Gitnux/Report 2026

Accounting Financial Services Industry Statistics

83% of US firms use cloud for at least one workload in 2024—see the practical impact on accounting systems, reporting, and controls.
296Statistics
90Sources
12Sections
1Visuals
50mRead
November 10, 2026Updated
Accounting Financial Services Industry Statistics
Margot VilleneuveWritten by Margot Villeneuve·Edited by Nicholas Chambers·Fact-checked by Katherine Brennan
Published ·Updated
How this report is researched
01Editorial Scope

Before any source is gathered, an editor locks the question, what qualifies, and how the piece will be judged.

02Source Research

Search agents collect the source set and pull each data point out with its provenance attached.

Read our full methodology →

Search agents attach provenance to every extracted figure.

Next review: within 39 days

01 Industry overview

The accounting financial services industry at a glance

Accounting services are a large, expanding global market: revenue was estimated at $688.2 billion in 2025, with North America accounting for 38.0% and technology-enabled outsourcing supporting continued growth.

$688.2B[78]
Global market size, 2025
8.1%[78]
Global CAGR, 2026–2033
1,449,500[32]
U.S. accountants and auditors, 2025
38.0%[78]
North America share, 2025
Market size
The global accounting services market was valued at $688.2 billion in 2025. North American accounting services generated approximately $261.3 billion in revenue in 2025.[78]
Forecast & CAGR
Global accounting services revenue is forecast to reach $1.2758 trillion by 2033 from $740.1 billion in 2026, implying an 8.1% CAGR from 2026 to 2033. North America's market is projected to reach $491.9 billion by 2033 at an 8.3% CAGR.[78]
Market share & regions
North America held 38.0% of global accounting-services revenue in 2025, making it the largest regional market. Its 2025 revenue was estimated at $261.3 billion.[78]
Segmentation
The market is segmented by bookkeeping, payroll services, financial auditing, tax-preparation services and other services, as well as by traditional and hybrid delivery models. Bookkeeping was identified as the largest type segment in North America in 2025.[78]
Key players & concentration
The global Big Four networks—Deloitte, PwC, EY and KPMG—reported combined fee income of $220.5 billion in the 2026 International Accounting Bulletin survey, up 4% year over year. In the U.S. accounting and auditing market, the top five companies accounted for 16.6% of production value in 2025, indicating substantial fragmentation outside the largest networks.[79]
Trends, drivers & challenges
Growth is being supported by finance-and-accounting outsourcing, cloud accounting platforms and demand for advisory services related to tax reform, sustainability reporting and changing financial standards. Labor remains a constraint: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 115,300 annual openings for accountants and auditors during 2025–2035, while technology is changing the role of accounting professionals.[78][32]
Consumer behavior & competition
Tax-service demand is increasingly digital: in IRS fiscal year 2025, 93.7% of individual tax returns were filed electronically, while paid preparers filed 86.7 million individual returns electronically. Competition spans large multidisciplinary networks, regional firms, specialist tax providers and cloud-enabled bookkeeping platforms.[80]
M&A
U.S. accounting and tax M&A accelerated in 2025, with the ten largest acquirers responsible for 24.6% of announced transactions. The three leading buyers—Ascend Partner Services, Platform Accounting Group and Aprio—represented 10.9% of transaction volume.[81]
Regulation
Public-company audit firms remain subject to PCAOB inspection, while SEC independence rules restrict auditors from providing certain non-audit services to audit clients. In 2025, PCAOB staff inspected 143 registered public accounting firms and reviewed portions of 780 public-company audits.[82][83]
Latest news
The latest regulatory quality update reported that PCAOB staff reviewed portions of 780 public-company audits across 143 registered firms in 2025, with Part I.A deficiency rates declining across several firm categories. The development keeps audit quality, inspection findings and technology-enabled controls central to industry competition in 2026.[82]

02 Ranking

Top 10 Companies in the Accounting Financial Services Industry

The leading companies in the accounting financial services industry, ranked on market impact, performance, momentum, innovation and brand popularity.

Updated November 10, 2026 · Next review December 10, 2026

Verdict

EY leads Gitnux's 2026 accounting financial services ranking with an Overall score of 8.9, with Global organization provides assurance, consulting, tax, strategy and transactions. Deloitte is the highest-ranked assurance service at 8.7, with Global network provides audit, assurance, tax, consulting and advisory services.

Ranked by Overall score · How we score ↓

Editor's top 3 picks

Where to start, by need.

  1. #1 Overall · Leader in advisory and consulting

    EY

    GB

    Ranked #1 · 8.9 · Advisory and consulting

    Why we picked it: It serves global assurance, consulting, tax, strategy and transactions segments and operates at network scale.

    See in ranking ↓Visit ey.com ↗

  2. Leader in audit and assurance

    Deloitte

    GB

    Ranked #2 · 8.7 · Audit and assurance

    Why we picked it: Its global audit and assurance scope aligns with technology-focused audit oversight requirements.

    See in ranking ↓Visit deloitte.com ↗

  3. Leader in tax and legal

    Baker Tilly

    GB

    Ranked #5 · 8.5 · Tax and legal

    Why we picked it: Its multi-service coverage supports hybrid delivery models and digital tax filing demand.

    See in ranking ↓Visit bakertilly.global ↗

Pick 1 is the #1 company overall. Picks 2 and 3 are the highest-ranked companies in the top 5 that add a new segment.

