Regarded as the toughest exam in the world of finance, the three level CFA exam covering different aspects of finance, with emphasis on ethics, will include queries from topics such as cryptocurrencies and blockchain in August 2019.
Commenting on the decision to include blockchain technology and cryptocurrencies in the exam, Stephen Horan, the managing director for general education and curriculum for the CFA Institute overseeing CFA exams, said
“We saw the field [of crypto] advancing more quickly than other fields and we also saw it as more durable… This is not a passing fad.”
To provide thorough subject knowledge, cryptocurrencies and blockchain will be included in the new CFA curriculum section titled “Fintech in Investment Management” alongside other crucial topics in new age financial technology such as artificial intelligence, automated trading and machine learning.
Across the globe, as many as 100,000 candidates give their CFA exams every year. Notably, more than half of all examinees fail the first round of testing. The CFA program was introduced way back in 1963. So far, about 150,000 have been accredited as CFA “charterholders”, following the completion of all three levels.
In February, the Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst Association proclaimed the creation of new advisory boards made up of “cryptocurrency experts.” Notably, several years earlier, the Digital Currency Council launched a professional accreditation program for financial advisors aiming to master cryptocurrency and blockchain technology.