BDDK exempts bank buybacks from core capital

BDDK exempted banks' buybacks from being deducted from core capital for shares bought after Sept. 16, 2026 and said those holdings will be excluded from capital adequacy calculations until Dec. 31, 2026.

Officials said the measure is temporary and aimed at easing liquidity risks in fund markets. The announcement was published on Sept. 17, 2026 and covers publicly listed banks' own shares acquired on Borsa Istanbul after the Sept. 16 cut-off.

Buybacks exempted until Dec 31, 2026 The agency said the exemption removes the usual capital charge that treats treasury stock as a deduction from core capital. As a result, banks that repurchase shares in the period specified will not see those holdings reduce their core-equity tier 1 figures for capital-ratio calculations through the end of the year.

If banks step up repurchases before Dec. 31, 2026, then their reported capital ratios will not reflect those holdings during the exemption window and that could limit immediate downward pressure on bank equities. If banks do not use the leeway, the practical effect on balance sheets and market pricing will be small.

Markets will watch whether banks increase buybacks ahead of the Dec. 31, 2026 expiry and how firms disclose such programs before the year-end deadline.