# Bank Asya

Bank Asya was established on October 24, 1996, with its head office in Istanbul, as the sixth private finance house of Turkey and an Islamic Participation bank. Bank Asya opened its first branch in Altunizade, Istanbul on 24 October 1996. The opening ceremony was held with an official ceremony and was attended by then Deputy Prime Minister Tansu Çiller, State Minister Abdullah Gül, Istanbul Metropolitan Mayor Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, and İhsan Kalkavan, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Asya Finans. The company's name, which had been previously "Asya Finans Kurumu Anonim Şirketi" (Asya Finance Incorporated Company), was changed into "Asya Katilim Bankasi Anonim Şirketi" (Asya Participation Bank Inc.) on December 20, 2005.
Bank Asya, with an initial capital of TRY 2 million and paid up capital of TRY 900 million, had a multi-partnered structure based on domestic capital. At the end of 2009, Bank Asya’s total assets reached TRY14 billion. Bank Asya rose by 47 places in the “Top 1000 World Bank Ranking” of “The Banker” Magazine in 2010, rising to 473 from 520. At the same time, Bank Asya ranked 403rd on “The Banker’s Top 500 Banking Brands”. Bank Asya has also become the largest participation bank in Turkey.
Bank Asya carried out its activities with 182 branches, 2 national and 1300 foreign correspondent banks besides the head office units as of May 2011.
The bank has been strongly tied to the controversial Gülen movement, led by the Islamic cleric and preacher Fethullah Gülen, and is widely considered to be founded and operated by his followers.
On 18 September 2014, President Erdoğan spoke at the Turkish Industry and Business Association, TÜSİAD meeting. Bank Asya was on Erdoğan's agenda without explicitly mentioning its name: "Yesterday, the main opposition leader accused us of working to bankrupt a bank. That bank is already bankrupt."
On 22 July 2016, the Banking Regulation and Supervision Agency (BDDK) cancelled Bank Asya's banking permissions as part of the 2016 purges.
With Decision No. 6318 of the Banking Regulation and Supervision Agency published on 29 May 2015, Bank Asya was transferred to the SDIF. The decision was published in the Official Gazette dated 30.05.2015 and numbered 29371. The decision read:
"As a result of the audits conducted in relation to Bank Asya (the Bank) within the scope of the Banking Law No. 5411 (the Law), it has been decided to transfer the Bank's shareholding rights, excluding dividends, and the management and supervision of the Bank to the Savings Deposit Insurance Fund in accordance with the provision of subparagraph (b) of the first paragraph of Article 71 of the Law for the purpose of partial or complete transfer, sale or merger, provided that the loss is deducted from the capital of the existing shareholders (it is revealed that the continuation of its activities poses a danger to the rights of deposit and participation fund holders and the confidence and stability of the financial system)."
At this stage, the SDIF did not yet revoke Bank Asya's banking licence and stated that it did not pose any risk to depositors.
- Muhiddin Gülal, President of the Savings Deposit Insurance Fund (SDIF), announced on 26 February 2016 that they plan to sell Bank Asya by 29 May, and that they will liquidate the bank if it cannot be sold.
According to The Banking Regulation and Supervision Agency (BRSA= BDDK in Turkish) board decision published on the website of the Banking Regulation and Supervision Agency and in the Official Gazette on 23 July 2016, Bank Asya's operating licence was cancelled.
- On 16 November 2017, with the decision of Istanbul 1st Commercial Court of First Instance dated 16.11.2017 and numbered 2017/41 E., Bank Asya was declared bankrupt.
Following the Justice and Development Party (AKP) government's restrictions on the Gülen movement and Bank Asya in Turkey since 2013, and particularly after the 2016 Turkish coup attempt, Bank Asya customers faced numerous rights violations. After the coup attempt, the Gülen movement was accused of plotting the coup and declared a terrorist organization by the Erdoğan regime. Consequently, being a partner, employee, or customer of Bank Asya became a significant factor in determining membership in the organization by government politicians and members of the judiciary. People, not blamed of any offenses, were accused of being members of a terrorist organization just because they worked for the bank, had an account or used bank's credit card and other banking services and they were subjected to criminal investigation. However, in the decision of the UN Human Rights Committee dated 01/06/2019, it was decided that depositing money into Bank Asya would not be a crime.