Full ranking

Sort by
Top 10 companies in the accounting financial services industry, 2026 – Gitnux ranking
#CompanyOverall ↓Company snapshot
1

EY

Advisory and consulting · GB

8.9
2

Deloitte

Audit and assurance · GB

8.7
3

KPMG

Audit and assurance · GB

8.5
4

PwC

Audit and assurance · GB

8.5
5

Baker Tilly

Tax and legal · GB

8.5
6

Crowe

Global accounting, audit, tax and advisory · US

8.3
7

Grant Thornton

Global assurance, tax and advisory services · GB

8.0
8

Forvis Mazars

Global audit, tax, advisory and consulting · FR

7.8
9

BDO

Global audit, tax, advisory and business services · GB

7.8
10

RSM

Global assurance, tax and consulting for middle market · GB

7.7

How we score

  • Impact (30%): scale and weight in the market (revenue, market share, employees, market position).
  • Performance (20%): recent revenue growth and operating margin; an analyst assessment where a company does not publish them.
  • Momentum (20%): growth trajectory and future potential.
  • Innovation (15%): R&D intensity and how technologically advanced the company is.

Popularity (brand search demand, 15%) counts toward Overall but is not published as a column. Overall leaves out what is not known.

Scale Scores are shown on a 7–10 scale with one decimal; bars start at 7.0.

Cadence Recalculated when new figures are published; next review December 10, 2026.

Independence. Rankings are editorially independent. Scores, ranks, picks and the verdict follow the method above; no company can pay to change them.

Cite this ranking

APA

Margot Villeneuve. (2026, February 13). Top 10 companies in the accounting financial services industry. In Accounting Financial Services Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/accounting-financial-services-industry-statistics/#top-companies

report visual · Comparison

Revenue of the largest accounting financial services companies

Deloitte leads with $74.5B in annual revenue (group level, converted to USD).

Deloitte$74.5B
PwC$60.2B
EY$57.0B
KPMG$39.8B
BDO$11.0B
Grant Thornton$8.5B
source-verifieddeloitte.com · pwc.com · ey.com · kpmg.com · bdo.global · grantthornton.global2026

04 Statistics

Technology & Innovation

AI and automation use are widespread in 2026, with 31% of sole practices and 51% of small accounting firms using AI moderately or extensively for delivery.

AI in the accounting financial services industry

  • 31% of sole practices and 51% of small accounting firms used AI moderately or extensively for accounting or bookkeeping service delivery in 2026.[1]
  • 34% of ICAEW respondent firms used AI for bookkeeping in 2024.[1]
  • 70% of chartered-accountancy survey participants used publicly available generative-AI chatbots at least once or twice a month in 2024.[2]
  • 88% of global finance and accounting leaders expected AI to be the most transformative technology trend over the next 12–24 months in 2025.[3]
  • 47% of organizations adopting or piloting AI in corporate reporting required mandatory human review of outputs in 2026.[1]
  • 39% of corporate-reporting organizations had adopted generative AI and another 31% were piloting it in 2026.[1]

Automation in the accounting financial services industry

  • 43% of accounting firms surveyed used automation for data entry and transaction processing in 2025.[4]
  • 95% of accounting firms surveyed adopted automation technologies during 2025.[4]
  • 48% of mid-tier accounting-firm respondents expected clients to want more automation within three years in 2024.[5]
  • 41% of accounting professionals used AI to automate workflows in the 2025 accounting survey.[6]
  • 47% of accounting firms surveyed used automation for payroll processing in 2025.[4]
  • 71% of mid-tier accounting-firm respondents expected to invest in artificial intelligence within three years in 2024.[5]

Digital Transformation in the financial services sector (sector benchmark)

  • 43% of financial services firms said they will need an entirely new technology stack to succeed in the age of AI.[7]
  • 80% of financial services firms reported active AI use in 2026, up from 31% in 2025.[7]
  • 27% of financial services firms reported financial benefits from AI in 2026, up from 14% in 2025.[7]
  • 26% of financial services firms reported using agentic AI in 2026, according to a global digital-transformation study.[7]
  • 84% of financial services firms said integrating front-, middle- and back-office systems into one platform is important in 2026.[7]

Technology Adoption in the financial services sector (sector benchmark)

  • 61% of financial institutions recently adopted AI or improved their AI capabilities, based on a 2024 survey across 11 markets.[8]
  • 59% of finance leaders reported using AI in their finance function in 2025, according to Gartner’s survey of 183 senior finance leaders.[9]
  • 35% of financial institutions adopted or improved generative-AI capabilities during the 12 months covered by the 2024 survey.[8]
  • 54% of surveyed financial services companies had deployed AI initiatives by January 2025, up from 40% one year earlier.[10]
  • About one-third of financial services companies reported using generative AI by January 2025, compared with 21% a year earlier.[10]

Cloud Computing in the financial services sector (sector benchmark)

  • 87% of financial services firms increased cloud investment during the two years preceding LSEG’s 2025 global survey.[11]
  • 82% of financial services firms used a hybrid- or multi-cloud strategy in LSEG’s 2025 global survey.[11]
  • 91% of financial organizations had at least one cloud platform in 2023, up from 37% in 2020.[12]
  • 33% of financial services firms were highly satisfied with cloud-related reductions in operational costs in Capgemini’s 2024 survey.[12]
  • 43% of banking and financial services organizations were moving toward a cloud-first analytics approach in the WNS-Forrester survey.[13]

Big Data in the financial services sector (sector benchmark)

  • 37% of surveyed bank marketers said their bank was on the way to using data and analytics to support strategic goals in 2024.[14]
  • 18% of finance firms adopted big-data analytics in the OECD’s cross-country comparison; the European data refer to 2019.[15]
  • 43% of financial services firms had adopted customer-data platforms at least partially or were scaling them, based on Capgemini’s 2024 survey.[12]

05 Statistics

Data & Analytics

Analytics governance and data quality show up as implementation constraints; across global financial services, 54% rated data governance at one of the two highest maturity levels in 2024.

