The global number of certified financial planners has surpassed 230,000 at the end of 2024, according to the Financial Planning Standards Board.
In a statement on 12 February it said CFPs had worldwide grown by 3.1% in the past year, with an increase of 6,878 CFP professionals.
As of 31 December 2024, a total of 230,648 CFP professionals are now practicing in 28 territories globally.
FPSB CEO Dante De Gori, CFP said: “With more than 230,000 CFP professionals in our global community across 28 territories, the CFP designation continues to be internationally recognized as the global symbol of excellence in financial planning.
“The continued global growth of CFP certification supports the rising demand for financial planners who commit to the delivery of competent and ethical financial planning advice.”
The United States and Brazil saw the largest net increase in growth, with net growth of 4,218 and 1,255 CFP professionals, respectively.
Four territories saw double-digit growth rates in their number of CFP professionals: Thailand (18.5%), India (17.7%), Brazil (13.4%) and Switzerland (12.2%).
CFP certification continued to grow in the newest territory, Italy, which was launched in 2023 and ended 2024 with 72 CFP professionals.
Major milestones around the world:
- United States: CFP Board topped 100,000+ CFP professionals
- Brazil: Planejar – Associação Brasileira de Planejamento Financeiro surpassed more than 10,000 CFP professionals
- South Africa: Financial Planning Institute of Southern Africa reached 5,000+ CFP professionals
- India: FPSB India surpassed more than 3,000 CFP professionals
- Ireland: FPSB Ireland topped 1,000+ CFP professionals
The Five territories with the greatest number of CFP professionals at the end of 2024 are:
- United States: 103,093 CFP professionals (CFP Board)
- People’s Republic of China: 34,535 CFP professionals (FPSB China)
- Japan: 26,981 CFP professionals (Japan Association for Financial Planners)
- Canada: 17,457 CFP professionals (FP Canada)
- Brazil: 10,634 CFP professionals (Planejar – Associação Brasileira de Planejamento Financeiro)
De Gori added: “As FPSB and its network celebrate 20 years of leading the global financial planning profession with CFP certification its symbol of excellence, we are pleased to see a growing number of CFP professionals worldwide to help positively impact and transform lives.
“According to our global consumer research, clients who work with CFP professionals experience a better quality of life, greater financial confidence and resilience, along with higher satisfaction in their financial situations. In fact, 98% of clients trust their CFP professional to act in the client’s best interests—a testament to the profound value and trust CFP professionals bring to their clients’ lives.”
