Following is a partial list of professional certifications in financial services, with an overview of the educational and continuing requirements for each; see and :Professional certification in finance for all articles. As the field of finance has increased in complexity in recent years, the number of available designations has grown, and, correspondingly, some will have more recognition than others.Ernest N. Biktimirov (2012)
Global Alphabet Soup: Internationally Recognized Professional Designations in Finance
''Journal of Financial Education'' 38 (3/4), Fall/Winter 2012, 18-32The Rise of the Chief Risk Officer
'' Institutional Investor'' (March 2017).. Note that in the US, many state securities and insurance regulators do not allow financial professionals to use a designation — in particular a "senior" designation — unless it has been accredited by either the American National Standards Institute or the

National Commission for Certifying Agencies The Institute for Credentialing Excellence (ICE) is one of the two main U.S. organizations that accredit personnel certifications or certificates. In November 2009 the ICE formally changed its name from the National Organization for Competency Ass ...

Investments

Certificate in Investment Performance Measurement

The Certificate in Investment Performance Measurement (CIPM) is a

professional accreditation Professional certification, trade certification, or professional designation, often called simply ''certification'' or ''qualification'', is a designation earned by a person to assure qualification to perform a job or task. Not all certifications ...

in the field of investment performance analysis. It includes investment performance measurement and attribution. It is offered by the CIPM Association, a body associated with the

CFA Institute The CFA Institute is a global, not-for-profit professional organization that provides investment professionals with finance education. The institute aims to promote standards in ethics, education, and professional excellence in the global investme ...

Certified International Investment Analyst

Certified International Investment Analyst (CIIA) is an internationally recognised advanced professional qualification for individuals working in the finance and investment industry. The CIIA maintains standards both at the national and international levels: ACIIA tests candidates at the local level (at their home country), and, having cleared those country specific exams, at the common international level. The topics are largely similar to the CFA; see below.

Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst

The Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst (CAIA) designation is a financial certification for investment professionals conferred by the CAIA Association. The curriculum is designed to provide finance professionals with a broad base of knowledge in alternative investments. Candidates must complete two examinations in succession and pay an ongoing certification fee to retain rights to use the financial designation.

Chartered Financial Analyst

The Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) is a post-graduate professional qualification offered internationally by the American-based

. The program covers a considerably wide range of topics relating to advanced investment management and security analysis - thus

economics Economics () is the social science that studies the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. Economics focuses on the behaviour and interactions of economic agents and how economies work. Microeconomics analyzes ...

financial reporting Financial statements (or financial reports) are formal records of the financial activities and position of a business, person, or other entity. Relevant financial information is presented in a structured manner and in a form which is easy to un ...

and analysis, corporate finance, alternative investments and portfolio management - and provides a generalist knowledge of other areas of finance. Candidates must complete three examinations in succession, each about four and a half hours long, and thereafter adhere to a code of ethics, and pay an ongoing certification fee to retain rights to use the financial designation.

Chartered Wealth Manager

For retail focused professionals, CISI - the UK based Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment - offers the Chartered Wealth Manager Qualification (CWM), comprising three sequential exams in financial markets, portfolio construction, and then applied

wealth management Wealth management (WM) or wealth management advisory (WMA) is an investment advisory service that provides financial management and wealth advisory services to a wide array of clients ranging from affluent to high-net-worth (HNW) and ultra-high ...

. With further experience requirements met, the Chartered Wealth Manager title may be used additional to other CISI membership designations. (The CISI designation is not to be confused with the similarly titled GAFM designation,Chartered Wealth Manager
gafm.com see below, which in Europe is then titled CCWM.)

CISI Diploma

The CISI Diploma in Capital Markets, also offered by CISI, is a leading qualification for practitioners working in wholesale securities markets. It comprises sequential modules in (i) financial securities, (ii) financial markets, and then (iii) a role specific selection from fixed income, derivatives, or fund management. The three exams typically take between 18 months and two years to complete. Candidates become full Members and may use the post-nominal "MCSI". It was previously known as the "SII Diploma".