## History

1996
* Bank Asya was founded on October 24 in Istanbul, Turkey
1997
* 14 branches were opened in 10 cities (branches include Kadiköy, Merter, Şişli, Güneşli, Pendik(İstanbul), Ulus (Ankara), İzmir, Bursa, Konya, Gaziantep, Kayseri, Eskişehir, Antalya and Aydin)
1998
* Bank Asya launched credit card activities
* Established online banking correspondence with all Yapı Kredi branches
* Sultanhamam branch was opened
1999
* Bank Asya became subject to Turkish Banking Law
2000
* Online Banking became available to the public
* 9 branches were opened (branches include Ostim (Ankara), Diyarbakir, Erenköy, Ümraniye, Fatih, Gaziosmanpaşa (İstanbul), Gebze, Erzurum and Samsun)
2001
* The Union of Private Finance Houses was founded
* The Regulation for Foundation and Activities of Private Finance Houses began operations on September 20
2002
* 3 branches were opened (branches include Denizli, Adapazari and Beylikdüzü)
* Private Finance Houses Private Current and Savings Accounts Safety Fund Regulation began operation on September 18
* Installment credit cards were launched
* ATMs were put into service
* Correspondent banking relations were established with Türk Ekonomi Bankasi and Denizbank branches
2003
* 17 branches were opened
* Correspondent banking relation was established with Şekerbank branches
* Tax collection authority was granted by the Ministry of Finance
* Nationwide facility for credit card payment and money transfers by Asya Finans customers through online PTT branches was initiated
* Bank Asya became a member of VISA on October 24
2004
* Alo Asya (444 4 888) Telephone Banking was put into operation on January 1 and March 17, for retail and corporate customers, respectively
* 19 branches were opened
* The organizational structure of the Head Office was changed and operations began being carried out by 24 units
2005
* The company name, which had been previously "Asya Finans Kurumu A.Ş.", was changed into "Asya Katilim Bankasi A.Ş."
* Membership agreement was signed with MasterCard on May 18
* Bank Asya launched chip credit card activities
* Bank Asya became registered in the presence of Trade Register Office of Istanbul on December 20
* Paid-up capital has increased from TL 120 million to TL 240 million
* 11 branches were opened
2006
* On May 12, Bank Asya shares began trading at the (İstanbul Stock Exchange) ISE with the code of ASYAB
* Paid-up capital has increased from TL 60 million to TL 300
2007
* 26 new branches were opened. Bank Asya branches have increased to 118
* New Head Office building in Ümraniye commenced service on October 1
2008
* Bank Asya became title sponsor for the First League of Turkish Football Federation
* AsyaCard DIT, the most extensive, off-line credit card of Europe, and AsyaPratik DIT, the first pre-paid bank card of Turkey, were brought into use
* The first transportation project with which AsyaCard can be used has been put into service and AsyaCard began to be used for transportation in Kahramanmaras
* Paid-up capital has increased to TL 900 million
* Number of branches has increased to 149
2009
* Bank Asya was displayed as the bank having the most effective performance in the "Top 1000 World Banks" list of financial magazine The Banker.
* The first contactless prepaid bank card of Turkey, DIT Pratik, ranked first in 2009 category
* A strategic cooperation agreement was signed between Bank Asya and ICD, one of the corporations of Islamic Development Bank (IDB) and Bank Asya went in a partnership with Senegal - based Tamweel Africa Holding SA
* Assets reached TL 11,6 billion; increasing 43% compared to the same period of the last year
* Reaching 22,2% profit rate Bank Asya has become the most profitable interest - free bank of Turkey for last three years
* Number of branches has increased to 158
2010
* Second Murabaha syndication - 250 million USD
* Bank Asya ranked 403 in The Banker‘s Top 500 Banking Brands listing the leading names
2011
* 300 million USD murabaha syndication

## Ratings
### Moody's

Moody's Ratings :
| Moody's | 2010 |
| Long term FC Deposit | Ba3 |
| Short term FC Deposit | B1 |
| Long term LC Deposit | Ba2 |
| Short term LC Deposit | Ba1 |

### Fitch

Fitch Ratings :
| Fitch | 2010 |
| Long Term Foreign Currency | B+ |
| Long Term Local Currency | B+ |
| Short Term Foreign Currency | B |
| Short Term Local Currency | B |
| National Long Term | A-+(tur) |

## Former subsidiaries
### Işık Sigorta

* 65.42% ownership - non-life insurance company with 183 million TL in assets.

### TUNA REIT (Real Estate Investment Trust)

* Established in 2009
* Development of residential and saleable real estate and generation of rental revenue from its own real estate portfolio.
* STRATEGY: IPO in 3 years

### TAMWEEL Africa Holding

* Bank Asya and ICD (Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector), a subsidiary of the Islamic Development Bank jointly carry out interest-free banking activities in West Africa
* Bank Asya owns a 40% stake and ICD 60% in Senegal-based Tamweel Africa Holding SA
* Tamweel Africa Holding SA owns 4 banks in Niger, Senegal, Guinea, and Mauritania
* Plans for opening 2 new banks in Benin and Mali
* Partnership could expand up to 22 countries in Africa