Akbank has secured a grant from the Mastercard Impact Fund (MIF), managed by the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth through a co-investment with Asian Development Bank (ADB). The signing ceremony for the collaboration was held at Akbank Headquarters. The protocol was signed by Akbank CEO Kaan Gür and Jon Huntsman, Vice Chairman and President Strategic Growth, Mastercard. In addition to being the first co-investment implemented by Mastercard and ADB in Türkiye, the transaction also marks MIF’s first private-sector collaboration in the country.
In his statement, Akbank CEO Kaan Gür noted: “We are proud to be the first private-sector partner of Mastercard Impact Fund in Türkiye on such a critical area as inclusive banking. Supported by the USD 100 million financing we recently secured from Asian Development Bank, together with support from Mastercard Impact Fund, we will continue to provide both financial and non-financial solutions to women-owned SMEs. We view this collaboration as a significant step toward enabling the potential of women entrepreneurs, creating sustainable impact, and generating lasting value for the national economy.”
Jon Huntsman, Vice Chairman and President Strategic Growth, Mastercard said, “Türkiye is at a digital and economic inflection point, and Mastercard is committed to supporting its national priorities through strong local partnerships. Our collaboration with Akbank and the Asian Development Bank expands access to capital for small businesses—especially women-owned enterprises—empowering entrepreneurs to drive growth and resilience across the country. By combining global expertise with deep local alignment, we’re helping foster innovation, financial health, and sustainable progress for Türkiye’s economy and its people.”
Akbank had recently secured a USD 100 million, five-year senior unsecured loan from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to be allocated to SMEs, women-owned SMEs, and SMEs operating in regions affected by the earthquake and prioritised under an inclusive growth approach. MIF’s support will be utilized for the enhancement of Akbank Transformation Academy including its Entrepreneurial Women Program which delivers an integrated program of capacity building, mentorship and business support to enhance competitiveness and export readiness of women-owned MSMEs.
Established in 2022, Akbank Transformation Academy has reached over 21.000 commercial business through its programs designed for SME’s and entrepreneurial women, offering training across diverse areas such as foreign trade, digital marketing, e-commerce and sustainability.