There’s a choice called opportunity, and there’s an opportunity that transcends boundaries—this cross-border opportunity is recognized by a professional qualification certificate known as the Certified Asset Appraiser Qualification Certificate.

The cross-disciplinary nature of asset appraisers stems from the seamless integration between asset valuation and various sectors of socio-economic development.

Cross-industry collaboration unlocks “superior dividends” for the growth of asset appraisers.

Spring departs and autumn arrives—time has accumulated wealth.

In just over 20 years, China’s asset valuation industry has grown from nothing to something substantial, expanding from small beginnings to become a large-scale sector with more than 30,000 certified asset appraisers, over 3,000 institutions, and annual business revenues exceeding 10 billion yuan. The fundamental reason behind this remarkable growth lies in the industry’s cross-sectoral nature, which has provided it with vast space and development opportunities as China’s economy and society undergo transformation and upgrading.

Over more than 20 years of growth, the asset valuation industry has expanded its cross-sector reach to the point where it has become seamlessly integrated with socio-economic development.

Today, professional asset valuation services have been widely and deeply integrated into the “five-in-one” development framework encompassing economy, politics, culture, society, and ecology. They provide scientifically sound and rational professional advice for both market mechanisms and macroeconomic regulation by the government, offer a benchmark for evaluating the value of major reforms, enhance the efficiency of market-based resource allocation, promote the upgrading of industrial structures, and improve the management capabilities of both government and society.

The asset valuation industry has become a carrier for conveying value information and a service provider that effectively standardizes valuation metrics. It is gradually emerging as a valuable advisory and support resource for corporate management, economic development, and government administration.

The field of asset valuation has become the universal commercial language of the market economy. It records value-related information on economic activities, serving as a key component in pricing major asset restructurings for publicly listed companies. By enhancing the quality of financial and accounting information for significant economic activities, asset valuation is increasingly being accepted by the general public and widely adopted in economic practices across related industries.

Its business scope continues to expand, covering a wide range of areas including corporate valuation, jewelry and fine ornaments, financial assets, cultural assets, carbon emission trading rights, and more. Its services encompass numerous business activities such as corporate restructuring, initial public offerings, mergers and acquisitions, asset transactions, and fair value measurement. Moreover, it provides specialized value-added services for government decision-making, social governance, fiscal reform, and enterprises’ “going global” initiatives. From traditional valuation services, the firm has gradually expanded into the fields of value consulting, management, and operations.

Since the Third Plenary Session of the 18th Central Committee, this cross-sectoral integration has become even closer and more seamless. The "Decision" has opened up new opportunities for the asset valuation industry to innovate across markets: providing services such as valuation of financial derivatives, assessment of corporate operational efficiency, and risk management; offering services related to the use of fiscal funds, government budget performance management, and evaluation of internal control systems; and also delivering value consulting services in areas including urbanization development, resource compensation, forensic appraisal, performance evaluation, and ecological value assessment. As a high-end, modern service industry, the asset valuation sector is entering a period of robust market expansion, which signifies a huge demand for valuation professionals and an abundance of entrepreneurial opportunities for talented individuals.

The “Development Plan for China’s Asset Valuation Industry,” released in 2012, calls for striving, within about five years, to cultivate approximately 300 versatile professionals capable of providing high-end services, train around 5,000 core business personnel, increase the number of practicing professionals to over 100,000, and raise the total number of industry practitioners to over 300,000.

Asset appraisers will become the architects of industry innovation and reap “superior dividends” from the broader prosperity of the industry’s development.

One certificate can span multiple fields.

The cross-disciplinary nature of the asset valuation industry inherently defines the breadth of the asset valuer profession.

In addition to working at various intermediary agencies, asset appraisers can also cross over into multiple sectors, including the financial sector, the business sector, the political sector, and the academic sector.

Currently, the main career paths for asset appraisers include financial institutions, government departments and administrative institutions, enterprises, and nonprofit organizations.

In financial institutions such as banks, trust companies, insurance firms, and asset management companies, valuation analysts primarily engage in business valuation and identification of corporate value, as well as the assessment of collateral and pledged assets, and related investment projects or asset management activities. In venture capital firms and private equity funds, they are involved in the selection and evaluation of investment projects. Meanwhile, in investment banks and financial advisory firms, valuation analysts mainly conduct due diligence and valuation work during mergers and acquisitions and restructuring of target companies.

In fact, the appraisal departments of the four major asset management companies all require candidates with qualifications as asset appraisers when hiring.

Huarong Asset Management Co., Ltd. has established a dedicated appraisal department and an asset appraisal review committee. Even commercial banks, when recruiting staff, give priority to candidates who hold qualifications as asset appraisers. Today, the number of personnel at the Bank of China holding asset appraisal qualifications has grown from just a handful initially to over 50. However, compared to its trillions of yuan in mortgage loans and tens of trillions of yuan in collateral, there still falls far short of sufficient appraisal talent.

In state-owned enterprises or private enterprises, asset appraisers primarily engage in value management and daily supervision of assets.

In fact, independent asset appraisers can play the role of independent directors in listed companies, providing the public with interpretations of professional reports. Many enterprises are increasingly demonstrating a strong demand for asset valuation services. When engaging in economic activities such as mergers and acquisitions, restructuring, or corporate reform, companies need internally to have qualified professionals who can understand and interpret valuation reports—only then can these reports be fully, effectively, and accurately understood and utilized.

In government agencies, asset appraisers can be responsible for managing assets and evaluating the performance of fiscal funds in projects supported by fiscal funding as well as in transfer-payment programs.

In higher education institutions or research organizations, they engage in research and teaching related to value assessment. In nonprofit organizations, their primary responsibilities include managing donated funds—such as project and asset management, performance evaluation, and oversight of fund usage.

Of course, asset appraisers also have great potential within intermediary agencies. At asset valuation firms, they estimate the value of assets entrusted to them for appraisal. At accounting firms, they conduct valuations and due diligence. And at management consulting firms, when assessing the strategy, risk management, and performance evaluation of entrusted enterprises, they identify key parameters and methodological support relevant to valuation.

The breadth of the asset appraiser’s profession is clearly evident.

Appraisers enjoy a booming employment rate.

Currently, 39 higher education institutions have launched undergraduate programs in asset valuation, and 68 institutions have obtained the qualification to offer master’s degree programs in asset valuation. This reflects the nation’s strong emphasis on and support for the development of the appraisal industry.

In recent years, students majoring in asset valuation have become highly sought after, with an employment rate exceeding 80%. In addition to finding jobs at valuation firms, a significant number of these students have also entered financial institutions such as banks and trust companies, as well as government agencies and state-owned enterprises.

In fact, as societal demand for asset appraisers has surged, the asset appraisal qualification exam has attracted many professionals from government agencies and enterprises and institutions to take the test.

Based on past examination results, the sources of those who have passed the exam are quite diverse. Approximately 50% of the qualified candidates come from intermediary agencies such as assessment institutions, while the remaining qualified candidates come from state organs, enterprises and public institutions, banks, and universities.

This also reflects, from a side perspective, the breadth of the profession practiced by asset appraisers.