Development Finance Certified Professional

A Development Finance Certified Professional (DFCP) is a specialist in development finance theory and practice that has been professionally accredited by the Chartered Institute of Development Finance; the professional association which engages with academic institutions,

development finance institution A development financial institution (DFI), also known as a development bank or development finance company (DFC), is a financial institution that provides risk capital for economic development projects on a non-commercial basis. , total commitme ...

s, and support agencies to support and maintain ethical conduct and professionalism in the development finance discipline globally. It is the highest professional qualification for development finance practitioners.

Financial planning

Certified Financial Planner

The Certified Financial Planner (CFP) designation is a certification mark for

financial planner A financial planner or personal financial planner is a qualified financial advisor. Practicing in full service personal finance, they advise clients on investments, insurance, tax, retirement and estate planning. As a general rule, a financial p ...

s conferred by the CFP Board of Standards. To receive authorization to use the designation, the candidate must meet education, examination, experience and ethics requirements, and pay an ongoing certification fee. It is offered in the United States, and in 25 other countries through affiliated organizations.

Chartered Financial Consultant

The Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC) is the "advanced financial planning" designation awarded by The American College of Financial Services. To secure the designation, applicants must have three years of full-time business experience within the preceding five years and must complete nine college-level courses; the award is also contingent on adherence to a set of ethical guidelines. The designation exempts one from sitting the

Series 65 Uniform Investment Adviser Law Examination, also called the Series 65 exam, is a test taken by individuals in the United States who seek to become licensed investment adviser representatives. The exam covers topics necessary to provide investment a ...

examination.

Chartered Financial Divorce Analyst

Chartered Financial Divorce Analyst Chartered may refer to: * Charter, a legal document conferring rights or privileges ** University charter ** Chartered company * Chartered (professional), a professional credential * Charter (shipping) * Charter (airlines) * Charter (typeface) * Ch ...

(CFDA) refers to the Canadian designation for specialists facilitating objective financial analysis for families & individuals going through

divorce Divorce (also known as dissolution of marriage) is the process of terminating a marriage or marital union. Divorce usually entails the canceling or reorganizing of the legal duties and responsibilities of marriage, thus dissolving the ...

marital separation Marital separation occurs when spouses in a marriage stop living together without getting divorced. Married couples may separate as an initial step in the divorce process or to gain perspective on the marriage and determine whether divorce is warra ...

or legal separation and life transitions. The regulating body is the Academy of Financial Divorce Specialists (AFDS). Members are required to have an existing financial designation and be in good standing to be eligible for the course. Once passing, members must maintain credentials and ongoing annual education, and application/work in field.

Chartered Financial Planner

The Chartered Financial Planner is a designation awarded by the UK based

Chartered Insurance Institute The Chartered Insurance Institute (also known as the CII) is a professional body dedicated to building public trust in the insurance and financial planning profession. The CII's purpose, as set out in its 1912 royal charter, is to 'Secure an ...

. To attain "Chartered status" the candidate must sit 14 exams, and have five years relevant experience. Thereafter continued learning is required annually.

Fellow Chartered Financial Practitioner

The Fellow Chartered Financial Practitioner (FChFP) designation is a

financial planning In general usage, a financial plan is a comprehensive evaluation of an individual's current pay and future financial state by using current known variables to predict future income, asset values and withdrawal plans. This often includes a bu ...

designation issued by the Asia Pacific Financial Services Association (APFinSA). Candidates must have 2 years of full-time experience, and then pass 6 exams. The designation was developed by the National Association of Malaysian Life Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAMLIFA) in 1996 and later on adopted by APFinSA (of which NAMLIFA is a member) in 2001 as the flagship designation for its 11 member associations.