Business intelligence in the accounting financial services industry

  • 52% of U.S. companies used AI specifically in financial reporting.[16]
  • 78% of U.S. companies were piloting or using AI in financial planning.[16]
  • 62% of U.S. companies used AI to a moderate or large degree in their finance functions.[16]
  • 29% of accounting firms tracked realization rates as a profitability or performance metric.[17]
  • 93% of Australian accounting and finance professionals used data-analytics and visualization software.[18]
  • 76% of U.S. companies were piloting or using AI in accounting functions.[16]

Data analytics in the accounting financial services industry

  • 54% of U.S. accounting professionals used AI for financial forecasting in client services.[19]
  • 51% of U.S. accounting professionals used AI for client fraud detection and prevention.[19]
  • 43% of accounting firms used automation for data entry and transaction processing.[4]
  • 69% of U.S. accounting professionals used AI for client data entry and processing.[19]
  • 49% of U.S. accounting professionals used AI to provide real-time insights in client services.[19]
  • 47% of U.S. accounting professionals used AI to provide real-time financial insights to clients.[19]

Data Quality in the financial services sector (sector benchmark)

  • Across U.S. banking and capital markets, 94% of respondents named data accuracy and reliability as a priority in 2024.[20]
  • Across global financial services, 36% of organizations rated their data excellent for quantity and completeness in 2024.[21]
  • Across significant European banking institutions, 32% did not apply data-quality-management principles to end-user computing in 2023.[22]
  • Across global financial services, 34% of organizations rated their data excellent for accuracy and integrity in 2024.[21]
  • Across U.S. banking and capital markets, 86% of respondents named data access and usability as a top concern in 2024.[20]
  • Across banks supervised by the European Central Bank, 28% reported that all data used by critical functions came from golden sources in 2023.[22]

Data Governance in the financial services sector (sector benchmark)

  • Across financial-services organizations surveyed globally, 57.1% identified BI-content testing as the top future investment in analytics governance in 2025.[23]
  • Across financial-services organizations surveyed globally, 43.7% lacked a standardized certification process for analytics content in 2025.[23]
  • Across global financial services, 54% of companies rated data governance at one of the two highest maturity levels in 2024.[16]
  • Across 35 surveyed banks, insurers, and financial-services firms in 38 countries, 54% had adopted a semantic layer for organization-wide data governance in 2025.[24]
  • Across financial-services organizations surveyed globally, 82.9% had implemented governance policies specifically applying to business intelligence and analytics in 2025.[23]

KPIs in the accounting financial services industry

  • 38% of accounting firms tracked the accuracy of information provided.[17]
  • 58% of accounting firms tracked response time.[17]
  • 29% of accounting firms tracked realization rates as a profitability metric.[17]
  • 62% of accounting firms tracked client retention rates.[17]
  • 7% of accounting firms tracked another communication or client-service metric not listed in the survey.[17]

06 Statistics

Strategy & Growth

Fee growth expectations and talent issues coincide with private-equity and ESG agendas; 94% of UK mid-tier accounting firms expected fee growth over the following three years in ICAEW’s 2026 study.

Growth in the accounting financial services industry

  • 44% of UK mid-tier accounting firms planned to introduce ESG-related services within three years in ICAEW’s 2025 research.[1]
  • 89% of UK mid-tier accounting firms identified private-equity investment among their top three macro trends driving change in 2026.[1]
  • 29% of UK mid-tier accounting firms identified talent challenges among their top three trends affecting the profession in 2026.[1]
  • 58% of UK mid-tier accounting firms cited increased charge-out rates as a contributor to fee growth in 2026.[1]
  • 94% of UK mid-tier accounting firms expected fee growth over the following three years in ICAEW’s 2026 study.[1]
  • 38% of surveyed UK mid-tier accounting firms had already invested in artificial-intelligence solutions in 2024.[1]

Differentiation in the accounting financial services industry

  • 71% of UK mid-tier accounting firms believed artificial intelligence would enable movement up the value chain in service offerings by 2030.[1]
  • 52% of UK mid-tier accounting firms identified commercial acumen among the top three skills required for future practice leaders in 2024.[1]
  • 12% of UK mid-tier accounting firms agreed that the profession’s attractiveness would decline because of perceptions that AI would replace accountancy.[1]
  • 68% of UK mid-tier accounting firms agreed that AI would reduce the need for early-career accountants and require broader senior capabilities.[1]
  • 83% of UK mid-tier accounting firms agreed that accountants’ roles would shift toward judgement, systems thinking and ethical oversight by 2030.[1]
  • 83% of UK mid-tier accounting firms agreed that demand for accountants would continue for a redefined profession by 2030.[1]

Mergers and acquisitions in the accounting financial services industry

  • 25% of UK mid-tier accounting firms were private-equity backed in ICAEW’s 2025 research.[1]
  • 54.8% of accounting-services M&A transactions in Capstone’s 2026 year-to-date period involved financial acquirers.[25]
  • Nearly half of UK mid-tier accounting firms had completed an acquisition in the year covered by ICAEW’s 2025 research.[1]
  • More than half of UK mid-tier accounting firms planned to pursue mergers or acquisitions during the three years following the 2024 survey.[1]
  • 64% of surveyed UK mid-tier accounting firms had acquired another firm before the 2024 study.[1]
  • 69.1% was the year-over-year increase in accounting-services M&A deal volume reported for Capstone’s 2026 year-to-date period.[25]

