ICAEW
ICAEW is a UK Royal Charter professional membership body serving 172,273 chartered accountants and 38,199 students across 150 countries, delivering the ACA qualification, CPD, specialist certificates, and statutory audit and AML regulatory oversight through regional offices and digital platforms.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1880
- HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
- Headcount501–1,000
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What ICAEW does
ICAEW (the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales) is a professional membership body incorporated by Royal Charter in 1880 and headquartered at Chartered Accountants' Hall, Moorgate Place, London. It serves 172,273 members and 38,199 ACA students across 150 countries, providing the ACA (Associate Chartered Accountant) qualification, statutory regulatory oversight of auditors and AML-supervised firms in the UK, continuing professional development (CPD), technical guidance, and lifelong career support. The organisation operates through eight UK regional offices (London, Birmingham, Manchester, Bristol, Leeds, Cardiff, Edinburgh) and a worldwide network covering Africa, the Americas, Greater China, the Middle East, Oceania, and Southeast Asia.
ICAEW's core product is the ACA qualification, a multi-year programme combining 15-16 exams with practical work experience and ethics training, supplemented by the entry-level CFAB certificate and specialist qualifications in corporate finance, charity accounting, insolvency, and sustainability assurance. The technology layer consists of the MyICAEW mobile app, the BibliU-powered ICAEW Bookshelf for digital learning materials, the ICAEW Jobs/Training Vacancies/Volunteers recruitment portals, the e-commerce Learning Shop, and faculty-branded resources. Recent product launches include the GenAI Accelerator Programme (eight courses across five major AI platforms, September 2025), the Sustainability Accelerator Programme (up to 50 hours of CPD across five units), the Sustainability Assurance Certificate aligned with ISSA 5000 standards, and the Analytics in Power BI Certificate delivered with Kaplan.
Revenue is generated primarily through recurring membership subscriptions (annual fees across 172K members), training and qualification fees (ACA exam fees, specialised certificates, Level 4 apprenticeships), optional faculty and community subscriptions, and transactional recruitment fees on the ICAEW Jobs portal (£500-£750 per posting). Distribution blends direct digital channels (website, mobile apps, podcast series including Accountancy Insights and The Tax Track) with regional groups, flagship conferences (Annual Conference, AI Assurance Conference, Audit & Assurance Conference), and partnerships (Oxford Economics for economic research, Bloomsbury Professional for tax resources, Kaplan for Power BI delivery, GenFinance.AI for GenAI content).
ICAEW firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- ICAEW
- Legal name
- The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales
- Website
- https://icaew.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1880
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 501–1,000 employees
- Short description
- ICAEW is a UK Royal Charter professional membership body serving 172,273 chartered accountants and 38,199 students across 150 countries, delivering the ACA qualification, CPD, specialist certificates, and statutory audit and AML regulatory oversight through regional offices and digital platforms.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
ICAEW industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Professional Accountancy Membership
- NAICS
- Business Associations (813910), Professional Organizations (813920)
- SIC
- Services-Membership Organizations (8600)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Finance, Accounting & Risk (CFA/CPA/FRM) Certifications (EDAAANAD)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Governance & Board Effectiveness Advisory (BPAHAFAC)
Keywords
Where ICAEW is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- London
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices8 records
Markets served
ICAEW business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Membership Subscriptions: Annual membership fees paid by 172,273 members worldwide, enabling ICAEW to provide support, resources, and professional development to members.
- Professional Qualifications and Training: Revenue from ACA qualification fees, exam fees, specialized certificates (Sustainability, GenAI, Power BI, Insolvency, Charity Accounting), and training programmes.
- Faculty and Community Subscriptions: Optional subscriptions to specialized faculties (Audit, Tax, Corporate Finance, etc.) and communities providing sector-specific resources and networking.