Registered Financial Planner

Registered Financial Planner (RFP) refers to one of several separate designations in

; there is currently no connection between these. *In Canada, the RFP designation is conferred by the Institute of Advanced Financial Planners. To become an RFP in Canada, candidates must pass exams, submit a sample comprehensive financial plan and meet education and experience requirements; IQPF awards the Financial Planner (F.Pl.) diploma in

Quebec Quebec ( ; )According to the Canadian government, ''Québec'' (with the acute accent) is the official name in Canadian French and ''Quebec'' (without the accent) is the province's official name in Canadian English is one of the thirtee ...

. *In Malaysia, the Registered Financial Planner (RFP) designation is conferred by the Malaysian Financial Planning Council (MFPC). It is one of the recognised qualification by the Securities Commission and Bank Negara Malaysia for those wishing to apply for a financial planner or financial adviser licence. See Financial Planners in Malaysia. *In the United States, the RFP designation is offered by the Registered Financial Planners Institute. The designation requires 2 years relevant experience, and 120 hours of course-based study. *In

Hong Kong Hong Kong ( (US) or (UK); , ), officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China (abbr. Hong Kong SAR or HKSAR), is a city and special administrative region of China on the eastern Pearl River Delta i ...

, the Society of Registered Financial Planners offers the HKRFP, valid in Hong Kong and China.

Technical analysis

Certified Financial Technician

The Certified Financial Technician (CFTe) is a designation in

Technical analysis In finance, technical analysis is an analysis methodology for analysing and forecasting the direction of prices through the study of past market data, primarily price and volume. Behavioral economics and quantitative analysis use many of the sam ...

offered by the International Federation of Technical Analysts (IFTA). It comprises two sequential examinations, usually completed over two years; to register candidates require a

bachelor's degree A bachelor's degree (from Middle Latin ''baccalaureus'') or baccalaureate (from Modern Latin ''baccalaureatus'') is an undergraduate academic degree awarded by colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study lasting three to six ...

and three years' relevant experience. Once qualified, a CFTe may pursue the MFTA (Master of Financial Technical Analysis), requiring submission of a research thesis. Members are in 22 countries.

Chartered Market Technician

The Chartered Market Technician (CMT) is a designation in

technical analysis In finance, technical analysis is an analysis methodology for analysing and forecasting the direction of prices through the study of past market data, primarily price and volume. Behavioral economics and quantitative analysis use many of the sam ...

offered by the

CMT Association The CMT Association is a non-profit, global, professional organization of technical analysts headquartered in New York City, servicing over 9,000 market analysis professionals in around 80 countries. The CMT Association certifies that an individual ...

. The program comprises three examination levels, certifying that the individual is competent in the use of technical analysis, and knowledgeable re the underlying theory. To earn the designation, candidates must hold a degree, and have three years relevant experience.

Diploma in Technical Analysis

The STA Diploma in Technical Analysis is a designation in

offered by the UK based Society of Technical Analysts (STA). It comprises two sequential examinations. The qualification is accredited by the International Federation of Technical Analysts and the Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment. Designants are also entitled to the above Certified Financial Technician (CFTe) designation and certain Chartered Wealth Management Qualification (CWM) exemptions.

Corporate finance

Corporate Finance Qualification

CISI, in conjunction with

ICAEW The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) is a professional membership organisation that promotes, develops and supports chartered accountants and students around the world. As of July 2022, it has over 198,000 members ...

, offers the two tiered Certificate, and then Diploma in Corporate Finance. The qualification is "designed with a focus on the commercial, practical and technical skills" applicable in corporate finance. With three years appropriate experience, these lead to the ICAEW Corporate Finance (CF) designatory letters, and to full CISI Chartered Member status.

Financial Modeling & Valuation Analyst

A Financial Modeling & Valuation Analyst (FMVA) has completed all the courses (minimum 14) and other requirements set by the Corporate Finance Institute to obtain the designation. The program focuses heavily on applications of corporate finance, including:

financial modeling Financial modeling is the task of building an abstract representation (a model) of a real world financial situation. This is a mathematical model designed to represent (a simplified version of) the performance of a financial asset or portfolio ...

