The number of Certified Financial Planners around the world rose by 5,652 in 2025, latest data from the FPSB (Financial Planning Standards Board) reveals.
The number of Certified Financial Planners reached a record 236,300 in 2025, a growth rate of 2.5%, according to the FPSB, the Denver-based global CFP standards setting body.
In the UK the number of CFP Professionals rose to 1,098, up 34 year on year (2024: 1,064).
Over 32,500 candidates sat Certified Financial Planner exams around the world in 2025, the FPSB said.
Since the FPSB was founded in 2004, the number of CFP professionals has nearly tripled worldwide from 89,690 to 236,300, a 163% increase
In the UK the Chartered Financial Planner designation is dominant but CFP Professional numbers have seen steady growth in recent years. In Ireland the number of CFP Professional rose to 1,061, up 54 year on year.
Retention rates for those holding the CFP designation were also high, in the UK retention in 2025 was 96.1%. In the UK advisers have been able to apply for the designation for 30 years.
In the UK the Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment is the CFP certification provider and runs CFP exams and designation.
Analysis of the numbers by the FPSB reveals that around the world a growing number of Certified Financial Planners are, on average, younger than previous generations of planners and more are female.
Figures show that in 2025:
- 62.1% of those who achieved CFP certification in 2025 were under 40
- 37.9% of those who achieved CFP certification in 2025 were female
The FPSB also runs World Financial Planning Day, which in 2025 was celebrated across 22 countries, reaching 231m people.
Last month the FPSB released a guidance note on the use of artificial intelligence in Financial Planning as it says AI is “reshaping Financial Planning.”
It said as AI adoption accelerates across the Financial Planning profession, the guidance provides practical direction on how Financial Planners can use AI to support efficiency, insight and client service while reinforcing the importance of professional judgment, human oversight, transparency and confidentiality.
FPSB’s 2025 global research on the Impact of AI on Financial Planning found that two in three Financial Planners report their firms were using AI or planning to do so in the next 12 months.
The research, based on responses from more than 6,200 Financial Planners across 24 territories, also found that 78% believe AI will help them better serve clients, while 60% say it will enhance the quality of financial advice.