To Lead What’s Next, You Need to Think Differently Now.
Investment professionals leading today’s markets aren’t just knowledgeable, they bring judgment, clarity, and a deep understanding of where capital is moving next.
The CAIA Charter gives you all three.
Recognized in 100+ countries, this globally respected designation prepares you to lead across the full spectrum of alternative investments — from private markets to digital assets — with the ethics and credibility clients trust.
If you want to stay relevant, build influence, and earn the confidence to navigate what’s coming next, this is where you start.
Next isn’t coming. It’s here.
Next is Now: Explore What’s New in the 2026 CAIA Curriculum
This isn’t theory. It’s the real-world knowledge and discipline today’s investment professionals need, right now.
Explore what’s inside the 2026 CAIA Curriculum:
- A codified global ethics standard
- Portfolio design for a world where digital assets and growth equity are mainstream
- Tools that match the complexity of real-time investment decisions
The industry is already changing. The curriculum has, too.
- CAIA Ethical Principles
- Introduction to Alternative Investments
- Real Assets
- Private Equity
- Private Debt
- Hedge Funds
- Digital Assets
- Funds of Funds
- CAIA Ethical Principles
- Institutional Asset Owners
- Asset Allocation
- Risk and Risk Management
- Methods and Models
- Accessing Alternative Investments
- Due Diligence and Selecting Managers
- Volatility and Complex Strategies
- Universal Investment Considerations
- Emerging Topics
Learn to See What Others Miss
In an era defined by complexity, innovation, and global risk, ethical clarity isn’t optional, it’s essential. CAIA’s eight Ethical Principles are now integrated into the curriculum, giving you tools to lead with professionalism, navigate gray areas, and build trust in a fractured investment world.
Stay Professionally Relevant in Constantly Shifting Markets
The line between “traditional” and “alternative” investments isn’t just fading — it’s vanishing. Portfolios are blending. Mandates are evolving. And what was once considered “non-traditional” is quickly becoming the core of global finance.
This isn’t a one-time shift. It’s constant change. From private capital to digital assets, today’s markets demand professionals who can adapt as fast as innovation moves.
With the CAIA Charter, you don’t just learn a framework — you build the judgment, agility, and cross-disciplinary fluency to lead through complexity.
Frequently Asked Questions
The CAIA curricula are written and prepared by the CAIA Association and are the only resource used to write exams. Program materials are reviewed and updated annually by industry experts and practitioners. For your convenience, the Level I and Level II curriculum is available in digital format and included with each new Candidate registration. You may also purchase a print version here.
The Level I CAIA Exam will be administered from March 2, 2026 – March 13, 2026; the Level II CAIA Exam window is from March 16, 2026 – March 27, 2026.
Registration for the March 2026 exams opens on October 13, 2025, with an early registration discount until December 8, 2025. March 2026 registration closes on February 2, 2026.
A minimum of 200 hours of study time is recommended for each exam level. The Level I and Level II exams are offered twice each year, in September and March, giving Candidates the opportunity to complete the CAIA program within a single year, should they choose to do so.
After passing the Level II exam you are eligible, with relevant professional experience, to join the CAIA Association as a Member and receive the CAIA Charter. You will be part of an elite group of more than 14,000 professionals worldwide. Only after joining the Association are you eligible to add the CAIA designation to your professional profiles.
For first-time Level I registrants, there is a one-time, non-refundable enrollment fee of US$400 plus a standard registration cost of US$1,395, that includes the digital curriculum. Learn more about our early registration and fee policies here.