The global number of Certified Financial Planners has risen by 3.1% over the past year to 230,648, up 6,878 on the previous year, according to the newly-published 2024 Annual Report of the Financial Planning Standards Board (FPSB), the global standards setting body for CFP Professionals.

In the UK, where the Chartered Financial Planner designation is dominant, the number of CFP Professionals rose in 2024 to 1,064, up 33 on the previous year’s 1,031.

In Ireland the number of CFP Professional topped 1,000, rising to 1,006, up 49 on the 957 reported in 2023.

In the UK the Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment is the CFP certification provider.

The FPSB reported strong growth in many territories with major milestones of CFP Professional numbers reached in the U.S. (100,000+), Brazil (10,000+), South Africa (5,000+), India (3,000+), and Ireland (+1,000).

Globally, CFP Professional numbers have risen nearly 38,000 since 2020.

FPSB CEO Dante De Gori CFP said: “2024 marked a special milestone for FPSB as we proudly celebrated 20 years of leading the global Financial Planning profession.

“Our 2024 Annual Report highlights how FPSB and our global network continue to champion the evolution of the Financial Planning profession through CFP certification — while laying the foundation for its future by exploring the role of AI, deepening our focus on human-centered advice and strengthening engagement with regulators and consumers to raise awareness of the value of Financial Planning.”

One of key goals of the FPSB is to increase public awareness and understanding of Financial Planning, it said.

In partnership with its global network, it is hosting the eighth annual World Financial Planning Day in October with a global media campaign and local initiatives in 20 territories to reach an estimated global audience of more than 580 million people. 

FPSB Board chairperson Andrea Middel CFP said: “In 2024, we reflected on two decades of progress in advancing the Financial Planning profession and continued to build on that foundation through the growth of the global CFP professional community.”

The FPSB manages, develops and operates certification, along with a global network of organisations which certify CFP professionals, in 28 territories including Australia, Austria, Brazil, Brunei, Canada, Chinese Taipei, Colombia, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Macau, Malaysia, the Netherlands, New Zealand, People’s Republic of China, Republic of Korea, Singapore, South Africa, Switzerland, Thailand, the United Kingdom and the United States.

• The Annual Report is now available for download on the FPSB website HERE.