, valuation,

analysis Analysis ( : analyses) is the process of breaking a complex topic or substance into smaller parts in order to gain a better understanding of it. The technique has been applied in the study of mathematics and logic since before Aristotle (3 ...

Excel ExCeL London (an abbreviation for Exhibition Centre London) is an exhibition centre, international convention centre and former hospital in the Custom House area of Newham, East London. It is situated on a site on the northern quay of the ...

presentations A presentation conveys information from a speaker to an audience. Presentations are typically demonstrations, introduction, lecture, or speech meant to inform, persuade, inspire, motivate, build goodwill, or present a new idea/product. Present ...

, and other topics.

International Certificate in Corporate Finance

The International Certificate in Corporate Finance (ICCF) is a professional designation for employees in corporate finance, covering financial analysis, valuation and decision making. The program comprises three 6-week online courses, three major cases studies, and a 2 hour final exam. The program is delivered by First Finance Institute in partnership with the following four business schools: HEC Paris, Columbia, Wharton and

IE Business School IE Business School is a graduate and undergraduate school of business, located in Madrid, Spain, European Union, Europe. It was founded in 1973 under the name Instituto de Empresa and since 2009 is part of IE University. IE Business School runs ...

Risk management and quantitative finance

Certificate in Quantitative Finance

The Certificate in Quantitative Finance (CQF) is an online part-time

financial engineering Financial engineering is a multidisciplinary field involving financial theory, methods of engineering, tools of mathematics and the practice of programming. It has also been defined as the application of technical methods, especially from mathem ...

program; it was founded by

Paul Wilmott Paul Wilmott (born 8 November 1959) is an English researcher, consultant and lecturer in quantitative finance.derivatives, IT,

quantitative trading Mathematical finance, also known as quantitative finance and financial mathematics, is a field of applied mathematics, concerned with mathematical modeling of financial markets. In general, there exist two separate branches of finance that require ...

, insurance,

model validation In statistics, model validation is the task of evaluating whether a chosen statistical model is appropriate or not. Oftentimes in statistical inference, inferences from models that appear to fit their data may be flukes, resulting in a misunderst ...

or risk management. The program's focus is on the practical implementation of techniques ("real-world quantitative finance"), it thus incorporates an element of questioning and analyzing models and methods; it assumes some background in mathematics and programming. See also under , , and .

Certified Risk Professional

"Certified Risk Professional" is a graduate-level qualification offered by the Institute of Risk Management (IRM), allowing for the post nominal designation "CMIRM". It is achieved by completing a certificate and then diploma, together with three year's relevant experience. The ''International Certificate in Financial Services Risk Management'', International Certificate in Financial Services Risk Management
theirm.org Course Listing
at UK Finance Course Listing
at ''

The Independent ''The Independent'' is a British online newspaper. It was established in 1986 as a national morning printed paper. Nicknamed the ''Indy'', it began as a broadsheet and changed to tabloid format in 2003. The last printed edition was publish ...

''. comprises two modules, usually taken over 9 months; with four further modules, over three years, the certificant articulates to the

enterprise risk management Enterprise risk management (ERM) in business includes the methods and processes used by organizations to manage risks and seize opportunities related to the achievement of their objectives. ERM provides a framework for risk management, which typi ...

(ERM) focused ''International Diploma in Risk Management'', thereby qualifying. (Several UK universities have MSc programmes aligned with these; students may gain exemption from specified modules.) At the certificate level IRM also offers the ''International Certificate in Enterprise Risk Management'', as well as others.

Chartered Enterprise Risk Actuary / Analyst

The CERA credential — Chartered Enterprise Risk Actuary through the

Institute and Faculty of Actuaries The Institute and Faculty of Actuaries is the professional body which represents and regulates actuaries in the United Kingdom. History The Institute and Faculty of Actuaries came into being on 1 August 2010 as a result of the merger of the Ins ...

