# Turkmenistan — payment codes and schemes

> Source: https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/payments/TM
> extracted at 2026-10-03
> Publisher: Barcoder — encyclopedia of QR, barcode and payment-code standards

## Summary

- **Halkbank QR** launched 2023
- **1,000x growth** in non-cash payments (2013-2024)
- **5.94 million** bank cards in circulation
- **Altyn Asyr** national payment system
- **$5.90 billion** digital payments projected (2024)

## Banking landscape

### Central Bank
- **Name:** Central Bank of Turkmenistan
- **Website:** https://www.cbt.tm/
- **Role:** Monetary policy, banking oversight

### Major Banks (2024)

| Rank | Bank Name | Type | Digital Platform |
|------|-----------|------|------------------|
| 1 | Halkbank | State | Halkbank-Terminal |
| 2 | Rysgal Bank | Private | Rysgal E-wallet |
| 3 | Senagat Bank | State | Senagat App |
| 4 | Dayhanbank | State | Dayhan Mobile |
| 5 | Turkmenistan Bank | State | TB Mobile |

### Market Structure
- **Halkbank:** QR code pioneer
- **5.94 million cards:** In circulation
- **2,138 ATMs:** Nationwide
- **State-dominated:** Banking sector

---

## Payment infrastructure

### National Payment Systems

| System | Operator | Type | Status |
|--------|----------|------|--------|
| Altyn Asyr | National | Payment system | Active |
| Halkbank QR | Halkbank | QR/NFC | Active (2023) |
| Halkbank-Terminal | Halkbank | mPOS | Active |

### Digital Payment Statistics (2024)
- **18.3 billion TMT:** Cashless transactions (Jan-Nov)
- **17% growth:** Year-over-year
- **210.6 million TMT:** Via Halkbank-Terminal
- **7,000+ clients:** Mobile app users

### Historical Growth
- **2013:** 4.2 million TMT cashless
- **2023:** 17.3 billion TMT
- **Growth:** ~4,000x in decade

---

## QR code standards

### Halkbank QR

| Attribute | Value |
|-----------|-------|
| **Operator** | Halkbank |
| **Launch** | 2023 |
| **App** | Digital Card |
| **Features** | NFC + QR |

### Halkbank QR Features
- Contactless NFC payments
- QR code payments
- Mobile phone based
- Retail/service networks

### Halkbank-Terminal
- Mobile app as POS terminal
- Replaces traditional terminals
- 210.6 million TMT volume
- 3.8% annual growth

### QR Testing
- Rysgal Bank QR testing
- Retail network trials
- Service network integration
- Maestro contactless cards

---

## Mobile payment apps

| App | Provider | QR | Features |
|-----|----------|-------|----------|
| Digital Card | Halkbank | Yes | NFC + QR |
| Halkbank-Terminal | Halkbank | Yes | mPOS |
| Rysgal E-wallet | Rysgal | Developing | Banking |

### Digital Card App
- Halkbank developed
- NFC contactless payments
- QR code payments
- Mobile phone based

### Rysgal Bank Services
- Internet banking
- E-wallet introduction
- QR code testing
- Digital transformation

---

## Schemes

| Scheme | Type | Symbology | Adoption | Technical standard |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| [Halkbank QR](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/payments/TM/halkbank-qr) | QR + NFC | Mobile | Active | [`halkbank-qr`](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/standards/halkbank-qr) |
| [Altyn Asyr](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/payments/TM/altyn-asyr) | National | System | Universal | — |
| [Halkbank-Terminal](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/payments/TM/halkbank-terminal) | mPOS | App | 7K+ clients | — |

## Sources

- [Turkmenportal - Contactless Payment Service](https://turkmenportal.com/en/blog/69365/contactless-payment-service-will-be-introduced-in-turkmenistan)
- [Wikipedia - Altyn Asyr Payment System](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Altyn_Asyr_(payment_system))
- [Turkmenistan Embassy - Cashless Digitization](https://georgia.tmembassy.gov.tm/en/news/63732)
- [NCA - Digital Banking Revolutionizes Payments](https://www.newscentralasia.net/2024/12/24/digital-banking-revolutionizes-payments-in-turkmenistan-1000x-surge-in-non-cash-payments-over-the-past-decade/)
- [Turkmenportal - 4 Million Bank Cards](https://turkmenportal.com/en/blog/29115/the-number-of-bank-cards-used-in-turkmenistan-has-exceeded-4-million)
- [Turkmenistan.gov - Rysgal Bank E-wallet](https://turkmenistan.gov.tm/en/post/13542/rysgal-jscb-introduce-internet-banking-and-e-wallet)
- [Statista - Digital Payments Turkmenistan](https://www.statista.com/outlook/fmo/digital-payments/turkmenistan)
- [Kuveyt Turk - QR Code Transactions](https://www.kuveytturk.com.tr/en/digital-banking/kuveyt-turk-mobile/qr-code-transactions)
- [Balkan Shipyard - Cashless Transition](https://balkanshipyard.com.tm/?p=8601&lang=en)
- [Relevant Software - QR Payments 2024](https://relevant.software/blog/qr-code-payments-explained/)

## Full country report

[TM-turkmenistan.md](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/payments/TM)