short form of turkey currency

TL;DR: Turkey's Currency

By Nicole ClarkFebruary 2, 2026

The Turkish Lira is the official currency of Turkey, but it's often called by its unofficial short form, the 'TRY'.

This short form is not only used in daily financial transactions, but also in international trade and across digital platforms.

The Origin of 'TRY'

The name 'TRY' originates from the Turkish word 'Türk', which means 'Turkish', and 'Yeni', meaning 'new'. This is a nod to Turkey's past currency, the 'New Turkish Lira' (Yeni Türk Lirası), which was introduced in 2005 to replace the 'Old Turkish Lira'.

the different types of money are shown in this poster

the different types of money are shown in red and green colors, including one hundred euros

three different types of foreign currency are on display

With the aim of curbing inflation and stabilizing the economy, the exchange rate was fixed at 1,000,000 former Turkish Liras to 1 New Turkish Lira. Eventually, the name 'New Turkish Lira' was dropped, and we were left with 'TRY'.

Turkish Currency Code

The ISO 4217 currency code for Turkish Lira is indeed 'TRY'. Introduced in 1974, the ISO 4217 standard provides a unique code for each currency unit. It helps simplify international transactions and data exchange by providing a common language for currencies.

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three different types of currency are stacked on top of each other

This code aligns with the short form 'TRY', making it easier for international users to understand and process transactions involving Turkish Lira.

Symbol and Notation for Turkish Lira

In addition to 'TRY', the Turkish Lira has two other notations:

YSY: This is the historic Turkish currency notation used until 1986. It doesn't see much use today, but might still appear in archived documents or older transactions.
₺: Since 2008, a dedicated symbol for the Turkish Lira has been in use. This symbol looks like a capital P with a line through its midway point, written after the numerical value (e.g., 5₺ for five Turkish Liras).

While '₺' might seem more intuitive, 'TRY' is widely preferred in the digital age due to its compatibility with various international financial systems and software applications.

a ten dollar bill with an image of the world on it's back side

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the different types of currency are shown in this image, including one hundred and two thousand dollars

an image of a coin with the number one on it's side, in front of a white background

Using 'TRY' in International Transactions

For international monetary transactions, 'TRY' is the recognized and widely-used code for the Turkish Lira. It's used in foreign exchange markets, international payments, and even in popular digital platforms like PayPal and cryptocurrency exchanges.

Banks and financial institutions use 'TRY' in SWIFT (Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication) code, helping to standardize and streamline international payments.

Turkish Lira and Cryptocurrencies

The 'TRY' code extends to the world of cryptocurrencies as well. Exchanges like Binance and Coinbase offer trading pairs such as Bitcoin-TRY (BTC-TRY), Ether-TRY (ETH-TRY), and many others.

This integration shows the global recognition of 'TRY' as the short form of the Turkish Lira, promoting its use and accessibility in the 21st-century digital financial landscape.

As the Turkish economy continues to evolve anddigital transactions increase, it's expected that 'TRY' will become even more integral to international trade and finance. Its straightforwardness and universality contribute to its widespread use beyond Turkey's borders.