As fraud, financial misconduct and regulatory scrutiny intensify worldwide, forensic accounting has become one of the fastest-growing specialisations within financial services and corporate governance.
Across the world, organisations are seeking accountants who combine deep analytical capability with regulatory insight, data fluency and credibility in court or regulatory settings. But priorities do differ, both in terms of geography and industry vertical.
In this article, we take a look at what is driving demand, how this looks in different regions globally and our view on the future outlook for this sector.
Universal demand drivers
The following key issues are affecting markets across the globe:
- Litigation and disputes
Post-pandemic M&A disputes and class actions have increased demand for litigation-support accountants who can quantify damages, analyse financial records and testify as expert witnesses. Intellectual Property disputes have risen dramatically and many firms are trying to quickly build capacity to service law firms in this niche.
- Rising corporate fraud and enforcement activity
The global cost of fraud is rising. The Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE) estimates that organisations lose roughly 5% of annual revenue to fraud. This has prompted governments, corporates and law firms to strengthen investigative and compliance functions and to expand forensic accounting teams.
- Regulatory and ESG enforcement
Regulators are stepping up scrutiny of financial reporting, sustainability disclosures and cross-border corruption. As ESG reporting becomes mandatory in more jurisdictions, forensic accountants are being deployed to validate data integrity and uncover greenwashing or accounting irregularities.
- Digitalisation and data analytics
Modern forensic accounting requires data-driven skills: SQL, Python, visual analytics, and familiarity with e-discovery platforms. Accountants who can blend these capabilities with audit judgment are in short supply.
This is what it means for the international hiring landscape:
- Global market growth: The forensic accounting services market is projected to reach a value of USD 6.24 billion in 2025, with steady expansion forecast over the next five years, driven by financial crime and compliance pressures.
- Talent gap: New niches within forensics, such as intellectual property disputes or crypto currency investigations, require expert knowledge. As with any new, emerging area, there are not enough experts to meet demand.
- Cross-border mobility: Multinational investigations increasingly require multilingual, multi-jurisdictional expertise, particularly in transfer pricing disputes, bribery probes and sanctions compliance.
Regional outlook
North America: mature market, strong corporate demand
North America remains the largest employer of forensic accountants, driven by:
- The US Department of Justice’s renewed focus on corporate fraud enforcement,
- Heightened SEC oversight of ESG disclosures, and
- Ongoing litigation and class actions.
At Leonid, we have observed steady hiring across Big Four advisory teams, boutique investigations firms and in-house forensic units. Roles requiring data analytics and expert testimony skills command premium pay.
Europe: regulatory scrutiny & ESG-linked investigations
European demand is being propelled by:
- EU ESG reporting regulations (CSRD, taxonomy) prompting integrity reviews of sustainability data,
- Anti-bribery and corruption (ABAC) investigations, particularly in the UK, France and Germany, and
- Cross-border forensic work involving complex VAT and transfer-pricing disputes.
Forensic accountants with multilingual ability and experience co-ordinating across regulators are in especially short supply.
Asia-Pacific: fastest growth & skills shortage
Australia, Singapore and Hong Kong act as regional hubs and APAC is the fastest-growing region for forensic accounting services, driven by:
- Intensifying anti-corruption campaigns (notably in China, India and Indonesia),
- Increasing corporate governance reforms and audit quality mandates, and
- Expansion of global advisory firms’ forensics practices into emerging markets.
Skills shortages persist, especially for experienced investigators and expert witnesses.
Middle East & Africa: governance reform and financial crime focus
Regulatory modernisation, financial diversification and anti-fraud initiatives (especially in the UAE, Saudi Arabia and South Africa) are spurring demand.
Regional governments are investing in compliance infrastructure, leading to new roles for forensic accountants in public and private investigations.
Latin America: corruption investigations and compliance build-outs
Rising enforcement activity and multinational investigations tied to anti-bribery laws (such as Brazil’s Clean Company Act and Mexico’s AML framework) are expanding opportunities for bilingual forensic accountants and cross-border advisory teams.
Skills in highest demand
- Fraud investigation & financial analysis (data mining, transaction tracing, lifestyle analysis)
- Anti-bribery / anti-corruption compliance (FCPA, UK Bribery Act, ISO 37001)
- Data analytics proficiency (SQL, Power BI, Python, forensic data review tools)
- Litigation support & expert witness experience
- Regulatory reporting & ESG verification
- Strong communication & testimony writing
Forensics professionals who pair investigative accounting with technological literacy (data visualization, e-discovery, AI-based analytics) are at a distinct advantage, in today’s LATAM market.
Hiring trends to watch
Move away from pure investigations. With the change in appetite in monitorships and FCPA investigations, firms are moving away from being pure-play investigations specialists.
Data-led forensics. Accountants with data science and visualization capabilities are commanding a 15–25% salary premium in some markets.
Hybrid recruitment models. Consulting firms are hiring remote investigators and data analysts to serve multi-country projects.
Certification emphasis. The CFE, CFA and CFF remain gold standards; employers increasingly require or sponsor candidates for these credentials.
Talent retention challenge. Experienced investigators are scarce; firms are investing heavily in upskilling and retention bonuses.
Outlook (2026 – 2028)
- Short term: Demand will stay elevated for forensic accountants focused on litigation work, especially in North America and Europe.
- Medium term: Asia-Pacific and the Middle East will post the highest growth rates as compliance frameworks mature.
- Long term: Integration of AI into fraud detection and investigative analytics will change workflow but not reduce demand and forensic accountants will remain essential for interpretation, expert reporting and regulatory defensibility.
Key takeaway for employers
The global forensic accounting labour market is tight, competitive and increasingly technical. Organisations that succeed in hiring top forensic talent will define clear investigative and data-analysis skill sets, offer professional development and certification support, and cultivate hybrid teams combining accountants, technologists and legal experts.
If you are hiring in forensics, investigations & disputes – or looking for your next opportunity in forensic accounting - please contact Adam Nelson.