İş Bankası, the largest private bank in Turkey, has opened its first floating branch on a ferry in Istanbul.
The floating branch overlooks the Bosphorus in the central neighborhood of Karaköy.
The branch is set up on a 50-meter-long ferry built in 2025 at a local shipyard. The idea is to combine regular banking services with a touristic experience.
The ferry includes a fully equipped bank branch with two ATMs, a comfortable waiting area with sofas, a café offering drinks and food at reasonable prices, and a small meeting room.
The branch is run by two employees and even stays open on weekends, making it convenient for both residents and tourists.
From the deck, visitors can enjoy a beautiful panoramic view of the Bosphorus and the nearby waterfront business district, with cruise ships docked close by.
But the project is more than just an attractive landmark. It is also part of the bank’s plan to ensure banking services continue during natural disasters, especially the strong earthquake that scientists expect could hit the Istanbul area.
If needed, the ferry can expand its operations to include up to 13 ATMs and provide around 300 sleeping spaces on board to shelter people affected by disasters.
The bank previously tried a similar idea after the devastating earthquakes that struck southeastern Turkey in February 2023.
The project also brings back a historical memory for the bank. Exactly 100 years ago, in 1926, a mobile branch sailed on the ship Karadeniz to Europe, visiting 15 ports to introduce the European continent to the young Turkish Republic.
