Istanbul. Positioned at the intersection of continents and cultures, Istanbul is now emerging as a global digital hub and a critical interconnection point for data traffic between Europe, the Middle East, and Central Asia. This is the key finding of a new independent study conducted by the DStream Group, published today. The release coincides with the tenth anniversary of DE-CIX Istanbul, Türkiye´s largest neutral Internet Exchange and a central anchor in DE-CIX’s global interconnection ecosystem. In a decade, the country has shifted from digital fragmentation to global relevance and regional integration.
Neutral interconnection driving digital transformation
In the past 10 years, Türkiye has made significant progress in developing its digital infrastructure, with Istanbul leading the way. The city’s unique geographical location, a growing Internet Exchange market, and rising demand for data services have catalyzed its evolution into a key node for Internet traffic in the region. Istanbul’s data center market is growing steadily, driven by rising demand for cloud services, digital transformation, local content delivery, and increasing Internet penetration. The study’s authors forecast that the Istanbul interconnection market will exceed 150 interconnected networks and handle multi-terabit-per-second (Tbit/s) traffic by 2030, almost doubling its current size.
Beyond its geographical and demographic strengths, Istanbul’s potential lies in its role as an alternative route for Middle Eastern connectivity to Europe. Major submarine cable systems landing in Türkiye and nationwide fiber network coverage connecting directly to nearly all neighboring countries serve not only the domestic market but also a wider region that spans over 20 countries, creating an essential segment of the world’s East-West and North-South dataflows. Land-based routes through Türkiye provide a crucial alternative to submarine connectivity to Europe, offering redundant pathways – a core requirement in network compliance – and enhancing resilience against disruptions. Cities such as Ankara, Izmir, and Van are also emerging as strategic infrastructure hubs, contributing to a more distributed and resilient national topology.
At the heart of this transformation is DE-CIX Istanbul, Türkiye’s first and largest neutral Internet Exchange, established in 2015. DE-CIX has played a pivotal role in shaping the country’s interconnection landscape, enabling low-latency data exchange across more than 60 networks. More than ten colocation sites across the metro area are fostering geographic redundancy. Today, DE-CIX hosts 93% of all international networks peering in Istanbul and serves as the meeting point for networks on both sides of the Bosphorus. Its presence has attracted global players and facilitated the development of alternative land-based data routes, enhancing resilience and reducing dependency on traditional European hubs. This impact extends to the cloud sector as well – most recently, the first AWS cloud onramp became operational at the DE-CIX site in Istanbul.
“Türkiye is no longer just a gateway – it’s becoming a destination for digital investment,” says Bülent Sen, Regional Director of DE-CIX Türkiye. “We are already seeing massive growth at the exchange,” he continues. In early August, the IX surpassed 500 Gigabits per second (Gbit/s) of data throughput for the first time. Most recently, in September 2025, peak traffic reached more than 533 Gbit/s – an increase of 42% since the beginning of the year. “We expect this upward trend to continue, driven by the growing adoption of artificial intelligence in Türkiye. A recent survey among technology leaders in the country shows that AI investments are among the top priorities for businesses, with nearly half of respondents identifying it as a key area for future growth,” Sen concludes.
The next ten years: A new Internet for new connectivity needs
As demands for diversified connectivity grow, Istanbul stands ready to be a part of the next phase of digital development – solidifying its role not just as a bridge, but as a digital anchor at the crossroads of continents.
“With a commitment to neutrality, DE-CIX Istanbul is poised to anchor regional data flows and support the digital future of the whole region,” says Ivo Ivanov, CEO of DE-CIX. “AI and satellite-based Internet will significantly reshape the connectivity landscape in the coming decade in Türkiye and elsewhere. With DE-CIX Istanbul, Türkiye is well-positioned to play a major part shaping this digital future for the next ten years and beyond.”
Looking ahead to 2030, the study recommends Türkiye should aim to attract hyperscale cloud providers, expand CDN deployments, and further develop its interconnection ecosystem, with a goal of doubling the number of peered networks and CDN nodes. Key recommendations include regulatory reform, infrastructure liberalization, and fostering public-private collaboration to unlock the full potential of the digital economy.
Click here to receive a digital copy of the study “Istanbul: A Strategic Digital Hub At the Crossroads of Continents” or to download a comprehensive Executive Summary.
More information about DE-CIX Istanbul can be found here: https://www.de-cix.net/en/locations/istanbul/