DFP Partners

What DFP Partners does

DFP Partners is a privately held CPA firm and financial-services compliance consultancy founded in 1952 as S.D. Daniels & Company and rebranded to its current identity in 2021. The firm delivers professional-services engagements to U.S. broker-dealers, registered investment advisers (RIAs), FinTech start-ups, private funds, futures commission merchants, and technology firms in financial services, operating from its New York headquarters at 485 Madison Avenue with additional offices in Boston and Miami.

DFP's core offerings are organized around three pillars: outsourced financial-operations roles (FinOp, PFO, and POO services) for broker-dealers; compliance consulting for both broker-dealers and RIAs, including outsourced Chief Compliance Officer (CCO) services, AML testing, cybersecurity compliance, branch office inspections, and 206(4)-7 annual reviews; and traditional CPA accounting, bookkeeping, and start-up advisory services. Independent AML testing is delivered through wholly owned subsidiary S.D. Daniels & Co., LLC (SDDco-LLC). The product surface does not include any proprietary software platform; engagements are human-delivered consulting work, with pricing tailored per engagement and not publicly disclosed. The firm markets primarily through regulatory-content publishing, an industry newsletter, and direct consulting-led sales targeting compliance and finance executives.

The go-to-market motion is sales-led and consultative, leveraging deep relationships in the securities and investment-advisory sectors and partner-level expertise (averaging 30 years of industry tenure). Competitive advantages cited by the firm include six decades of specialized regulatory knowledge, a 50% client-retention rate over 10+ years, and a seat on FINRA's Small Firm Advisory Committee (via Janice Parise, elected December 2022). Revenue is not publicly disclosed; no funding rounds, acquisitions, or investor ownership have been identified.

Name

DFP Partners

Legal name

DFP Partners

Website

https://dfppartners.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1952

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

DFP Partners is a CPA-founded, privately held financial-services accounting and compliance consultancy serving U.S. broker-dealers, registered investment advisers, and FinTech firms with outsourced FinOp/CCO services, AML testing, RIA compliance, accounting, and start-up advisory.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Outsourced FinOp Services: Provides outsourced Financial Operations services to broker-dealers including FinOp, PFO, and POO supervision services on a retainer or project basis.
2. Compliance Consulting Services: Delivers regulatory compliance consulting including CCO outsourcing, AML testing, cybersecurity compliance, and broker-dealer membership services to investment advisers and broker-dealers.
3. Accounting and Bookkeeping Services: CPA firm providing outsourced client accounting services including bookkeeping, tax compliance, and advisory services for financial services companies.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

DFP Partners is a CPA firm that provides outsourced financial operations, regulatory compliance consulting, and accounting services to broker-dealers, registered investment advisers, and FinTech startups. Core deliverables include outsourced FinOp/PFO/POO roles, outsourced CCO services, AML program testing, cybersecurity compliance consulting, RIA registration and Rule 206(4)-7 annual reviews, branch office inspections, CPA accounting and bookkeeping, and startup advisory.

Product overview

DFP Partners is a financial services consulting firm offering a unified suite of compliance and accounting services for broker-dealers and Registered Investment Advisers. The portfolio centers on regulatory compliance solutions including outsourced FinOp, CCO services, AML testing, cybersecurity, and RIA compliance, supplemented by traditional accounting and bookkeeping services. The firm, formerly known as The SDDco Group and S.D. Daniels & Company, operates its AML independent testing through its subsidiary SDDco-LLC. Services are delivered as consulting engagements rather than a software platform, with offerings ranging from full outsourced roles to project-based consulting.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Outsourced FinOp (Financial Operations, PFO and POO Services) Outsourced Financial Operations (FinOp), Primary Financial Officer (PFO) and Principal Operations Officer (POO) services and supervision for broker-dealers, allowing firms to focus on core business while meeting regulatory obligations.
• Accounting & Bookkeeping CPA-led outsourced client accounting services delivered with recognized accuracy and professionalism for over four decades, serving financial services firms.
• Broker-Dealer Hosting Hosting infrastructure and support services specifically designed for broker-dealer operations.
• Broker-Dealer Membership & Compliance Compliance consulting for broker-dealers including outsourced Chief Compliance Officer (CCO) roles and project or retainer-based consulting support.
• RIA Registration & Compliance Comprehensive compliance solutions for Registered Investment Advisers covering SEC registration, outsourced CCO services, and ongoing compliance support.
• Outsourced CCO (Chief Compliance Officer) Provides dedicated or shared Chief Compliance Officer resources to meet regulatory requirements for broker-dealers and investment advisers.
• AML Testing Independent testing of Anti-Money Laundering (AML) programs for FINRA member broker-dealers and other financial institutions, delivered through subsidiary SDDco-LLC with written findings and recommendations tailored to each firm's business model.
• Investment Adviser Anti-Money Laundering Compliance Solutions AML compliance consulting services for investment advisers to ensure compliance with the new FinCEN Final Rule requiring AML compliance programs similar to those of broker-dealers.
• Cybersecurity Compliance Consulting Cybersecurity risk management and data protection practices compliance consulting to prepare firms for regulatory agency evaluations.
• Branch Office Inspections Compliance inspection services for branch offices of financial services firms.
• 206(4)-7 Investment Adviser Annual Review Service Annual compliance review service for Registered Investment Advisers under SEC Rule 206(4)-7, conducted by experienced compliance professionals with CCO experience.
• Start-up Advisory Service Cost-effective advisory model for FinTech startups covering tax compliance, business strategy, consulting, and capital raising approaches.

