ADB Signs $50m Deal to Expand Green Leasing in Türkiye

ADB Director General for Central and West Asia Leah Gutierrez said the financial leasing sector has an important role in supporting productive investment and private-sector development.

The Asian Development Bank has signed a $50 million medium-term financing agreement with Yapı Kredi Leasing to expand funding for renewable energy, energy efficiency and greener industrial investment across Türkiye. The deal marks ADB's first transaction in the country's financial leasing industry and is expected to give businesses greater access to equipment and technologies that can lower energy use, improve resource efficiency and strengthen their competitiveness.

Yapı Kredi Leasing, one of Türkiye's largest leasing companies, will use the financing to grow its sustainable leasing portfolio, directing funds towards companies investing in cleaner energy and production systems. Leasing can make expensive equipment more accessible to businesses that may prefer to spread costs over time rather than make a large upfront purchase, giving the sector an important role in financing private investment.

Solar, wind and geothermal projects to receive financing

The ADB funding will support equipment and facilities connected with solar photovoltaic, wind and geothermal energy, widening the range of renewable technologies that Turkish businesses can finance through sustainable leasing arrangements. Electric vehicles and charging infrastructure are also included, alongside energy-efficient industrial equipment.

Part of the financing will focus on Türkiye's textile industry, where upgrading machinery and improving energy efficiency can help manufacturers reduce operating costs and environmental impacts. For companies competing in domestic and international markets, newer equipment can also support productivity while helping them respond to growing expectations around cleaner production.

ADB Director General for Central and West Asia Leah Gutierrez said the financial leasing sector has an important role in supporting productive investment and private-sector development. The partnership with Yapı Kredi Leasing places energy production and consumption at the centre of efforts to improve economic resilience while protecting the natural environment.

The transaction also gives ADB a new route for reaching private businesses in Türkiye. Rather than financing each individual company directly, the bank can work through an established leasing provider that already has relationships with businesses seeking machinery, vehicles and infrastructure.

Around 15% of funding reserved for blue investments

About 15 per cent of the $50 million will be earmarked for what the project describes as blue lease portfolios. These investments cover activities linked to more sustainable use of water and materials, including wastewater treatment plants, fisheries equipment and plastic recycling facilities.

Funding can also support facilities producing plastic packaging from biodegradable materials. Combining these investments with renewable energy and efficiency projects broadens the programme beyond cutting carbon emissions, addressing issues such as waste, water management and resource use.

Yapı Kredi Leasing CEO Fatih Torun described the agreement as a milestone for both the company and Türkiye's sustainable finance market. He said the additional financing would help Turkish businesses gain access to leasing solutions for technologies that can strengthen resilience and competitiveness while contributing to national environmental goals.

For smaller or growing companies, access to specialised green financing can influence whether investments in efficient equipment are commercially practical. Leasing provides one way to make those upgrades without requiring businesses to purchase every asset outright.

Deal supports Türkiye's wider green transition

The YK Lease Sustainability Energy Transition Finance Project is aligned with ADB's interim country partnership strategy for Türkiye covering 2025 to 2027. It also supports priorities contained in Türkiye's Green Deal Action Plan and Medium-Term Economic Programs, linking the financing with broader efforts to modernise the economy and encourage sustainable investment.

Yapı Kredi Leasing is directly owned by Yapı Kredi, Türkiye's fourth-largest private bank by assets, and forms part of the Koç Group. The conglomerate launched its Carbon Transition Program in 2021 with the goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2050, with the leasing business expected to contribute to that transition.

The $50 million agreement gives Turkish companies another source of financing for technologies ranging from renewable power systems to cleaner industrial machinery and wastewater treatment. It also signals a larger role for the leasing industry in turning sustainability targets into practical investments that businesses can put to work.