MARS

MARS Finansal Teknolojiler A.Ş. is a Turkish financial technology company, established in 2020 by co-founders Emrah Kaya, Burcu Bekdaş, and Eray Yüksek. The venture was born from the founders' extensive backgrounds in youth marketing, technology, and startups, with the idea originating from Emrah Kaya's and Burcu Bekdaş's time at the Toplum Gönüllüleri Vakfı (Community Volunteers Foundation). Emrah Kaya, a serial entrepreneur with a history of creating youth-focused brands and a recipient of the European Business Awards, has been focused on digital banking models since 2015. Burcu Bekdaş brings experience from various advertising agencies and startups, while Eray Yüksek has a 29-year background at IBM, leading strategy and technology in emerging markets.

The company operates as a neobank, providing a digital financial platform that allows users to consolidate all their existing bank accounts and cards into a single application and one MARS card. This core service enables users to manage their finances, make payments, and transfer money from one centralized point, effectively combining the limits of all linked cards. MARS targets the Turkish domestic market with a vision for regional and eventual global expansion. Its business model is based on a tiered membership system—Starter (free), Prime, Platinum, and Titanium Metal—which generates revenue through subscription fees and standard banking service charges. The platform operates as a commercial representative of United Payment Services, which is licensed and audited by the Turkish regulatory bodies BDDK and TCMB.

The MARS platform provides a suite of features designed for user convenience and control. Users can withdraw cash from any ATM in Turkey without fees, perform instant peer-to-peer money transfers, and conduct inter-bank transfers through the app. Other functionalities include bill payments and a 'split-the-bill' feature. A significant component of the offering is the 'MARS Colonies,' a personalized rewards system where users can access discounts and earn 'MARS Miles' from over 300 brands across categories like travel, food, and fashion. Distinguishing itself in the market, MARS offers Turkey's first Mastercard Silver Logo prepaid card and a premium Titanium Metal card, made from 18 grams of pure metal, which provides exclusive perks such as airport lounge access and private driver services.

Keywords: neobank, financial technology, fintech Turkey, digital banking, mobile payments, card consolidation, financial management app, premium banking, subscription finance, MARS Miles, loyalty program, metal card, Mastercard Silver, Emrah Kaya, Burcu Bekdaş, Eray Yüksek, United Payment, embedded finance, spend management, P2P transfer, bill payment