Financial Planning Standards Board Reports Record Number of CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER Professionals Worldwide

Denver, Colorado, Feb. 25, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Financial Planning Standards Board Ltd. (FPSB), owner of the international CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER certification program outside the United States, reported another year of growth for the global CFP certification program in 2019, as the total number of CFP professionals worldwide rose to 188,104. With a net increase of 6,744 CFP professionals over the previous year, FPSB and its global network of affiliate organizations grew the global CFP professional community by 3.7% last year, for an average percentage growth rate of 3.6% over the past five years.

"Financial Planning Standards Board is pleased to see continued strong interest among financial advisors and financial planners in pursuing CFP certification, the global symbol of excellence in financial planning," said Noel Maye, CEO of FPSB. "FPSB is committed to supporting members of the public in their efforts to identify and work with competent, ethical financial planners who put their clients' interests first. Having a large and growing community of CFP professionals worldwide committed to providing advice and services in an ethical and professional manner will support FPSB's mission to benefit the public, and help restore public confidence and trust in financial services globally."

CFP Board, FPSB's member organization in the United States with the longest running CFP certification program, continued its strong showing by finishing last year with 86,378 CFP professionals in the U.S. (a net growth of 3,272). FPSB China placed next, growing its number of CFP professionals by over 2,000 for a total of 22,048 at the end of 2019. Rounding out the top seven bodies with strongest CFP professional growth in 2019 were:

• Planejar, FPSB's affiliate organization in Brazil, a standout performer for the sixth year in a row with solid net growth (673) and a double-digit growth rate (17%) for a year-end total of 4,674 CFP professionals.
• Japan Association for Financial Planners, offering CFP certification for 28 years, with net growth of 623 for a year-end total of 22,254 CFP professionals.
• FPSB's CFP certification program in India, which it began directly administering in April 2019. By December, FPSB had increased the number of CFP professionals in India by 26%, adding 402 new CFP professionals for a year-end total of 1,915.
• Financial Planning Association of Taiwan, which experienced the third highest rate of growth (19%) through its 296 net new CFP professionals, resulting in a total of 1,836 by year-end.
• FPSB Indonesia, ending the year with 1,932 CFP professionals through a net gain of 203.

For further details on worldwide CFP professional growth in 2019, view FPSB's infographic.

About FPSB

FPSB manages, develops and operates certification, education and related programs to benefit the global community by establishing, upholding and promoting worldwide professional standards in financial planning. FPSB demonstrates its commitment to excellence with the marks of professional distinction ? CFP, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER and CFP Logo Mark ? which it owns outside the United States. FPSB and the FPSB global network administer CFP and other certification programs in the following 27 territories: Australia, Austria, Brazil, Canada, Chinese Taipei, Colombia, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Japan, Malaysia, the Netherlands, New Zealand, People's Republic of China, Peru, Republic of Korea, Singapore, South Africa, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, the United Kingdom and the United States. At the end of 2019, there were 188,104 CFP professionals worldwide. For more, visit fpsb.org.

# # #

CFP Certification Global excellence in financial planningTM

Attachment

• r5-FPSB-0369_2019 Growth Infographic[1]