DENVER, COLO – 24 March 2026 – The global community of CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER professionals continued its upward trajectory in 2025, closing the year with 236,300 CFP professionals across 29 territories. This represents a net increase of 5,652 CFP professionals over the previous year and a global year-over-year growth rate of 2.5%.
Since 2004, when Financial Planning Standards Board Ltd. (FPSB) was founded, the number of CFP professionals worldwide has continued to grow each year, reflecting the global commitment to rigorous professional standards and the value that competent, ethical financial planners bring to consumers and markets.
“The strength of the global CFP professional community reflects a worldwide commitment to excellence in financial planning,” said FPSB CEO Dante De Gori, CFP. “As more professionals pursue CFP certification and more consumers seek objective, client-first advice, we’re seeing global standards strengthen public trust and confidence in the profession.”
Building a Younger, More Diverse Global Profession
As the profession grows, its demographic profile is also evolving. In 2025, the CFP certification continued to attract a new generation of financial planners:
- 62.1% of those who achieved CFP certification in 2025 were under the age of 40
- 37.9% of those who achieved CFP certification in 2025 were female
These trends highlight the increasing appeal of CFP certification among younger and more diverse talent entering the profession.
“It’s encouraging to see younger professionals and women choosing to pursue CFP certification,” added De Gori. “A diverse, next generation community of CFP professionals is essential to meeting the evolving needs of clients around the world. The momentum we’re seeing today will shape the future of the profession for decades to come.”
More than 32,500 candidates sat for CFP certification exams around the world in 2025, reflecting strong interest in pursuing the credential that upholds professionalism in the practice of financial planning.
Across FPSB’s global network representing more than 500,000 financial planning professionals, nearly half hold the CFP certification, underscoring the certification’s standing as the global symbol of excellence in financial planning.
“In territories like Hong Kong, where there is one CFP professional for every 1,679 adults*, we’re seeing how markets with strong certification adoption can meaningfully expand access to competent and ethical advice,” noted De Gori.
2025 Highlights
The United States and Japan recorded the largest absolute gains in the number of CFP certification holders in 2025, with net increases of 4,436 and 805, respectively.
Five territories achieved double digit growth rates in their CFP professional populations:
- Italy: 79.2%
- Chinese Taipei: 23.3%
- Brunei: 21.4%
- Malaysia: 10.5%
- Thailand: 10.1%
The five territories with the highest number of CFP professionals were:
- United States: 107,529
- People’s Republic of China: 32,599
- Japan: 27,786
- Canada: 17,446
- Brazil: 11,425
Other notable milestones:
- Chinese Taipei exceeded 4,000 CFP professionals
- Italy surpassed 100 CFP professionals, significant progress after launching CFP certification in that market in 2023
- San Marino became FPSB’s 29th territory, strengthening the global footprint of the CFP professional community
For more information on the global CFP professional community as of year-end 2025, view FPSB’s infographic.
