Financial IT Certification 'Intermediate' to be Launched in October 2026

Background and Purpose

The 'Financial IT Certification (Beginner Level)' operated by the Financial Information Technology Association has exceeded 1,500 certified individuals. Responding to requests from certified professionals and their employers to 'acquire and prove more practical skills' and 'gain the ability to plan and drive DX using digital and AI,' the association has begun development of an intermediate qualification.

While AI adoption and digital transformation (DX) are rapidly progressing in the financial industry, a shortage of talent capable of planning and driving initiatives in the field is becoming severe. Existing qualifications and training tend to lean toward either financial knowledge or IT knowledge alone, creating a need for a systematic mechanism to cultivate and evaluate talent capable of 'using AI and digital technologies within the context of financial operations' industry-wide.

The Financial IT Certification 'Intermediate' is designed to meet this need. It certifies that the examinee is a professional capable of 'identifying issues from situation analysis and planning/proposing solutions utilizing digital and AI technologies' based on common, objective industry standards.

Exam/Program Overview (1st Session)

- Timing: October 2026 - Format: Remote workshop + 1-day face-to-face program + certification exam (pre-learning content included) - Target: Entry to mid-level professionals working in financial institutions who are engaged in, or planning to engage in, business improvement and value creation through digital/AI adoption. - Capacity: 50 people - Location: Tokyo - Application Start: Scheduled for July 2026 (Announced on the FITA website) - Qualification: Must have passed the Financial IT Certification (Beginner Level)

*Detailed dates will be announced after July 2025.

About the Financial Information Technology Association

The Financial Information Technology Association (FITA) provides a community that transcends organizational boundaries for all individuals involved in Finance × IT. With a mission to foster digital talent across the financial industry and democratize IT, it began external activities in January 2024.

- Name: Financial Information Technology Association (FITA), Non-Profit Organization - Address: FinGATE KAYABA, 1-8-1 Nihonbashi Kayabacho, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 104-0031 - Representative: Shozo Yamaguchi, Chairman

About the Financial IT Certification (Beginner Level)

The 'Financial IT Certification (Beginner Level)' is for everyone related to finance. It is a qualification system that allows systematic learning of basic knowledge related to financial IT. The exam is conducted in a CBT format, available at test centers nationwide.