- Recruitment Services: Job posting fees on ICAEW Jobs portal (£500-£750 for chartered accountant positions), free training vacancy postings, and recruiter packages.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Standard Chartered Accountant Job Posting |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Premium Chartered Accountant Job Posting |
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | Training Vacancy Posting |
| Freemium | One time/ perpetual license | Sustainability Accelerator Programme - Members |
| Subscription | One time/ perpetual license | Sustainability Assurance Certificate |
| Subscription | One time/ perpetual license | Analytics in Power BI Certificate |
| Freemium | Subscription | GenAI Accelerator Programme |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels10 records
Marketing channels8 records
ICAEW product offering
Product offeringCore offering
ICAEW is a professional membership organization that grants the ACA (Associate Chartered Accountant) qualification, regulates member firms, and provides continuing professional development, technical guidance, and career services to 172,273 members and 38,199 students across 150 countries. Its offerings include the ACA qualification programme, specialist certificates (Sustainability Assurance, Power BI, Corporate Finance, Charity Accounting, Insolvency), accelerator programmes (GenAI, Sustainability), recruitment portals, and flagship conferences for the chartered accountancy profession.
Product overview
ICAEW is a professional membership organisation for chartered accountants offering a portfolio of qualifications, professional development programmes, and member services. The core product is the ACA (Associate Chartered Accountant) qualification, a rigorous professional programme with 15-16 exams and practical experience requirements. The product suite includes specialised accelerator programmes: the GenAI Accelerator Programme (covering ChatGPT, Copilot, Grok, Perplexity AI, Gemini AI for finance applications) and the Sustainability Accelerator Programme (50+ hours of ESG training across five units). Supporting certificates include the Sustainability Assurance Certificate, Analytics in Power BI Certificate, Corporate Finance Qualification, Diploma in Charity Accounting, and Certificate in Insolvency. ICAEW also operates job portals (ICAEW Jobs, Training Vacancies, Volunteers), flagship conferences (Annual Conference, AI Assurance Conference, Audit & Assurance Conference), leadership development programmes (F-TEN, DLiP, NFL, WiL), the MyICAEW/Member mobile apps, and provides access to Bloomsbury Professional tax and accounting resources. The portfolio is delivered through digital platforms including BibliU for learning materials.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- ACA: The ICAEW Chartered Accountant qualification - one of the most advanced learning and professional development programmes available, valued around the world in business, practice and the public sector.
- ICAEW GenAI Accelerator Programme
- ICAEW Sustainability Accelerator Programme
- ICAEW Business Confidence Monitor
- ICAEW CFAB
- BenefitsPlus
- MyICAEW App
- ICAEW Jobs
- ICAEW Training Vacancies
- ICAEW Volunteers
Products and services
- ICAEW GenAI Accelerator Programme E-learning programme covering five major AI platforms with eight courses providing step-by-step prompting guidance and finance-specific use cases for generative AI adoption, targeting finance and accountancy professionals.
- ICAEW Sustainability Accelerator Programme Flexible e-learning series equipping finance professionals with strategic insight and technical expertise for leading sustainability and ESG initiatives, offering up to 50 hours of professional development across five units.
- ICAEW Sustainability Assurance Certificate E-learning certificate building audit expertise for the sustainability space, covering ISSA 5000 standards, ESG reporting under IFRS S1/S2, GRI and CSRD, with 15 hours of verifiable CPD. Priced at £374.99 for non-members; ICAEW members receive 20% discount.
- Analytics in Power BI: ICAEW Certificate
Quantifiable outcome
- 172,273 members in 150 countries rely on ICAEW for professional support
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use ICAEW
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
ICAEW technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration1 record
AI capability5 records
Feature6 records
ICAEW partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Oxford EconomicscoreICAEW partners with Oxford Economics to produce economic forecasts and reports, including the quarterly GCC economic outlook and Business Confidence Monitor research programme.
- BibliUcoreDigital learning materials provider for ACA, CFAB and Level 4 apprenticeship courses, accessible via ICAEW Bookshelf using the BibliU app or browser.
- Bloomsbury ProfessionalcorePartnership providing eligible ICAEW member firms free access to Bloomsbury's comprehensive online library of around 80 leading tax and accounting resources.
- KaplancoreCollaboration between ICAEW experts and Kaplan's learning specialists to deliver the Analytics in Power BI: ICAEW Certificate course.
- GenFinance.AIcoreICAEW GenAI Accelerator Programme produced in collaboration with Peter Beard of GenFinance.AI, who has expertise in finance, accounting and AI transformation from Ernst & Young.
- Blue Crane Consulting LtdcoreBlue Crane Consulting, founded by Rosie Dunscombe FCA, developed the ICAEW Sustainability Assurance Certificate in collaboration with ICAEW experts.
