The Worlds of E-Commerce, Retail and Artificial Intelligence Came Together at WORLDEF ISTANBUL
WORLDEF ISTANBUL 2026 opened its doors at the Yenikapı Event Area. Hosting nearly 25 thousand participants from all around the world, WORLDEF ISTANBUL brought together the e-commerce, retail, technology, artificial intelligence and digital commerce ecosystems.
WORLDEF ISTANBUL began with a magnificent opening ceremony held at the Yenikapı Event Area. Held on June 11-13, 2026, the WORLDEF ISTANBUL is positioned as one of the most important gatherings of the e-commerce, retail, technology, artificial intelligence and digital commerce ecosystems. Taking place with the participation of nearly 25 thousand people from approximately 60 countries, the event brought together sector professionals, brands, entrepreneurs, technology companies, investors, marketplaces, logistics companies and digital commerce leaders under the same roof.
A magnificent opening ceremony was held for WORLDEF ISTANBUL 2026. The WORLDEF ISTANBUL ceremony, hosted by WORLDEF CEO Ömer Nart, was attended by Deputy Minister of Trade Mahmut Gürcan, Ministry of Trade Director General of Exports Mehmet Ali Yalçınkaya, Dubai Airport Free Zone and Dubai CommerCity Director General Amna Lootah, Dubai CommerCity Vice President Arjun Sarkar, and senior executives of e-commerce, retail and artificial intelligence companies.
Ömer Nart: New investments will be discussed and new success stories will begin over three days
WORLDEF CEO Ömer Nart, in his WORLDEF ISTANBUL opening speech, said, “At WORLDEF ISTANBUL, new collaborations will be established, new investments will be discussed, new ideas will emerge and new success stories will begin over three days. In recent years, Türkiye has gained very significant momentum in trade, exports, entrepreneurship, technology and digital transformation. Thanks to the vision set forth by our President, Mr. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the work of our Ministry of Trade and the entrepreneurial spirit of our private sector, our country is becoming stronger in global trade with each passing day.”
Saying, “As WORLDEF, we are very proud to be a part of this transformation,” Nart thanked Deputy Minister of Trade Mahmut Gürcan, who attended the event, and said, “We believe that Türkiye has the potential to become one of the most important centers of digital commerce.”
Amna Lootah: Growth happens when people, businesses and governments work together
Dubai Airport Free Zone and Dubai CommerCity Director General Amna Lootah said, “Just a short time ago, digital commerce was seen as an opportunity; today, it has become a necessity that transforms how businesses grow and how economies compete. In my role at Dubai CommerCity, I see that businesses are looking for three things: speed, access and certainty. We established Dubai CommerCity to create a seamless environment where companies can focus on innovation while we simplify the complexity of cross-border trade.”
Lootah continued as follows: “Technology, especially artificial intelligence, is changing operations; however, technology alone is not enough. Growth happens when people, businesses and governments work together. The developing relationship between the UAE and Türkiye, with a trade volume exceeding 45 billion dollars, is a strong example of this. I look forward to welcoming many of you in Dubai for WORLDEF Dubai 2027, where we can continue building the future of digital commerce together.”
Mahmut Gürcan: E-commerce has now become the main carrier of trade
Deputy Minister of Trade Mahmut Gürcan also stated, “E-commerce channels, digital marketplaces and next-generation logistics solutions are reshaping the structure of trade with each passing day. As Türkiye, in 2025, we realized goods exports of 273.5 billion dollars and services exports of 122 billion dollars; in total, we reached a level of 396 billion dollars. While the global retail e-commerce volume is expected to approach 7 trillion dollars in 2026, e-commerce has now become the main carrier of trade.”
Gürcan noted the following: “As the Ministry of Trade, we attach importance to our companies benefiting from e-export supports; we have increased the number of our target countries from 26 to 35. By establishing strategic collaborations with marketplaces such as eBay, Walmart, Amazon and TikTok Shop, we are increasing the global visibility of Turkish brands. In addition, we are training e-export specialists through the Export Academy and university collaborations. With our strong logistics network and production infrastructure, we will continue to work with all our strength toward becoming a regional hub in digital commerce.”
E-commerce, retail and artificial intelligence were discussed
Within the scope of WORLDEF ISTANBUL, approximately 200 booths were opened, while a broad ecosystem was represented at the event area, from e-commerce infrastructures to payment systems, from logistics solutions to artificial intelligence technologies, and from retail innovations to marketplace solutions. Participants had the opportunity to establish direct contact with companies from different sectors, develop new collaborations and evaluate opportunities for global markets.
Throughout the WORLDEF ISTANBUL, more than 200 speakers will take the stage and make important assessments on topics such as the future of e-commerce, transformation in retail, the impact of artificial intelligence on commerce, cross-border sales strategies, digital payment systems, logistics technologies and next-generation customer experience. The event will bring together the leading names, decision-makers and brands of the sector over three days, hosting new business connections, strategic partnerships and inspiring sessions.