Strategic partnerships in the accounting financial services industry

  • 39% of affiliated UK mid-tier accounting firms identified knowledge sharing as a main benefit of their alliance, association or network in 2024.[1]
  • 90% of surveyed UK mid-tier accounting firms belonged to an alliance, association or network in 2024.[1]
  • 26% of affiliated UK mid-tier accounting firms identified brand strength as a main benefit of their alliance, association or network in 2024.[1]
  • 14% of new work among UK mid-tier accounting firms reporting client-base growth came from affiliate referrals in their most recent financial year.[1]
  • 39% of affiliated UK mid-tier accounting firms identified collaborative opportunities as a main benefit of their alliance, association or network in 2024.[1]
  • 84% of affiliated UK mid-tier accounting firms identified global reach as a main benefit of their alliance, association or network in 2024.[1]

07 Statistics

People & Workforce

Labor shortages remain a key operational constraint, with the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projecting 115,300 annual openings for accountants and auditors during 2025–2035.

Hiring in the accounting financial services industry

  • 19% of Asia-Pacific accounting and finance businesses had reduced or stopped hiring entry-level accounting roles because of AI in 2025.[26]
  • 77% was the 2026 talent-shortage index reported by Controllers Council for corporate finance and accounting roles.[27]
  • 45% of accounting firms said worker shortages made it difficult to meet client demands while maintaining work-life balance in 2025.[3]
  • 41% of accountants surveyed said talent shortages would have ongoing impacts on the profession in 2025.[3]
  • 8% of Australian accounting and finance businesses had reduced or stopped hiring entry-level accounting roles because of AI in 2025.[26]

Employee retention in the accounting financial services industry

  • 33.5% of respondents in the 2024 PICPA retention survey said entry- and mid-level employees needed to be valued more.[28]
  • 10% to 12% was the annual turnover rate reported by firms in the 2024 National Pipeline Advisory Group accounting talent strategy report.[29]
  • 35.6% of respondents in the 2024 PICPA retention survey identified more flexible work options as a reason former CPAs left.[28]
  • 11.8% was the average accounting-firm employee turnover rate in 2025, according to Inside Public Accounting data.[30]
  • 39% of U.S. accounting and finance professionals aged 18–38 experienced turnover during the 24 months covered by the 2023 IMA study.[31]

Remote Work in the financial services sector (sector benchmark)

  • 52.5% of workers in U.S. financial activities teleworked in June 2026, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.[32]
  • 68% of U.S. financial services workers said they would consider seeking new employment if remote and hybrid flexibility were reduced in 2023.[33]
  • Across U.S. financial services, 82% of companies offered some form of work-location flexibility in 2025.[34]
  • 87% of U.S. financial services employees said remote work helped them balance home and work responsibilities in 2025.[16]

Hybrid Work in the financial services sector (sector benchmark)

  • 54% of U.S. employees with remote-capable jobs worked in a hybrid arrangement in 2025.[35]
  • 52% of financial services companies used a structured hybrid model in early 2024, up from 41% in March 2023.[36]
  • 28.7% of U.S. finance and insurance workers were in hybrid work arrangements as of September 24, 2024.[37]
  • 42.2% of remotely workable finance and insurance jobs were hybrid in July 2025 in the United States.[34]
  • 2.58 days was the average weekly in-office requirement among financial services companies using structured hybrid work in 2024.[36]

Upskilling in the accounting financial services industry

  • 85% of chartered accountants surveyed were willing to use AI if given the opportunity in 2024.[1]
  • 64% of corporate finance and accounting respondents used external training or certification programs to address skills gaps in 2025.[27]
  • 46% of finance leaders identified generative AI as their teams’ most significant skills gap for 2025.[3]
  • 35% of Australian bookkeepers identified cloud accounting platforms and integrations as an area needing further training in 2025.[38]
  • 71% of surveyed accounting firms had only a basic structured training and development program or no program in 2025.[39]

Employee Engagement in the financial services sector (sector benchmark)

  • 31% of employees in the United States and Canada were engaged at work in 2025.[35]
  • 12% of employees in Europe were engaged at work in 2025.[35]
  • 20% of employees worldwide were engaged at work in 2025, according to Gallup’s World Poll.[35]
  • 16% of employees worldwide were actively disengaged at work in 2025.[35]

Change Management in the financial services sector (sector benchmark)

  • 64% of financial services leaders acknowledged the need for complete organizational transformation in 2024.[40]
  • 49% of financial institutions cited continuous learning and development as a way to prepare for technological change in 2024.[8]

08 Statistics

Customer & Sales

Client experience metrics point to responsiveness as selection criteria; 85% of business decision-makers said responsiveness was very or extremely influential when selecting an accountant.

