Since the very first day of its operation, Ziraat Bank has been shaping the sector, guided by its deeply rooted and sound values, and aims to become the most efficient and effective bank in the future by carrying its service ability to a new level every year.

1863- The Homeland Coffers which forms the basis of today’s Ziraat Bank, were established by Mithat Pasha in the town of Pirot (20 November).               

1883- The Homeland Coffers were replaced by Benefit Funds. Steps were taken to ensure the Coffers were strong and substantive in structure.

1888- The governing statute of Ziraat Bank entered force on 28 August, and the Bank’s head office began operations on 17 September. With TL 10 million in capital, Ziraat Bank was converted into a government institution under the support of the Ministry of Trade and Public Works.

1916- The Ziraat Bank law was enacted (23 March). Loans for agricultural businesses and advance loans on bills and guarantee were provided. The first government bills were issued. Instruments similar to today’s depository certificates were issued. First seed-financing credit given.
1919- Money was provided from Ziraat Bank’s funds to meet the expenses of the detachments of the Turkish National Army during the War of Independence and used to purchase equipment for the soldiers.

1920- Upon the establishment of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey, the management of all branches and funds in the territories under Parliament’s control was assigned to the Ankara Branch of Ziraat Bank.

1922- The control of Izmir operations, followed by Istanbul operations, was transferred to the Ankara Branch, and the Bank was reunified on 23 October 1922.

1923- With the establishment of the Turkish Republic, Ziraat Bank embarked upon a period of rapid growth and extensive service delivery.
1945- Regulations for the Turkish Republic Ziraat Bank were completed and entered into effect.

1975- A representative office was opened in Hamburg and branches were opened in Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, Lefkoşa, Gazimağusa and Güzelyurt.

1977- Regional headquarters were established; Aegean (Izmir), Marmara (Istanbul), Anatolia (Ankara), Eastern Anatolia (Erzurum), Southeastern Anatolia (Diyarbakır). As a result of the increased number of branches, a regional management system started to be applied instead of the central management system.

1981- In order to exhibit the history of the Bank, the Ziraat Bank Museum - the first banking museum in Turkey - was established at the VIP lounge of the Bank in the main headquarters.

1983- The Bank’s New York representative office was converted into a branch, while representative offices entered service in Duisburg, Berlin, Munich, Stuttgart and Rotterdam.

1986- The Antalya and Mersin Free Region branches were opened.

1988- The Southeast Anatolian Project loans directorate was established. Loan support, suitable for the characteristics of the region, was provided to regional producers. Ziraat Bank was ranked in 452nd position in Euromoney Magazine’s list of the top 500 banks (according to equity size).

1989- The banking school was launched. The first investment fund (Fund I) was established. Gold sales were initiated under the name of Ziraat Gold. The first consumer loan was issued, along with the first credit card. The Bingöl-Muş rural development Project was initiated.             

1990- As well as ATM machines, foreign currency exchange machines were brought into service for the first time in Turkey, along with self-service information terminals, voice messaging systems and the Bingöl-Muş rural area development Project, which included a branch not requiring human staffing, aiming to provide uninterrupted 24-hour service. The transactions of bills-bonds and stocks were initiated. New funds were introduced (Fund II, III and IV). The change to the SWIFT system was carried out.

1993- The Istanbul Clearing Transactions Centre entered operation, working with the Istanbul Branch. Ziraat Bank Moscow, Kazkommerts Ziraat International Bank (KZI Bank), Turkmen Turkish Commercial Bank (TTC Bank) and Uzbekistan Turkish Bank (UT Bank) were established and entered operation. Ziraat Bank was ranked 202nd in Euromoney’s top 500 banks, 41st in terms of net profit, and the world’s first in terms of its return on equity. Moreover, the Bank ranked 12th in the “World’s 50 most rapidly developing banks” listing.

1998- The Sofia Branch entered operation. The Hannover, Frankfurt and Duisburg representative offices began to operate as branches.

1999- The number of the Bank’s subsidiaries reached 21. FX-linked, daily and spot loans were executed.

2000- The Law passed on 25 November, 2000 paved the way for Ziraat Bank to be transformed into a joint-stock company.

2001- The Bank’s organizational structure is completely transformed to meet the needs of modern banking and international competition. A marketing angle was added to the Bank’s operations weighted banking approach. Emlak Bank was merged into Ziraat Bank.

2009- In Greece, the Athens and Komotini branches entered operation. The Bank announced TL 3.51 billion net profit the highest profit ever announced by a Turkish company to date.

2011- Branches were opened in Erbil in Iraq and Jeddah in Saudi Arabia. Ziraat Bank was ranked second place in Western Europe and the fifth place in the world in the “Best Profits on Average Capital” category, in the “World’s Top 1,000 Banks” published by The Banker magazine. The Bank launched the change and transformation project under the slogan “Together to a Better Future”, which is aligned with the Bank’s vision, mission and values and which took account of the best practices in the industry.

2013- In its 150^th anniversary year, 150 new branches were opened. The Bank posted a net profit of TL 3.3 billion for the period and became most profitable bank in the sector.