The CFP Board reported record growth in certified financial planners in 2025, with LPL Financial emerging as the largest wealth firm by CFP headcount. According to figures the CFP Board released, LPL now hosts more than 6,000 CFP professionals on its platform, making it the first firm to surpass that threshold, as reported by InvestmentNews.
InvestmentNews reports that the data did not specify how much of LPL's growth stems from its acquisition of Commonwealth Financial Network last year. Still, the milestone marks a shift in firm rankings. Edward Jones, which led the industry in recent years, now reports more than 5,000 CFP certificants. Charles Schwab, Northwestern Mutual, Bank of America Merrill Lynch, and Fidelity each added more than 200 CFP professionals during the year.
Across the industry, the CFP credential continued to gain momentum, according to InvestmentNews. The CFP Board reported 107,529 CFP professionals as of December 31, a 4.3 percent increase from 2024 and nearly double the total in place when Kevin R. Keller became chief executive in 2007. Exam participation also reached a new high. In 2025, 11,037 candidates sat for the CFP exam, representing a 5.7 percent increase from the prior year and the largest exam cohort on record.
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