Customer experience in the accounting financial services industry

  • 38% was the 2024 Net Promoter Score for the accounting industry, based on client likelihood to recommend their accounting firm in the United States.[41]
  • 58% of accounting firms monitored response time as a client-communication metric.[17]
  • 82% of accounting clients said vague or time-consuming requests frustrated them during engagements.[42]
  • 75% of accounting clients reported struggling to manage daily responsibilities during engagements in the client-experience survey.[42]
  • 20% of accounting firms tracked the number of client touchpoints.[17]

Customer retention in the accounting financial services industry

  • 76% of accounting firms placed high importance on building personal relationships to retain existing clients.[43]
  • 58% of business decision-makers found their current accountant through a referral, indicating the importance of existing-client advocacy for retention and growth.[44]
  • 62% of accounting firms reported tracking client-retention rates.[17]
  • 85% of business decision-makers said responsiveness was very or extremely influential when selecting an accountant.[44]
  • 56% of U.S. accounting and bookkeeping practices reported adding more clients in 2025, increasing the base requiring retention efforts.[45]

Customer acquisition in the accounting financial services industry

  • 77% of accounting professionals reported expanding their client lists during the previous 12 months.[46]
  • 10% of business decision-makers found their current accountant through social media.[44]
  • 4% of business decision-makers found their current accountant through cold outreach from an accountant.[44]
  • 56% of U.S. accounting and bookkeeping practices reported adding more clients in 2025.[45]
  • 3% of business decision-makers found their current accountant by responding to an advertisement.[44]

Customer loyalty in the accounting financial services industry

  • 62% of accounting firms monitored client-retention rates as a communication or relationship metric.[17]
  • 38% was the 2024 Net Promoter Score for the accounting industry, measuring clients’ willingness to recommend their firm.[41]
  • 96% of accounting professionals said technology proficiency positively affected their client relationships.[43]
  • 58% of business decision-makers said referrals were the primary way they found their current accountant.[44]
  • 76% of accounting firms rated building personal relationships highly important for retaining clients.[43]

Lead generation in the accounting financial services industry

  • 38% of all respondents identified existing clients as a source of CAS leads.[43]
  • 6% of all respondents identified social media as a source of CAS leads.[43]
  • 4% of all respondents identified advertising as a source of CAS leads.[43]
  • 8% of all respondents identified thought leadership as a source of CAS leads.[43]
  • 13% of all respondents identified existing audit clients as a source of CAS leads.[43]

09 Statistics

Marketing & Brand

Digital channels dominate marketing measurement; 74.1% of accounting and financial-services firms used a firm website as a marketing technique in 2021.

Marketing in the accounting financial services industry

  • 74.1% of accounting and financial-services firms used a firm website as a marketing technique in 2021.[47]
  • 48.3% of accounting and financial-services firms used client events and meetings as marketing techniques in 2021.[47]
  • 41.3% of accounting and financial-services firms used webinars in their marketing activities in 2021.[47]
  • 68.5% of accounting and financial-services firms used social media as a marketing technique in 2021.[47]
  • 35.7% of accounting and financial-services firms used video content for marketing in 2021.[47]

Digital marketing in the accounting financial services industry

  • 30.8% of accounting and financial-services firms used paid search or SEO in their marketing activities in 2021.[47]
  • 52% of moderate-growth Australian accounting firms rated their digital presence minimally effective or not effective at all.[48]
  • 66% of high-growth Australian accounting firms rated their digital presence at least moderately effective for attracting new clients.[48]
  • 62% of Australian accounting firms used websites as a marketing channel in the 2025 growth and marketing survey.[48]
  • 39% of Australian accounting firms used referrals as a marketing channel in the 2025 growth and marketing survey.[48]

Branding in the accounting financial services industry

  • 31.5% of accounting and financial-services firms used trade shows or conferences for marketing and brand development in 2021.[47]
  • 41.3% of accounting and financial-services firms used webinars to communicate expertise and build brand visibility in 2021.[47]
  • 31.5% of accounting and financial-services firms used firm-hosted events for marketing and brand development in 2021.[47]
  • 74.1% of accounting and financial-services firms used a firm website to present their brand and marketing messages in 2021.[47]
  • 19.6% of accounting and financial-services firms used television or radio advertising for marketing in 2021.[47]

Social media in the accounting financial services industry

  • 17% of Australian accounting firms surveyed in 2016 were considering adopting enterprise social-media platforms.[48]
  • 6% of accounting CAS practices identified social media as a lead source among all respondents.[43]
  • 28% of Australian accounting firms frequently used implemented enterprise social-media platforms in 2016.[48]
  • 44% of Australian accounting firms used social media among the marketing channels surveyed for client acquisition in 2025.[48]
  • 59.4% of accounting and financial-services firms used LinkedIn as a marketing technique in 2021.[47]

Influencer Marketing in the financial services sector (sector benchmark)

  • 37% of banking executives in a survey of 102 finance respondents recognized influencer marketing as a potent tool for authentic consumer connections in 2023.[49]
  • 5% of financial-services marketers reported dedicated but shrinking budgets for creator or influencer marketing in 2026.[50]
  • 23% of financial-services marketers reported dedicated but flat budgets for creator or influencer marketing in 2026.[50]
  • 7% of financial-services marketers reported folding creator or influencer marketing into other channels rather than maintaining a dedicated budget in 2026.[50]
  • 60% of financial-services marketers reported dedicated and growing budgets for creator or influencer marketing in 2026.[50]

10 Statistics

Operations & Execution

Operational automation and AI adoption are high in practice: 95% of accounting firms surveyed adopted automation technologies during 2025.

