Darkex Advertisement Appears During ATV Broadcast of Turkey–Venezuela Match

A Darkex advertisement was seen during ATV’s broadcast of the friendly match between Turkey and Venezuela. Broadcast footage showed the Darkex logo on pitch-side and behind-goal advertising boards during the game.

The friendly match between Turkey’s national football team and Venezuela was played at Inter Miami Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The match was broadcast live in Turkey on ATV.

Darkex Logo Shown During the Match Broadcast

During the ATV broadcast, the Darkex logo appeared on advertising boards around the pitch while play was ongoing. The footage showed the ATV logo, the match score graphic and the Darkex advertisement on screen at the same time.

The advertisement was not part of a commercial break. It appeared on stadium advertising boards during the live match broadcast.

What Is Darkex?

Darkex describes itself as a global cryptocurrency exchange offering crypto trading services to users in different markets. The company says it was established in 2024 and presents its platform as a crypto exchange for both individual and institutional users.

According to information published by Darkex, the company operates through Darkex Exchange LLC, registered in Georgia. Darkex also lists trading license and registration information for Georgia and Panama on its own support pages.

The company’s own terms of use include a list of prohibited countries where it says it does not provide account registration or services. The list includes countries such as the United States, Canada, Venezuela, China, Russia, Iran and Georgia. Turkey is not listed among those prohibited countries in Darkex’s own terms of use.

However, Darkex’s position in Turkey is covered separately by Turkish regulatory decisions. The platform has appeared in bulletins published by Turkey’s Capital Markets Board, known locally as the SPK, in connection with access-blocking procedures.

Darkex Was Listed in Capital Markets Board Bulletins

Several Darkex-related internet addresses were listed in SPK bulletins as websites subject to access-blocking procedures. These included www.darkex.com, otc.darkex.com, futures.darkex.com, academy.darkex.com, m.darkex.com and darkex.app.

The entries were linked to issues including unauthorised crypto asset service provider activity targeting people resident in Turkey and the provision of leveraged transactions abroad.

Darkex does not appear on the SPK’s temporary list of crypto asset service providers operating in Turkey. The SPK also states that inclusion on that temporary list does not itself mean that the listed companies have been formally authorised under the relevant legislation.

Rules on Foreign Platforms Targeting Users in Turkey

The SPK’s announcements on crypto asset service providers include criteria for determining whether a foreign-based platform is targeting users in Turkey.

According to the regulator’s framework, a foreign-based platform may be considered to be targeting Turkey-based users if it opens a workplace in Turkey, operates a Turkish-language website or carries out promotion and marketing activities through individuals or entities based in Turkey.

Ş.Y. Named in Illegal Betting Investigation

The person identified in Turkish media as the owner of Darkex, referred to as Ş.Y., has also been named in an illegal betting investigation conducted by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office.

Information reported from the investigation stated that Ş.Y. was linked to illegal betting operations. The case file reportedly included findings that he enabled betting through illegal betting platforms and provided infrastructure support to those platforms.

The proceedings involving Ş.Y. also included allegations under Law No. 7258, Turkey’s law covering illegal betting and games of chance, as well as laundering assets derived from criminal activity.

Assets and Crypto Accounts Were Seized

As part of the investigation, analyses by Turkey’s Financial Crimes Investigation Board, known locally as MASAK, reportedly identified findings related to illicit gains.

Following those findings, seizure decisions were issued for assets linked to Ş.Y., including movable and immovable property, company shares, partnership interests, bank accounts, investment accounts and crypto assets.

A crypto asset account held through global companies and said to be worth around $500 million was also frozen.

Darkex Ads Had Also Appeared During Kocaelispor–Fenerbahçe Match

Darkex advertisements had previously appeared on stadium advertising boards during the Kocaelispor–Fenerbahçe match.

The latest footage from the Turkey–Venezuela broadcast shows the Darkex brand appearing again during a football match broadcast, this time on ATV’s live coverage of the national team friendly.