Digital Assets Council of Financial Professionals

What Digital Assets Council of Financial Professionals does

Digital Assets Council of Financial Professionals (DACFP) is a privately-held education and certification organization founded in 2018 by Ric Edelman, founder of what was previously the nation's largest financial planning firm. The company provides financial professionals with structured training in blockchain and digital assets through its flagship Certified in Blockchain and Digital Assets (CBDA) program, a FINRA-listed self-paced online certification course delivered via the dacfplearning.com learning management system. The CBDA curriculum comprises 14 modules covering bitcoin, blockchain technology, Ethereum, Layer 2 protocols, DeFi, stablecoins, tokenization, regulation, taxation, compliance, and practice integration, and grants 18 continuing education credits recognized by the CFP Board, IWI, CFA Institute, FPA, IAA, MMI, NAPFA, and XY Planning Network. Beyond the certification, DACFP operates supporting educational assets including the Crypto Catalog, Bitcoin and Ethereum ETF Toolkits, whitepapers, DACFP TV video content, and a CBDA holder directory that helps certified professionals get found by clients. The company also hosts the annual Crypto Convergence conference (formerly VISION), the longest-running digital assets investment conference for financial professionals, and runs a White Label Program that allows organizations to deploy customized versions of the curriculum under their own brand. A sister company, The Truth About Your Future with Ric Edelman, delivers an investor-facing education track, and CEO Don Friedman (who joined via the 2020 acquisition of JV Events Group) leads operations across both entities.

DACFP derives revenue from two primary streams: course tuition and certification fees for the CBDA program, and corporate sponsorships from financial institutions. Disclosed sponsorship payments range from approximately $9,000 (Blockchange) to $65,193 (Franklin Templeton) per partner, with a stated sponsorship fee benchmark of $35,000; sponsors include Franklin Templeton, BlackRock, Invesco, Global X ETFs, Bitwise, Grayscale, Hashdex, Abra Capital Management, BlockFi, Kingdom Trust, Prime Trust, SkyBridge Capital, Osprey Funds, and American Beacon Advisors. The CBDA course offers annual access, with scholarships available to qualified advisors and volume discounts for organizations enrolling 10 or more people. Distribution is primarily self-serve online (PLG), supplemented by annual conference attendance, webinars with CE credits, and channel partnerships with industry associations. The company reports enrollment reach across 37 countries among "thousands" of financial professionals, and is headquartered legally in Great Falls, Virginia (USA), operating with a 1-10 person team.

Name

Digital Assets Council of Financial Professionals

Legal name

Digital Assets Council of Financial Professionals, LLC

Website

https://dacfp.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

DACFP is a privately-held education and certification organization founded in 2018 by Ric Edelman that delivers the FINRA-listed CBDA certification, webinars, toolkits, and the annual Crypto Convergence conference for financial professionals advising clients on digital assets.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Great Falls

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Course Tuition and Certification Fees: Revenue from CBDA certification program tuition. The program offers scholarships for qualified financial advisors. Tuition discounts available for organizations enrolling 10+ people.
2. Sponsorship and Advertising: Companies pay DACFP to distribute company information, host webinars and interviews, provide reports and articles on the site, send email communications, post company links, and post on social media. Sponsors include Abra Capital Management ($34,339), Franklin Templeton ($65,193), BlackRock ($31,448), and others. Sponsorship fee mentioned as $35,000.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Digital Assets Council of Financial Professionals (DACFP) delivers the Certified in Blockchain and Digital Assets (CBDA) program, a self-paced online certification course covering blockchain, bitcoin, Ethereum, stablecoins, DeFi, tokenization, regulation, taxation, and compliance for financial professionals. The program awards 18 CE credits (CFP/IWI/CFA) and is the first FINRA-listed professional designation of its kind. DACFP also runs the annual Crypto Convergence conference, ETF toolkits, white papers, webinars, and a White Label customization service for organizations.

Product overview

DACFP offers a unified certification and education platform for financial professionals to learn about blockchain and digital assets. The core product is the Certified in Blockchain and Digital Assets (CBDA) program, a FINRA-listed online certification course with 14 self-paced modules covering Bitcoin, blockchain, DeFi, stablecoins, tokenization, regulation, and compliance. The platform also includes the Crypto Catalog, CBDA Directory, Bitcoin and Ethereum ETF Toolkits, white papers, webinars, and the annual Crypto Convergence conference. Additional offerings include the complete certificate course with 18 CE credits, client communication materials, and a White Label Program for organizational customization.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• CBDA (Certified in Blockchain and Digital Assets): The flagship certification program for financial professionals seeking credentials in digital assets education. A self-paced online course offering 18 CE credits covering bitcoin, blockchain, Ethereum, stablecoins, DeFi, tokenization, regulation, and taxation.
• Crypto Convergence
• The Truth About Your Future with Ric Edelman

