BANKING - NFC first for Turkcell with contactless road toll payment application

www.gomenews.com - Turkcell is claiming an industry first by introducing an application which enables Android handset users to pay the tolls when crossing bridges and passing motorway toll-booths contactlessly via NFC (Near Field Technology) technology. Currently the app is only applicable to Turkcell’s own-branded T11 Android handset. The handset is believed to be made for Turkcell by China’s ZTE and is therefore ZTE’s first released NFC-enabled handset. The system has been created in collaboration with Bank Asya and entirely eliminates the need to carry an NFC compatible plastic transmission card (KGS). (source)

CAPITAL MARKETS - Turkish banks bond with new investors

Turkish banks have long been regular participants in the international syndicated loan markets, but in recent months they have begun to explore other avenues in the global debt markets.

Among the recent highlights has been the first ever sukuk issue by one of the country's Islamic banks, while leading conventional lender Akbank has tapped both the Eurobond and securitisation markets.