BUSINESS

Temu Office Raided by Turkish Regulators as Global Scrutiny Mounts

Published: Jan. 22, 2026 12:45 p.m. GMT+8

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The Temu logo displayed on a smartphone. Photo: VCG

Turkish authorities conducted an unannounced inspection of Temu’s local office on Wednesday morning, marking the latest regulatory challenge for PDD Holdings Inc.’s cross-border e-commerce platform as it navigates intensifying global scrutiny.

The surprise visit in Turkey came on the same day that Chinese regulators penalized PDD, and follows regulatory actions in Europe and the U.S., underscoring the mounting compliance challenges the e-commerce giant faces both at home and abroad.

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Turkish authorities conducted a surprise inspection of Temu’s local office amid growing global regulatory scrutiny, coinciding with a same-day fine of 100,000 yuan (~$14,400) in China.
Temu faces recent regulatory actions including a €1.7 million fine in Poland, a European competition probe, and a $2 million U.S. settlement.
Despite regulatory setbacks, PDD Holdings’ shares rose 1.4% to $105.92 with a $150.4 billion market capitalization.

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Who’s Who

PDD Holdings Inc.: PDD Holdings Inc. faces mounting global regulatory scrutiny for its e-commerce platform, Temu. Recent challenges include an unannounced inspection in Turkey, a fine in China for tax-related issues, and probes in Europe regarding potential subsidies and Digital Services Act violations. The company acknowledges these "growing pains" amidst a rapidly changing international policy environment.

Temu: Temu, the cross-border e-commerce platform by PDD Holdings, is facing increasing global scrutiny. Turkish authorities recently inspected its local office, and simultaneous regulatory actions occurred in China, Europe, and the U.S. These challenges include probes into potential Chinese government subsidies, violations of the Digital Services Act, and misleading pricing practices, leading to fines and civil penalties.

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What Happened When

October 2024：: The European Commission opened a probe into suspected violations of the Digital Services Act (DSA), including the sale of illegal goods.

July 2025：: Preliminary findings suggested Temu had failed to fulfill its DSA obligation to properly assess the risks of illegal products being disseminated on its marketplace.

September 2025：: Temu agreed to pay $2 million in civil penalties as part of a settlement to resolve allegations that it violated the INFORM Consumers Act.

Early December 2025：: The European Commission conducted a surprise inspection of Temu’s European headquarters in Dublin.

December 19, 2025：: PDD Co-CEO Chen Lei spoke at a shareholder meeting, commenting on Temu's rapid growth and regulatory scrutiny.

Earlier January 2026：: Poland’s competition watchdog fined Temu nearly 6 million zloty ($1.7 million) for misleading pricing practices.

January 21, 2026：: Turkish authorities conducted an unannounced inspection of Temu’s local office.

January 21, 2026：: Chinese regulators penalized PDD, and Shanghai local authorities fined the company 100,000 yuan for failing to report tax-related information.