, and

Chartered Enterprise Risk Analyst The Society of Actuaries (SOA) is a global professional organization for actuaries. It was founded in 1949 as the merger of two major actuarial organizations in the United States: the Actuarial Society of America and the American Institute of Ac ...

through the Society of Actuaries — provides risk professionals with "strong ERM knowledge that drives better business decisions applied in finance and insurance". Under both, certificants have completed various of the underlying actuarial qualifying exams, as well as further specified modules and training in risk management.

Financial Risk Manager

The

Financial Risk Manager Global Association of Risk Professionals (GARP) is a not-for-profit organization and a membership association for risk managers. Its services include setting standards, training, education, industry networking, and promoting risk management practi ...

(FRM) is a professional certification in risk management offered by the Global Association of Risk Professionals (GARP). SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission), https://www.sec.gov/comments/s7-16-15/s71615-33.pdf The coverage - focusing on

market risk Market risk is the risk of losses in positions arising from movements in market variables like prices and volatility. There is no unique classification as each classification may refer to different aspects of market risk. Nevertheless, the most ...

credit risk A credit risk is risk of default on a debt that may arise from a borrower failing to make required payments. In the first resort, the risk is that of the lender and includes lost principal and interest, disruption to cash flows, and increased ...

and operational risk, and including requisite quantitative and investment management material - is over two exams. Certificants are in more than 190 countries and territories worldwide,Official Candidate Guide, http://storage.pardot.com/39542/121486/FRM_2017_CandidateGuide_V8.2_AG.pdf and have taken an average of two years to earn their Certification. GARP Frequently-Asked-Questions -EXAM regulations-, http://www.garp.org/#!/frm/frequently-asked-questions

Professional Risk Manager

The

Professional Risk Manager A professional is a member of a profession or any person who works in a specified professional activity. The term also describes the standards of education and training that prepare members of the profession with the particular knowledge and skil ...

certification (PRM), offered by

PRMIA The Professional Risk Managers' International Association (PRMIA) is a non-profit, member-driven professional organization that focuses on the development and education of the risk management profession. Its membership provides a network of risk ...

, emphasizes practice-related skills and knowledge required within the risk management profession, and financial risk management more particularly; its coverage, structure and recognition are similar to the FRM. It additionally requires a commitment to

professional ethics Professional ethics encompass the personal and corporate standards of behavior expected of professionals. The word professionalism originally applied to vows of a religious order. By no later than the year 1675, the term had seen secular applic ...

, and 20 annual hours of continuing education.

Treasury management

Association of Corporate Treasurers

The Association of Corporate Treasurers offers training and various qualifications in cash- and

treasury management Treasury management (or treasury operations) includes management of an enterprise's holdings, with the ultimate goal of managing the firm's liquidity and mitigating its operational, financial and reputational risk. Treasury Management includes a fi ...

. The Diploma in Treasury Management (3 papers over 12–18 months) allows for Associate Membership, with post-nominal letters AMCT, while the subsequent Advanced Diploma (of similar structure and duration, and requiring also a dissertation) grants full membership, MCT; the FCT fellowship is conferred following several years of experience.

Certified Treasury Professional

The Certified Treasury Professional (CTP) designation is a certification for treasurers, cash managers, treasury managers, and other treasury-related professionals administered by the

Bethesda, Maryland Bethesda () is an unincorporated, census-designated place in southern Montgomery County, Maryland. It is located just northwest of Washington, D.C. It takes its name from a local church, the Bethesda Meeting House (1820, rebuilt 1849), which in ...

-based Association for Financial Professionals (AFP). The CTP was formerly known as the Certified Cash Manager or CCM designation but was renamed due to treasury's increasing role in managing the entire balance sheet and implementing the strategic direction prescribed by

Chief Financial Officers The chief financial officer (CFO) is an officer of a company or organization that is assigned the primary responsibility for managing the company's finances, including financial planning, management of financial risks, record-keeping, and finan ...

. The CTP certification is held by over 20,000 finance professionals and, in the US, is considered the leading certification in the

profession.