Process optimization in the accounting financial services industry

  • 98% of accounting professionals used AI for firm operations during the 12 months before the 2024 survey, according to a global survey of accounting professionals.[4]
  • 54% of accounting professionals planned to invest in automation tools during the 12 months after the 2024 survey.[4]
  • 10.2% of accounting firms selected generative AI as a major future software investment in the 2024 State of Accounting Firms survey.[51]
  • 57% of accounting professionals planned to invest in AI during the 12 months after the 2024 survey.[4]
  • 14.8% of accounting firms selected process automation as a major future software investment in the 2024 State of Accounting Firms survey.[51]

Operational efficiency in the accounting financial services industry

  • 20.6% was the average growth in assets under management at U.S. financial advisory firms in 2024.[52]
  • 25.7% of revenue went to overhead at the most profitable U.S. advisory firms in 2024.[52]
  • 39.2% was the average operating profitability margin for independent financial advisory firms in 2024, based on 230 firms reporting complete financial data.[53]
  • 27.8% was the median operating margin for U.S. financial advisory firms in 2024.[52]
  • 45% of revenue went to overhead at other U.S. advisory firms in 2024, compared with 25.7% at the most profitable firms.[52]

Quality management in the accounting financial services industry

  • 21% of accounting professionals identified AI implementation and maintenance costs as a major concern in 2024.[4]
  • 21% of accounting professionals identified AI accuracy as a major concern in 2024.[4]
  • 31% of accounting professionals identified data privacy and security as their biggest concern about using AI in 2024.[4]
  • 27% of tax and accounting firms with 30 or more employees automated between 26% and 50% of their tax processes in 2024.[54]
  • 20% of tax and accounting firms with 4 to 29 employees automated more than half of their tax processes in 2024.[54]

Outsourcing / Offshoring in the financial services sector (sector benchmark)

  • Among significant European banks, 67% of outsourcing contracts were sub-outsourced to external service providers in the 2024 analysis.[22]
  • Across surveyed finance organizations, 64% were implementing or evaluating offshoring or nearshoring for finance operations in 2026, while 36% planned to remain fully U.S.-based.[55]
  • Among significant European banks, 27% of critical ICT contracts were outsourced to external providers located outside the European Union in the 2024 analysis.[22]
  • Among U.S. banks surveyed, 57% had considered outsourcing information technology departments in 2024, the highest share among listed departments.[56]
  • Among significant European banks, outsourcing services accounted for 7.2% of administrative expenses at year-end 2023, up from 6.8%.[22]

11 Statistics

Finance & Pricing

Pricing mix is shifting as clients seek value; value-based pricing preference increased by 23% over five years in the 2024 survey.

Pricing strategy in the accounting financial services industry

  • 23% was the increase in client preference for value-based pricing reported by tax and accounting professionals over five years in the 2024 survey.[54]
  • 36% of Client Advisory Services practices used a mixed pricing method combining hourly, fixed and value pricing in the 2024 survey.[57]
  • 10% of Client Advisory Services practices still used hourly billing as their primary pricing method in the 2024 benchmark survey.[43]
  • 10% of CAS practices relied on hourly billing in 2024, down from 27% in 2022.[43]
  • 33% of Client Advisory Services practices used hourly billing for their CAS offering in the 2024 survey.[57]

Cost reduction in the accounting financial services industry

  • 63% of accounting professionals reported reduced profits because of higher interest rates and rising business costs in 2024.[4]
  • 45% of revenue was spent on overhead by other U.S. advisory firms in 2024.[52]
  • 54% of accounting professionals planned to invest in automation tools to address efficiency and cost pressures during the 12 months after the 2024 survey.[4]
  • 57% of accounting professionals planned to invest in AI tools to address efficiency and cost pressures during the 12 months after the 2024 survey.[4]
  • 25.7% of revenue was spent on overhead by the most profitable U.S. advisory firms in 2024.[52]

Profitability in the accounting financial services industry

  • 16.7% was the median operating margin for U.S. advisory firms managing less than $250 million in assets in 2024.[52]
  • 39.2% was the average profitability margin for independent financial advisory firms in 2024.[53]
  • 25% of firms in the 2024 Unanet GAUGE report had zero or negative net profit margins.[58]
  • 28.6% was the median operating margin for U.S. advisory firms managing more than $1 billion in assets in 2024.[52]
  • 16.2% was the average profit margin for U.S. accounting firms reported in the 2025 InvestmentNews benchmarking analysis.[59]

Financial planning in the accounting financial services industry

  • 4.1% of assets came from new client relationships at independent advisory firms in 2024, net of market effects.[60]
  • 15.2% was the increase in net new client relationships at U.S. financial advisory firms in 2024.[52]
  • 2% of assets were lost through client departures at independent advisory firms in 2024.[60]
  • 10.0% was the average growth target set by independent advisory firms for 2024, compared with actual organic growth of 3.1%.[53]
  • $1.3 million was the average revenue per advisor at independent financial advisory firms in 2024.[61]

12 Statistics

Product & Service

Adoption plans emphasize expanding advisory and AI usage; 75% of accounting-firm respondents reported growth in client advisory services.

Product development in the accounting financial services industry

  • 82% of accountants reported proprietary AI systems in use or planned for development at their firms.[19]
  • 6.5% of U.S. accounting, tax-preparation, bookkeeping and payroll-service companies reported product innovation during 2020–2022.[62]
  • 22.3% of U.S. accounting, tax-preparation, bookkeeping and payroll-service companies reported product or business-process innovation during 2020–2022.[62]
  • 75% of accounting-firm respondents reported growth in client advisory services.[63]
  • 74% of accounting-firm respondents had a detailed plan to add new services in the following 12 months.[43]

Product lifecycle in the accounting financial services industry

  • 54% of U.S. accounting professionals used AI situationally rather than as a daily default.[19]
  • 45% of accounting firms planned to invest in automation during the following year.[19]
  • 40% of Australian accounting and finance professionals used AI occasionally, mainly through free or off-the-shelf tools.[18]
  • 30% of U.S. accounting professionals said AI was embedded as the default in their day-to-day work.[19]
  • 64% of accounting firms planned to invest in or upgrade AI during the following year.[4]

