Investments & Wealth Institute

What Investments & Wealth Institute does

Investments & Wealth Institute (legal name: Investment Management Consultants Association) is a US-based nonprofit professional association founded in 1985 and rebranded from the Investment Management Consultants Association in 2010. It serves approximately 30,000 financial advisors and 16,000 certificants/candidates through three ANAB-accredited certifications — Certified Investment Management Analyst (CIMA®), Certified Private Wealth Advisor (CPWA®), and Retirement Management Advisor (RMA®) — plus the Investments & Wealth Academy course catalog, three peer-reviewed publications (Investments & Wealth Review, Journal of Investment Consulting, Retirement Management Journal), the Experience and Strategy Forum conferences, and the monthly "Exceptional Advisor" podcast. Its addressable market is the credentialed financial-advisor segment in North America and Asia-Pacific, with operations offices in the United States (Greenwood Village headquarters, New York, Denver), Toronto, and Sydney.

Name

Investments & Wealth Institute

Legal name

Investment Management Consultants Association

Website

https://investmentsandwealth.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1987

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Investments & Wealth Institute is a US nonprofit professional association that issues three ANAB-accredited certifications (CIMA, CPWA, RMA) and provides continuing education, publications, and conferences for approximately 30,000 financial advisors and 16,000 certificants/candidates across North America and Asia-Pacific.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Certification and Education

NAICS

Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940), Securities, Commodity Contracts, and Other Financial Investments and Related Activities (523)

SIC

Investment Advice (6282)

akta.pro primary industry

Investor Education, Research & Portfolio Analytics Services (Retail) (FSAAAAAO)

akta.pro secondary industries

Investment Management Advisory (RIA) (FSAEAAAB), Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) Wealth Management (FSAEABAA)

Keywords

• Financial advisor certifications
• Wealth management credentials
• Professional certification programs
• Investment management education
• Continuing education providers

Headquarters

HQ city

Greenwood Village

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Certification Fees: Revenue from certification programs including initial certification and renewal fees. Renewal fee is $995 per two-year cycle and includes complimentary membership.
2. Membership Dues: Complimentary membership included with certification renewal. Additional membership benefits include access to publications, resources, and community features.
3. Conferences & Events: Revenue from premier conferences and events including Experience 2026, Strategy Forum, and other industry events for financial advisors and wealth management professionals.
4. CE Provider Fees: Revenue from registered CE Sponsors who pay to become approved continuing education providers.
5. Partner Solutions: Sponsorship and advertising opportunities for financial services organizations at conferences and events, plus custom educational solutions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Investments & Wealth Institute is a nonprofit professional association that administers the CIMA, CPWA, and RMA certifications and provides continuing education, conferences, and publications for investment and wealth management professionals. It serves approximately 30,000 advisor members and 16,000 certificants/candidates worldwide.

Product overview

The Investments & Wealth Institute is a professional association for financial advisors offering a platform of certifications, publications, conferences, and online education. The core offerings include three professional certifications (CIMA®, CPWA®, and RMA®) that provide credentialed advisors with advanced investment management, private wealth advisory, and retirement planning expertise. The Institute complements its certification programs with a suite of online certificate courses (Retirement Management Essentials, Global Financial Planning Essentials, Strategic Planning for Business Owners), three academic publications (Investments & Wealth Review, Journal of Investment Consulting, Retirement Management Journal), major annual conferences (Experience and Strategy Forum), a monthly podcast (The Exceptional Advisor), and membership programs. The portfolio also includes a partner solutions program for industry sponsors and a biweekly newsletter. The offerings work together to provide comprehensive professional development for wealth management practitioners from certification through ongoing education and community engagement.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• CIMA Certification (Certified Investment Management Analyst)

Quantifiable outcome

• IWI-certified advisors manage $394M average AUM, nearly 5x the average advisor
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core, platinum and gold.

• AlphaScalecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 April 2026Partnership to support financial advisors in building stronger and more scalable practices. The collaboration combines elite professional education with real-world coaching services aimed at advisor growth and long-term success. This is a strategic industry partnership targeting professional development within the wealth management sector.
• MacquarieplatinumOthersPlatinum Partner of the Investments & Wealth Institute. Macquarie is a diversified financial group providing banking, financial, advisory, and risk management solutions.
• InvescoplatinumOthersPlatinum Partner of the Investments & Wealth Institute. Invesco is a global investment management firm.
• HashdexgoldOthersGold Partner of the Investments & Wealth Institute. Hashdex is a cryptocurrency investment firm.
• Capital Group/American FundsgoldOthersGold Partner of the Investments & Wealth Institute. Capital Group is a prominent investment management organization.
• CIMA Society Asia PacificcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCertified Investment Management Analyst Society of Australia Pty Ltd trading as CIMA Society Asia Pacific. Located in the Asia Pacific region including Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, and Hong Kong. Provides member services to candidates and certificants in the region.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• AICPA Personal Financial Planning Section: AICPA offers the Personal Financial Specialist (PFS) credential for CPAs providing financial planning services. It is a direct competitor for tax-aware and planning-focused advisors, overlapping with IWI's CPWA audience.
• CFP Board: CFP Board sets and administers the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER certification, the most widely held financial planning credential in the US. It directly competes with IWI's CPWA and RMA designations for wealth and retirement-focused advisors.
• CAIA Association: CAIA Association offers the Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst designation for advisors pursuing alternatives expertise. It is a direct peer in the advanced-investment credentialing space, overlapping with CIMA's investment education focus.
• Financial Planning Association (FPA): FPA is a membership association for financial planners offering education, advocacy, and community. It competes with IWI for financial advisor membership dollars and continuing education engagement.
• CFA Institute: CFA Institute administers the CFA Program, the most widely recognized investment credential globally. It is a direct competitor to IWI's CIMA designation and competes for the same client-facing advisor audience seeking premium investment credentials.
• National Association of Personal Financial Advisors (NAPFA): NAPFA is a US association for fee-only financial advisors, offering membership, education, and the FPA/ACPAD designations. It is a direct peer targeting the same advisor base, particularly the independent and RIA segments that IWI serves.
• National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA): NAIFA is a US association serving insurance and financial services professionals with advocacy, education, and community. It is a direct peer for IWI's broader advisor membership and continuing education offerings.
• The American College of Financial Services: The American College confers CLU, ChFC, ChSNC, and other designations, plus CFP certification programs. It is a direct competitor for advisors seeking wealth, retirement, and estate planning credentials that overlap with IWI's portfolio.
• Society of Financial Service Professionals (SFSP): SFSP is a membership organization for financial service professionals with focus on education, ethics, and multidisciplinary planning. It competes with IWI for the professional association member among financial advisors and planners.

Others

• Kaplan Financial Education: Kaplan provides exam prep and continuing education for CFP, CFA, and other financial designations. It is an ecosystem participant that competes for IWI's share of advisor CE spend while also enabling certificants through prep services.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@investmentsandwealthinst
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/investments-and-wealth-institute
• Xx.com/iw_inst

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Investments & Wealth Institute