Page 48 - TURKRptFeb21

Twitter is relatively comfortable as its Turkish users are accustomed to using VPN services when it is banned in Turkey but ​Facebook is looking like the weak link in the chain​.
Apart from government officials and those who communicate with them for business purposes, Turks might want to think twice before using local apps if they have deserted WhatsApp because they think its new privacy settings will allow the company to share chat information with the Turkish government.
Even government officials may refrain from using local apps for private conversation.
WhatsApp chat groups emerged as a leading news source in Turkey due to press freedom conditions in the country.
The US Trade Representative’s office complained on January 7 about digital taxes imposed by Turkey along with France, India and Italy on US tech companies such as Google, Facebook, Apple and Amazon​.
As of March, a 7.5% tax on the “sales revenues” of technology companies, including Google, Facebook and Amazon, came into force in Turkey.
Uber Taxi is ​returning​ to Turkey after a court ruling unblocked the application.
Turkish property management software developer Apsiyon ​placed​ 85th in the TOBB ​(the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey) Fastest Growing Turkish Companies ranking​. Apsiyon’s turnover in 2018 was in the range of Turkish lira (TRY) 5-20mn.
Istanbul-listed Aselsan’s (ASELS) 50%-held optical devices development unit Aselsan Hassas Optik​ was ranked 26th in the TOBB list with revenues in the range of TRY50-100mn in 2018.
Online bus ticketing service ​oBilet​ was ranked 39th with revenues of TRY5-20mn.
Another software developer, ​Kuasoft​, was ranked 17th on the TOBB list with revenues in the range of TRY1-5mn in 2018.
Online payments service ​Odeal​ was ranked 20th with TRY5-20mn of revenues.
Turkcell’s (TCELL) 100%-owned electronic money unit ​Turkcell Odeme, the legal entity that has operated the Paycell brand since 2015, is to ​apply​ to the Capital Markets Board of Turkey (SPK) to sell up to Turkish lira (TRY) 200mn ($26.8mn) of management agreement-based sukuks​ with maturities of up to 12 months.
Online groceries delivery company Getir ​launched​ operations in London​.
Major Tech Deals in Turkey
Date
Sold
Stake
Price
Buyer
Seller
Jan-21
BluTV
2.77%
-
Twozero
-
Jan-21
BluTV
35%
-
Discovery/US
-
Jan-21
Inofab
-
$1mn
Re-Pie/Teknoloji/Fark
Fundraising
Jan-21
Getir
minority
$128mn
Moritz/Base/Tiger/Goodwater/Esas/Fiba/Revo
Fundraising
Jan-21
Innovera
-
-
Eczacibasi-Taxim-Cyberwise
-
48​ TURKEY Country Report​ February 2021 ​ ​www.intellinews.com