Brussels, 27 May 2026 – The International Software Testing Qualifications Board (ISTQB®) today announced the release of the ISTQB® Certified Tester Finance Testing (CT-FT) Syllabus v1.0, a new Specialist certification syllabus for professionals involved in software testing and quality assurance within the financial services domain.
The syllabus was voted for release by the ISTQB® General Assembly on 17 April 2026 and published as Release 2026/05/27. It forms the basis for the ISTQB® Certified Tester Finance Testing qualification and is intended for individuals who work in or with financial systems, including professionals in financial institutions, fintech companies, regulatory bodies, and related organizations.
The CT-FT syllabus is suitable for testers, business analysts, developers, compliance officers, auditors, regulators, and other professionals who want to understand the specific testing and compliance requirements of financial systems. It provides a domain-focused extension to the ISTQB® Certified Tester Foundation Level (CTFL) qualification, enhancing candidates’ understanding of finance-specific testing topics, including regulatory compliance, risk, data, security, automation, and performance.
“Financial systems are not only business-critical; they are part of the infrastructure that supports customer trust, institutional resilience, and regulatory confidence,” said Nishan Portoyan, Product Owner of the ISTQB® Certified Tester Finance Testing syllabus. “This syllabus gives testing professionals a globally consistent foundation for applying software testing practices in a domain where correctness, auditability, security, data integrity, and operational resilience are essential.”
The syllabus defines business outcomes for certified professionals, including the ability to understand the structure of the financial industry, apply test practices that support compliance with financial regulations and standards, apply risk-based testing to financial systems, understand test practices for data accuracy, consistency and protection, apply functional and non-functional testing techniques used in the financial domain, and understand the role of test automation in financial environments while considering regulatory constraints.
The CT-FT syllabus is organized into six examinable chapters:
- 1 Introduction to the Financial Services Industry
- 2 Compliance Testing
- 3 Risk-Based Testing
- 4 Data Testing and Data Management
- 5 Functional and Non-Functional Testing
- 6 Test Automation
To be eligible for the Certified Tester Finance Testing exam, candidates must hold a valid ISTQB® Certified Tester Foundation Level (CTFL) certificate. Familiarity with financial systems or software projects in the financial domain is beneficial but not mandatory.
The syllabus was produced by an international ISTQB® team, with contributions and review from members of the global ISTQB® community, including Member Boards and working groups.
Find out more (including downloading the syllabus, sample exam, and accreditation guideline) here. Exams and training, where available, can be found in the ISTQB® exam providers and accredited training providers listings on the ISTQB® website.