Products and services

• Certified in Blockchain and Digital Assets (CBDA) — Financial Professional Track Self-paced online FINRA-listed certification program for financial professionals covering bitcoin, blockchain, Ethereum, stablecoins, DeFi, tokenization, regulation, taxation, and compliance; awards 18 CE credits (CFP/IWI/CFA) and includes a digital badge, full year access to all DACFP courses and content, and 6 bonus modules ($1,200 value) upon completion. Designed for financial advisors, wealth managers, RIAs, and CFPs needing to advise clients on digital assets.
• Certified in Blockchain and Digital Assets (CBDA) — Investor Track Online course for individual investors seeking to understand blockchain and digital assets for personal financial literacy; delivered via thetayf.com as a sister-brand offering.
• Crypto Convergence Annual Conference Annual premier investment conference on blockchain and digital assets for financial professionals and accredited investors, featuring keynote speakers (e.g., Cathie Wood, Thomas Lee, Sen. Tim Scott), pre-scheduled meetings, networking, and CE credits.
• Bitcoin ETF Toolkit Comprehensive educational toolkit for understanding spot bitcoin ETFs, targeted at financial advisors and their clients.
• Ethereum ETF Toolkit Comprehensive educational toolkit for understanding Ethereum ETFs, targeted at financial advisors and their clients.
• White Label Program Customized CBDA-style course creation service for organizations, ranging from brief segments to comprehensive 18-hour programs delivered under the organization's brand.

Quantifiable outcome

• 82% of advised investors expect their financial advisors to be knowledgeable about crypto, creating demand for CBDA certification
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• BarronsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEducational partner - Barron's magazine collaboration for content distribution and credibility.
• CFP BoardcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial recognition as accepted continuing education provider for CFP professionals.
• Digital ChamberminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Digital Chamber organization for industry advocacy and education.
• ETF Think TankminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEducational partnership for ETF and digital asset thought leadership.
• FPA (Financial Planning Association)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerRecognized by FPA for continuing education credits for financial advisors.
• IAA (Investment Adviser Association)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership with IAA for RIA compliance officer surveys and education. Joint survey found 26% of RIA CCOs expect firms to offer crypto within few years.
• InvestmentNewsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMedia partnership for industry coverage and thought leadership.
• IWI (Investments & Wealth Institute)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerCBDA program offers CE credits accepted by IWI for CIMA, CPWA, CIMC, RMA certifications.
• MMI (Money Management Institute)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership with MMI for advisor education and digital asset training.
• NAPFA (National Association of Personal Financial Advisors)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerNAPFA recognized the importance of DACFP's CBDA for advisors.
• XY Planning NetworkminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership for fee-only financial advisors offering crypto education.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Broad incumbents

• 21Shares: 21Shares offers regulated digital-asset investment products, research, and educational resources for investors and financial professionals. It is comparable through its crypto-market education and advisor-facing positioning, although it monetizes primarily through investment products rather than professional certification.
• CAIA Association: CAIA Association provides the CAIA Charter and education focused on alternative investments. Its specialized professional-certification model for investment professionals is structurally comparable to DACFP's niche CBDA credential.
• CoinDesk: CoinDesk is a digital-asset information, research, events, and education platform serving investors and industry participants. It is comparable to DACFP through its digital-assets content and events, though it does not specialize in advisor certification.
• CFA Institute: CFA Institute provides globally recognized investment credentials, continuing education, and professional content. It is a broad incumbent comparable to DACFP in serving finance professionals through trusted designations and education.
• Binance: Binance operates a global crypto ecosystem and provides extensive consumer crypto education through Binance Academy. It overlaps with DACFP's educational mission, while its much broader retail exchange ecosystem makes it a broad incumbent rather than a direct credential competitor.
• Investments & Wealth Institute: The Investments & Wealth Institute provides professional education, continuing education, and advanced credentials for financial advisors and investment professionals. It is comparable to DACFP because it addresses the same advisor audience through recognized education and credentialing.

Emerging players

• Blockchain Council: Blockchain Council offers blockchain, crypto, and digital-asset certifications and training. It overlaps with DACFP's certification-led education model but serves a broader technology-oriented audience.
• Blockchain Training Alliance: Blockchain Training Alliance provides corporate blockchain and distributed-ledger training, including professional certification pathways. It is comparable through its paid training, credentials, and enterprise distribution, although its technical focus differs from DACFP's advisor specialization.
• 101 Blockchains: 101 Blockchains provides online blockchain training, certification, and enterprise learning programs. It overlaps with DACFP's self-paced digital-asset education and credentialing model, but primarily targets technical and corporate learners.

Direct peers

• Cryptocurrency Certification Consortium: The Cryptocurrency Certification Consortium offers professional certifications covering Bitcoin, Ethereum, and cryptocurrency technology. It competes directly with DACFP in digital-asset credentialing, although its programs are more technical and less advisor-specific.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/thedacfp
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCjtAG7bi2knZw_fTPl9TQdQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/dacfp
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/dacfp

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Digital Assets Council of Financial Professionals