GAFM Designations

The Board of Standards of GAFM, the Global Academy of Finance and Management, confers designations in various areas of finance. The GAFM is TUV Accredited and ISO Certified. (Although see

American Academy of Financial Management The American Academy of Financial Management (AAFM) was a US-based board of standards, certifying body, and accreditation council focused on the finance sector and wealth management professionals.. AAFM was superseded by the Global Academy of Fi ...

for discussion.) These designations include: * The Accredited Financial Analyst (AFA) - a certification mark for

financial analyst A financial analyst is a professional, undertaking financial analysis for external or internal clients as a core feature of the job. The role may specifically be titled securities analyst, research analyst, equity analyst, investment analyst, ...

s. Coverage includes the requisite methods for

business valuation Business valuation is a process and a set of procedures used to estimate the economic value of an owner's interest in a business. Here various valuation techniques are used by financial market participants to determine the price they are willing t ...

and

Fundamental analysis Fundamental analysis, in accounting and finance, is the analysis of a business's financial statements (usually to analyze the business's assets, liabilities, and earnings); health; and competitors and markets. It also considers the overall sta ...

, but also, the role related research and reporting techniques. To receive authorization to use the designation, the candidate must meet education, examination, experience and ethics requirements, and pay an ongoing certification fee. (AFA overlaps the Financial Analyst Designate and Chartered Market Analyst designations). *The Master Financial Controller (MFC) - a certification mark for financial professionals engaged at the senior level of corporate finance, such as in the role of a

CFO The chief financial officer (CFO) is an officer of a company or organization that is assigned the primary responsibility for managing the company's finances, including financial planning, management of financial risks, record-keeping, and financ ...

Financial Controller A comptroller (pronounced either the same as ''controller'' or as ) is a management-level position responsible for supervising the quality of accounting and financial reporting of an organization. A financial comptroller is a senior-level execut ...

or Financial Director. Candidates must sit an executive conversion program, have at least 7 years working experience and pass a rigorous exam to qualify. *The Master Financial Planner (MFP) - a certification mark for college educated wealth planners. To receive authorization to use the designation, the candidate must meet education,

AACSB The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, also known as AACSB International, is an American professional organization. It was founded as the American Assembly of Collegiate Schools of Business in 1916 to provide accreditation to ...

ACBSP The Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP), formerly the Association of Collegiate Business Schools and Programs, is a U.S. organization offering accreditation services to business programs focused on teaching and learni ...

accredited college examinations, experience and ethics requirements, and pay an ongoing good standing fee.AAFM Board of Standards
/ref> *The Chartered Financial Manager (CHFM) is a globally recognized professional qualification for individuals working in the finance, banking, risk, and investment industry; the topics are largely similar to the CFP and CFA. The CHFM maintains standards both at the national and international levels, and allows applicants to take courses at

and

business schools that count toward eligibility. The qualification requires, also, a college education. * The Chartered Wealth Manager (CWM) certifies competence in

, retirement, and estate planning. Requirements are a relevant Master's degree and five years' experience, with exemptions available to some professionals.

As above ''As Above...'' was an album released in 1982 by Þeyr, an Icelandic new wave and rock group. It was issued through the Shout record label on a 12" vinyl record. Consisting of 12 tracks, ''As above...'' contained English versions of the band' ...

, the designation is not to be confused with the similarly titled UK CISI designation; in Europe the GAFM designation is then titled Chartered Certified Wealth Manager (CCWM). * The

Certified Risk Analyst Certified Risk Analyst (CRA) is a risk management professional designation offered by the Academy of Finance & Management. CRA risk management training and certification is available in New York, California, Asia, the Middle East and other locati ...

(CRA) qualificationCertified Risk Analyst
/ref> is granted on completion of graduate level financial- and risk management courses (directly or via waiver) with parallel "substantial experience in risk assessment and management on a regional and global level".

References

Professional certification in finance Following is a partial list of professional certifications in financial services, with an overview of the educational and continuing requirements for each; see and :Professional certification in finance for all articles. As the field of finance ...