Who are Türkiye’s top 100 taxpayers in 2023

The General Directorate of Revenue Administration (GIB) recently published the top 100 taxpayers for the 2023 fiscal year, tax records highlight prominent figures and institutions leading in tax contributions.

Who are top income tax leaders in Türkiye?

Out of the top 100 income taxpayers, 73 individuals chose to remain anonymous, indicating a preference for privacy among Türkiye’s wealthiest.

1. Selcuk Bayraktar, Chairman of Baykar, heads the list with a record ₺1.95 billion in taxes.
2. Haluk Bayraktar, Baykar’s General Manager, follows with ₺1.68 billion.
3. Mustafa Rahmi Koc, Honorary Chairman of Koc Holding, ranks third with ₺480 million.
4. Ipek Kirac, a Koc Holding Board Member, ranked fifth, paying ₺323.3 million in taxes.
5. Mehmet Omer Koc, Chairman of Koc Holding, paid ₺261.77 million, securing the seventh spot.

Zoom in: For the third consecutive year, Selcuk and Haluk Bayraktar have retained their positions at the top, with their tax contributions increasing nearly 12-fold since 2021.

Baykar, a leading defense and aerospace exporter, derives 90% of its revenue from exports, and in 2023, it achieved $1.8 billion in exports, ranking among the top 10 Turkish exporters across all sectors.

Top corporate taxpayers revealed

Of the top 100 corporate taxpayers, 34 companies opted not to disclose their identities. The banking sector dominated the list, securing the top eight spots.

1. Ziraat Bankasi leads with ₺22.75 billion.
2. Garanti Bankasi is in second place with ₺21.87 billion.
3. Akbank holds the third position with ₺12.56 billion.
4. The real sector’s top taxpayer is Mercedes-Benz Turk AS with ₺6.28 billion.

Zoom in: The dominance of the banking sector was clear, as the top eight positions were occupied by banks, including Yapı Kredi, QNB Finansbank, Kuveyt Turk Katilim Bankasi, Türkiye Is Bankasi and Türkiye Vakiflar Bankasi. 

What are statistical highlights of Türkiye’s tax distribution?

• Nationwide totals: Across Türkiye, 4.5 million taxpayers submitted income tax declarations for the 2023 tax year, resulting in a declared tax base of ₺682.45 billion and total tax liabilities of ₺205.53 billion. Each taxpayer, on average, declared a base of ₺150,265, with an average tax obligation of ₺45,255.
• Corporate taxpayers: Some 1.11 million corporate taxpayers declared a total tax base of ₺3.81 trillion, resulting in ₺833.25 billion in corporate tax liabilities. On average, each corporation declared a base of ₺3.43 million, leading to an average tax of ₺749,360.
• Geographic distribution: The majority of high-ranking income taxpayers were based in Istanbul, which was home to 72 of the top 100 individual taxpayers. Ankara followed with 14 high earners, and Izmir and Gaziantep each contributed five taxpayers. Other cities with notable taxpayers included Eskisehir, Tekirdag and Corum.
• Significant increases: The tax data highlighted a significant year-over-year increase. Compared to 2022, the total declared tax base rose by 98.54%, while the total taxes owed increased by 92.44%. This surge underscores the growing tax contributions from both individuals and corporations amid Türkiye’s evolving economic landscape.