Qatar National Bank

The Turkey Wealth Fund on March 24 announced it has finalized a syndication loan transaction amounting to €1.25 billion ($1.48 billion) with the participation of 14 banks from countries from Asia, Europe, North America, and the Middle East.

Spain's BBVA, which has a majority stake in Turkey's Garanti Bank, is looking to buy another bank in the country, BBVA chief Carlos Torres Vila has said. 

BBVA is not actively in talks as there are no banks for sale, but Turkey is a strategic market, he said. "We want to grow in Turkey. We want to acquire another lender that will bring value to Garanti."

Bank of China has completed its application to receive a banking license in Turkey after submitting the required documents, according to the head of the country's banking watchdog. 

Two lenders from Iran are planning to take license to do business in the Turkish market, said the head of Turkey's banking watchdog. 

"We have taken demands from Iranian banks. Two Iranian lenders want to take banking license in Turkey," said the head of the Banking Regulation and Supervision Agency (BDDK), Mehmet Ali Akben, on March 16. 

Qatar National Bank (SAQ) agreed to buy National Bank of Greece SA’s (NBG) stake in its Turkish subsidiary, Finansbank AS, for 2.7 billion euros ($2.95 billion). The deal to buy NBG’s 99.8% holding needs to be approved before it can close in the first half of 2016.

Qatar National Bank (QNB), the Gulf Arab region's largest bank, has agreed to buy Turkey's Finansbank from the National Bank of Greece (NBG) for 2.7 billion euros ($2.95 billion), as it steps up its search for larger markets overseas. With the latest acquisition, Qatari companies have strengthened their hands in the Turkish market. 

Qatar National Bank SAQ , the Gulf Arab region's largest bank, reached an agreement with National Bank of Greece to acquire the latter's entire 99.81 percent stake in Turkey's Finansbank for 2.7 billion euros ($2.95 billion), the two banks said on Dec. 22.

A number of local and global lenders have expressed interest in buying a majority stake in Turkey's Finansbank, which is now owned by Greece's leading lender, the National Bank of Greece (NBG). 

HSBC is dragging its feet on the sale of its Turkish business to ING Group, two sources familiar with the matter said, as the bank is no longer in a hurry to exit Turkey after securing a hefty $5.2 billion for its Brazilian unit.

Qatar National Bank and Bahrain?s Arab Bank Corp did not follow up early interest in acquiring HSBC?s Turkish business because they are more interested in National Bank of Greece?s Turkish arm Finansbank, two people familiar with the matter said.