Named customers3 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• S.D. Daniels & Co., LLC (SDDco-LLC)coreTechnology or IntegrationSDDco-LLC is a subsidiary of DFP Partners that provides independent testing of AML programs for FINRA member broker-dealers and other financial institutions. This subsidiary delivers the independent testing function required under AML compliance programs, providing written reports with findings and recommendations tailored to each firm's business model.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• ACA Group: ACA Group (formerly ACA Compliance Group) is a leading provider of governance, risk, and compliance advisory services to asset managers, broker-dealers, and RIAs. It directly competes with DFP Partners across outsourced CCO, compliance program development, and regulatory consulting engagements for similar financial services clients.
• Cipperman Compliance Services: Cipperman Compliance Services specializes in outsourced Chief Compliance Officer services for RIAs, hedge funds, and broker-dealers. It mirrors DFP Partners' core offering of dedicated or shared CCO resources and ongoing compliance program support for registered investment advisers.
• National Regulatory Services (NRS): National Regulatory Services provides regulatory compliance consulting and education for broker-dealers and investment advisers, including registration, supervision, and AML support. Its service overlap with DFP's outsourced CCO, AML testing, and registration compliance lines makes it a directly comparable peer.
• Marcum LLP: Marcum LLP is a top-tier U.S. accounting and advisory firm with a substantial Financial Services practice serving broker-dealers, RIAs, hedge funds, and private funds with audit, tax, and compliance consulting services. It is comparable to DFP in delivering CPA-led accounting and outsourced compliance work to similar financial services clients.
• CohnReznick: CohnReznick is a top U.S. advisory, assurance, and tax firm with a dedicated Financial Services Industry group supporting broker-dealers, RIAs, hedge funds, and FinTech companies. Its FinServ-focused practice delivers accounting, regulatory compliance, and consulting services in direct competition with DFP Partners.
• Cherry Bekaert: Cherry Bekaert is a top U.S. CPA and advisory firm with a dedicated Financial Services group providing audit, tax, and outsourced compliance services to broker-dealers, RIAs, and private funds. Its mid-tier CPA positioning and financial services specialization make it one of the most comparable firms to DFP Partners.

Emerging players

• Red Oak Compliance Solutions: Red Oak Compliance Solutions provides technology-enabled compliance solutions and managed services for broker-dealers and investment advisers, including marketing review, automated supervision, and compliance consulting. It competes with DFP on outsourced CCO and supervision workflows while differentiating via software-driven delivery.
• Confluence (formerly Rulebook/Ascendant): Confluence's Compliance Solutions group (built from Rulebook Info Solutions and Ascendant Compliance Management) provides regulatory and compliance technology plus managed services for broker-dealers and RIAs. Its integrated tech + services approach overlaps with DFP's outsourced CCO and AML offerings and represents an emerging tech-enabled competitor.

Broad incumbents

• Smarsh: Smarsh is an established communications surveillance and compliance software provider for broker-dealers, RIAs, and other regulated financial services firms. While a technology-led vendor rather than a services firm, it competes with DFP for compliance budget at broker-dealers and RIAs through automated supervision, archiving, and review workflows.
• KPMG LLP (U.S.): KPMG's U.S. Financial Services practice serves broker-dealers, RIAs, and asset managers with audit, tax, and regulatory risk consulting including AML, FinOp support, and CCO-adjacent advisory work. As a Big 4 incumbent with broad capability, it competes for the same enterprise-level financial services clients DFP serves.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/dfp-partners

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 DFP Partners