CHOOSING A CFA CHARTERHOLDER CAN PROVE INVALUABLE IN HELPING YOU MEET YOUR SPECIFIC FINANCIAL GOALS. 

WHAT GUIDES A CHARTERHOLDER?

A strict code of ethics and professional standards.
A charterholder not only has the technical knowledge to make investment decisions but also adopts and is held to the highest ethical standards. Once an investment professional obtains the charter, this individual also makes an annual commitment to uphold and abide by a strict professional code of conduct and ethical standards

Global best practices and real-world experience.
The CFA Program curriculum is based on an extensive and ongoing global practice analysis process, which ensures that the program stays current and relevant in relation to the ever changing dynamics of global professional investment practice. The practice analysis relies on discussions, surveys, and reviews from thousands of active practitioners (including charterholders and non-charterholders) and employers. CFA Institute member volunteers and professional staff develop and update the curriculum and construct the exam annually, which results in one of the most comprehensive and difficult series of qualifying tests in the world for any professional designation. In fact, regulatory bodies in 19 countries recognize the CFA designation as a proxy for meeting certain licensing requirements within their jurisdictions.

Breadth of knowledge and expertise.
A comprehensive, global view and up-to-date practical skills give these investment professionals the tools and deep understanding necessary to effectively analyze the risks and rewards of a variety of investment types, enabling them to address a client’s specific investment needs. Whether they manage investments in New Delhi, Hong Kong, London, or New York, charterholders have mastered the Global Body of Investment Knowledge (GBIK). And because practicing CFA charterholders from around the world are involved in the ongoing evolution of the GBIK, this standardized, consistent, and globally relevant knowledge base is focused squarely on practitioners. 

CFA INSTITUTE MEMBER DIRECTORY 

Find a charterholder near you.
If you want to partner with an ethical investment professional who has the proven expertise and integrity to meet your investment goals, then your advisor should be a CFA charterholder. Use our CFA Institute Member Directory to instantly locate any CFA Institute member, CFA charterholder, or financial advisPr near you. Listing more than 100,000 investment professionals working in wealth management, equity analysis, and portfolio management, the Member Directory gives you access to our global community of investment professionals so that you can

• find the contact information for CFA Institute members and CFA charterholders
• identify a financial advisor who adheres to our rigorous ethical standards, and
• verify whether an individual is a CFA charterholder in good standing

Search the CFA Institute member directory.​

• The Chartered Financial Analyst® designation, or CFA charter, has become the most respected and recognized graduate-level investment credential in the world.


• Earning it demonstrates a commitment to professional ethics and expertise with the broad range of skills needed for careers in the investment profession.
  
  
• To earn the CFA charter, candidates must have four years of qualifying investment work experience; become members of CFA Institute (the global association of investment professionals that administers the CFA charter); pledge to adhere to the CFA Institute Code of Ethics and Standards of Professional Conduct on an annual basis; and they must complete the CFA Program.


• The Program is organized into three levels, each culminating in a six-hour exam. CFA Program candidates report dedicating in excess of 300 hours of study per level.


• Completing the entire Program is a significant challenge that takes most candidates between two and five years.