After-sales in the accounting financial services industry

  • 38% was the 2024 Net Promoter Score benchmark for the accounting industry.[28]
  • 62% of accounting firms tracked client retention rates as a communication or client-service metric.[17]
  • 75% of accounting clients struggled to manage daily responsibilities during engagements.[64]
  • 82% of accounting clients were frustrated by vague or time-consuming requests during engagements.[64]
  • 71% of accounting-firm respondents said seamless technology interactions were crucial for client retention.[43]

Value proposition in the accounting financial services industry

  • 94% of accountants expected technology to elevate risk-management advisory services.[19]
  • 68% of accountants reported that clients needed more support with financial management.[19]
  • 69% of accountants reported that clients needed more support with technology management.[19]
  • 71% of accounting professionals serving profit-growing clients said implementing or optimizing accounting technology contributed most to those clients’ profit increases.[19]
  • 47% of U.S. accounting professionals’ work time was devoted to strategic advisory on average.[19]

13 Statistics

Sustainability & Ethics

Sustainability work is supported by training and assurance and includes data challenges; 74% of PwC’s clients still used spreadsheets for sustainability reporting in 2024.

Sustainability in the accounting financial services industry

  • 45% of global accountants surveyed by ACCA said they helped employers address social-impact issues in 2026.[65]
  • 98% of Deloitte executives reported progress toward sustainability goals during 2024 in the United States.[20]
  • More than one-third of global accountants surveyed by ACCA said their roles helped employers address environmental and climate issues in 2026.[65]
  • 158,298 PwC employees, nearly 44% of its workforce, participated in sustainability training in 2025 globally.[66]
  • 24% of mid-tier accountancy-firm respondents expected clients to demand more sustainability and ESG reporting focus over the next three years, according to 2024 research.[67]

ESG in the accounting financial services industry

  • 74% of companies surveyed by PwC still used spreadsheets for sustainability reporting in 2024.[66]
  • 57% of US executives cited ESG-data quality as their company’s top sustainability-reporting challenge in 2024.[20]
  • 81% of US executives identified documentation and sign-off as a top ESG-reporting challenge in 2024.[20]
  • 30% of ACCA accountants identified sustainability as one of their top three ethical-challenge areas during the preceding three years.[65]
  • Around 25% of companies due to report workforce sustainability information in 2026 strongly agreed that HR had the resources and skills required.[66]

Ethics in the accounting financial services industry

  • 24% of accountants surveyed across 135 countries had been pressured to behave unethically during the previous three years in 2024.[65]
  • 64% of accountants surveyed by ACCA said ethical dilemmas had become harder to resolve than three years earlier in 2024.[65]
  • 40% of accountants identified leadership and culture as a leading ethical-challenge area during the preceding three years in 2024.[65]
  • 61% of professional accountants ranked AI use as the leading ethical challenge in ACCA’s 2026 survey, up from 32% in 2024.[65]
  • 27% of male accountants surveyed by ACCA reported pressure to act unethically, compared with 19% of female accountants, in 2024.[65]

CSR in the accounting financial services industry

  • More than $25 million was donated by the KPMG US Foundation to national and local organizations in FY2025.[16]
  • 4,500-plus KPMG US participants were associated with the firm’s community and corporate-responsibility activities, according to its 2026 disclosure.[16]
  • 11 consecutive years of recognition by Civic 50 had been achieved by KPMG US by 2026 for community engagement.[16]
  • 101 million lives were reached through Deloitte societal programs from FY2018 through FY2025 globally.[20]
  • $434 million was Deloitte’s cumulative societal investment from FY2018 through FY2025 globally.[20]

Circular economy in the accounting financial services industry

  • 6,734 kilograms of waste were recycled by KPMG Czech Republic in FY2019.[68]
  • 7,466 kilograms of waste were recycled by KPMG Czech Republic in FY2020.[68]
  • 5,363 kilograms of waste were recycled by KPMG Czech Republic in FY2021.[68]
  • 39,484 kilograms was KPMG Czech Republic’s total waste volume in FY2024.[68]
  • 6,499 kilograms of waste were recycled by KPMG Czech Republic in FY2022.[68]

Carbon footprint in the accounting financial services industry

  • 2,080 kilotonnes of market-based gross greenhouse-gas emissions were reported by PwC for FY2025 globally.[66]
  • 99% of PwC’s electricity was renewable in FY2025 globally.[66]
  • 40% was KPMG’s reduction in total scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions from its 2019 baseline by 2025 globally.[16]
  • 52% was EY’s reduction in emissions per person from its FY2019 baseline by 2025 globally.[69]
  • 1.8 tonnes of market-based energy and mobility emissions per employee were reported by PwC for FY2025 globally.[66]

15 Statistics

Globalization & Expansion

Cross-border delivery continues through imports and offshoring; $8.4 billion was the value of U.S. cross-border imports of accounting and auditing services in 2023.

