Financial Services

In Edinburgh, around 4,500 people work in accounting, auditing, and tax consultancy. Each of the "big four" accounting firms - Deloitte, EY, KPMG, and PwC - has a presence in Edinburgh, as do many other international and homegrown firms. Edinburgh is also home to Audit Scotland, the auditor for over 200 public bodies across Scotland. ICAS, the world's oldest professional body for Chartered Accountants (founded 1854), is headquartered in Edinburgh, with over 20,000 members worldwide.

The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh Napier University, Heriot-Watt University, and Queen Margaret University Edinburgh all offer degree qualifications in accounting, while Edinburgh College offers diplomas. In 2016, Heriot-Watt University and ICAS launched an MA (Hons) in Professional Accountancy which integrates a professional training into the academic syllabus, offering a streamlined and globally accessible route to becoming a Chartered Accountant.

Edinburgh is home to the fintech company FreeAgent, voted the UK's leading supplier of accounting software for small businesses. Other fintech companies originating from Edinburgh active in the accounting, auditing and tax sphere include digital payments solutions provider Modulr, cash forecasting app developer Float, and R&D tax credit specialist Whisperclaims.