December.

Commenting on the data, Turkish Finance Minister Mehmet Simsek said despite challenging global conditions, sustainable levels of current account balance are being maintained.

"The annual current account deficit as a percentage of national income, which reached 5% in mid-2023, decreased to 0.8% in 2024. We expect this ratio to be 1.6% in 2025," Simsek wrote on Turkish social media platform NSosyal.

He stated that excluding gold, which holds a significant place in savings preferences, the average deficit as a percentage of national income was 3% during the 2003-2023 period, while the country had a surplus of 0.2% in 2024, adding that once the GDP data is in hand, they foresee a limited deficit of around 0.3% in 2025.

"Confidence in our program has strengthened access to external financing while costs have decreased. The external debt rollover ratios of the real sector and banks reached 221% and 218% respectively in 2025," Simsek said.

Direct investment inflows, excluding real estate, which improved financing quality and increased production capacity, reached their highest level in the last 10 years at $10.7 billion, according to Simsek.

"We anticipate that the moderate trend in energy prices in 2026, the improving outlook in our main trading partners, and the supportive euro/dollar exchange rate will positively contribute to our sustainable current account balance target," he emphasized.

"We continue to implement structural steps that will make our gains in the current account balance permanent," Simsek added.