Globalization in the accounting financial services industry

  • $1.8 billion of U.S. accounting and auditing-service imports came from India in 2023, making India the leading source country.[77]
  • $55.4 billion was PwC’s global revenue in fiscal 2024, according to the U.S. International Trade Commission’s global accounting-services table.[77]
  • $8.4 billion was the value of U.S. cross-border imports of accounting and auditing services in 2023, compared with $5.0 billion in 2019.[77]
  • 34% was the approximate combined global-revenue share of Deloitte, PwC, EY and KPMG in 2024.[77]
  • $468 million of U.S. accounting and auditing-service exports went to Canada in 2023, the largest export destination listed.[77]

Supplier management in the accounting financial services industry

  • 50% of surveyed UK mid-tier accounting firms had already offshored or outsourced at least one service line in 2024.[1]
  • 86% was the increase in chargeable hours offshored by firms using outsourcing or offshoring models during the three years before 2024.[1]
  • 18% of surveyed UK mid-tier firms ranked a talent-related issue among their top two concerns in 2024.[1]
  • Audit work was more likely than tax work to be outsourced, offshored or both among the mid-tier firms covered by ICAEW’s 2024 research.[1]
  • 70% of surveyed UK mid-tier firms ranked a talent-related issue as their highest current concern in 2024, supporting increased use of external delivery models.[1]

Stakeholder management in the accounting financial services industry

  • 93% of surveyed UK mid-tier accounting firms reported fee growth in their most recent financial year in the 2024 study.[1]
  • 64% of UK mid-tier accounting firms reporting fee growth in 2024 cited existing clients spending more.[1]
  • 45% of surveyed UK mid-tier accounting firms described their firm culture as collaborative in 2024.[5]
  • 95% of UK mid-tier accounting firms reporting fee growth in 2024 attributed it partly to winning new clients.[1]
  • 82% of UK mid-tier accounting firms reporting fee growth in 2024 cited higher charge-out rates as a growth driver.[1]

Key questions about the Accounting Financial Services Industry

How large is the accounting services market in 2025?
The global accounting services market was valued at $688.2 billion in 2025, with North America at 38.0%.
What growth rate does the market forecast for 2026–2033?
Global accounting services revenue is forecast to reach $1.2758 trillion by 2033 from $740.1 billion in 2026, implying an 8.1% CAGR from 2026 to 2033.
Which companies lead the accounting financial services industry?
EY leads Gitnux's 2026 accounting financial services ranking with an Overall score of 8.9, with Global organization provides assurance, consulting, tax, strategy and transactions. Deloitte is the highest-ranked assurance service at 8.7, with Global network provides audit, assurance, tax, consulting and advisory services.
What technology shifts are most evident in 2026 for accounting operations and delivery?
In 2026, 80% of financial services firms reported active AI use, and 84% said integrating front-, middle- and back-office systems is important.
How concentrated is the market among the largest networks versus the broader field?
The Big Four networks—Deloitte, PwC, EY and KPMG—reported combined fee income of $220.5 billion in the 2026 International Accounting Bulletin survey; in the U.S., the top five accounted for 16.6% of production value in 2025.
How is audit oversight measured in terms of inspections and audit reviews?
In 2025, PCAOB staff inspected 143 registered public accounting firms and reviewed portions of 780 public-company audits.
Reference

Cite This Report

This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.

APA
Margot Villeneuve. (2026, February 13). Accounting Financial Services Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/accounting-financial-services-industry-statistics
MLA
Margot Villeneuve. "Accounting Financial Services Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/accounting-financial-services-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Margot Villeneuve. 2026. "Accounting Financial Services Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/accounting-financial-services-industry-statistics.

Sources & references

90 sources cited across this report

  1. icaew.com
  2. ipsos.com
  3. aicpa-cima.com
  4. investors.intuit.com
  5. devmaster.icaew.com
  6. downloads.ctfassets.net
  7. broadridge.com
  8. finastra.com
  9. gartner.com
  10. spglobal.com
  11. lseg.com
  12. capgemini.com
  13. wns.com
  14. bankingjournal.aba.com
  15. oecd.org
  16. kpmg.com
  17. 20899921.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net
  18. cpaaustralia.com.au
  19. firmofthefuture.com
  20. deloitte.com
  21. riverbed.com
  22. bankingsupervision.europa.eu
  23. wiiisdom.com
  24. assets.contentstack.io
  25. capstonepartners.com
  26. ifac.org
  27. controllerscouncil.org
  28. picpa.org
  29. accountingpipeline.org
  30. ohiocpa.com
  31. imanet.org
  32. bls.gov
  33. eaglehillconsulting.com
  34. cresa.com
  35. gallup.com
  36. journalofaccountancy.com
  37. carriermanagement.com
  38. icb.org.au
  39. incpas.org
  40. mayerbrown.com
  41. clearlyrated.ai
  42. knowledge.scacpa.org
  43. cpa.com
  44. static.taxdome.com
  45. xero.com
  46. quickbooks.intuit.com
  47. hingemarketing.com
  48. accountantsdaily.com.au
  49. insight-hs.vericast.com
  50. brand-news.it
  51. cdn.caseware.com
  52. investmentnews.com
  53. ensemblepractice.com
  54. thomsonreuters.com
  55. grantthornton.com
  56. assets.wipfli.com
  57. cpatrendlines.com
  58. info.unanet.com
  59. media.journoportfolio.com
  60. wealthmanagement.com
  61. kitces.com
  62. ncses.nsf.gov
  63. caseware.com
  64. hub.hscpa.org
  65. accaglobal.com
  66. pwc.com
  67. icaew-sitecore-dev-cm-as.azurewebsites.net
  68. assets.kpmg.com
  69. ey.com
  70. thecaq.org
  71. wisbusiness.com
  72. cpl.thalesgroup.com
  73. trustarc.com
  74. fticommunications.com
  75. abmagazine.accaglobal.com
  76. business.hsbc.uk
  77. usitc.gov
  78. grandviewresearch.com
  79. euromonitor.com
  80. irs.gov
  81. marshberry.com
  82. pcaobus.org
  83. sec.gov
  84. bakertilly.global
  85. crowe.com
  86. grantthornton.global
  87. forvismazars.com
  88. bdo.global
  89. rsm.global
  90. cpafma.org