- Financial Modeling InstituteminorPartnership providing ICAEW members access to the Financial Modeling Institute's Advanced Financial Modeler Accreditation through ICAEW's specialist qualifications.
- Prime GlobalminorStephen Heathcote, CEO of Prime Global, provided endorsement for the Sustainability Accelerator Programme.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights6 records
ICAEW competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- CPA Australia: Major Asia-Pacific accounting body with the CPA designation and reciprocal arrangements with ICAEW; competes for member and student share across Southeast Asia, Greater China, and Oceania.
- ACCA (Association of Chartered Certified Accountants): Global professional accountancy body offering the ACCA qualification with similarly broad international membership; competes head-to-head with ICAEW for students, members, and employer recognition in the UK and across emerging markets.
- CIMA (Chartered Institute of Management Accountants): UK-based chartered body awarding the CGMA designation; competes with ICAEW's Business and Finance Professional and ACA pathways for members working in management accounting, industry, and commercial finance roles.
- AICPA (American Institute of Certified Public Accountants): US national professional body for CPAs offering the CPA credential and extensive CPD; competes with ICAEW in global credentialing markets and through mutual recognition pathways for senior members.
- ICAS (Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland): One of the three UK chartered accountancy institutes alongside ICAEW and ICAI (Ireland); competes directly for Scotland-based members and students and shares mutual recognition arrangements for cross-border chartered status.
- Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand (CA ANZ): Australia/New Zealand chartered body formed via merger of ICAA and NZICA; competes with ICAEW in Oceania and has reciprocal recognition for members in the region.
Emerging players
- Coursera: Global online learning platform partnering with universities and companies to deliver finance and accountancy credentials; competes with ICAEW's accelerator programmes for CPD attention and budget from finance professionals.
Broad incumbents
- CFA Institute: Global professional body for investment professionals offering the CFA designation; adjacent rather than overlapping, but competes for the same finance professional CPD wallet and emerging-markets membership growth.
Regional players
- ICAI (Institute of Chartered Accountants of India): India's national chartered accountancy body with very large student pipeline; relevant to ICAEW as both a partner for mutual recognition and a competitor for global mobility of chartered accountants.
Others
- Kaplan: Global education and training provider that already partners with ICAEW on the Power BI Certificate; competes as a CPD/training provider and is both a partner and adjacent market participant.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
ICAEW social profiles
Digital presenceICAEW financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
ICAEW leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
ICAEW funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
ICAEW M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about ICAEW
What does ICAEW do?
ICAEW is a professional membership organization that grants the ACA (Associate Chartered Accountant) qualification, regulates member firms, and provides continuing professional development, technical guidance, and career services to 172,273 members and 38,199 students across 150 countries. Its offerings include the ACA qualification programme, specialist certificates (Sustainability Assurance, Power BI, Corporate Finance, Charity Accounting, Insolvency), accelerator programmes (GenAI, Sustainability), recruitment portals, and flagship conferences for the chartered accountancy profession.
Is ICAEW a public or private company?
ICAEW is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was ICAEW founded?
ICAEW was founded in 1880. It employs 501 to 1,000 people.
Where is ICAEW based?
ICAEW is headquartered in London, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does ICAEW make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Membership Subscriptions are the primary driver. The others are professional Qualifications and Training, faculty and Community Subscriptions and recruitment Services.
Who are ICAEW's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are CPA Australia, ACCA (Association of Chartered Certified Accountants), CIMA (Chartered Institute of Management Accountants), AICPA (American Institute of Certified Public Accountants), ICAS (Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland) and Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand (CA ANZ). Coursera is listed as an emerging player. CFA Institute is listed as a broad incumbent. ICAI (Institute of Chartered Accountants of India) is listed as a regional player. Kaplan is listed as an others.
Does ICAEW have an API?
No public API is recorded for ICAEW.
What industry is ICAEW in?
ICAEW's product category is Professional Accountancy Membership. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAAANAD, Finance, Accounting & Risk (CFA/CPA/FRM) Certifications, with a secondary code of BPAHAFAC, Governance & Board Effectiveness Advisory. Its NAICS code is 813910 and its SIC code is 8600.