Membership in the credit union is voluntary and is open to all citizens bound by with joint work or residence, who wished to create a credit union to use its services and are willing to take on relevant commitments and responsibilities. Like the credit cooperatives, credit unions form associations of a higher level, which are called corporate credit unions. Specialization of credit unions to provide financial services to its shareholders requires a particularly strict regulation of membership and acceptable activities. Is necessary that all shareholders of the credit union were members of a single community, would know each other well enough to enjoy mutual trust. Initially, the target groups of credit unions were farmers (Raiffeisen), and now they include both individuals (credit unions), and organizations. Contributions from of shareholders in credit unions in no way can be considered as borrowed funds, they come from the shareholders and for the shareholders and can not be used to provide services to third parties. The value of credit unions is not limited to the role of the economic agent - they are an important element of the social structure and a factor of social stability and progress. Credit unions, like today's credit unions, emerged in the 19th century in Germany as a result of crop failure and famine. A credit union on its own initiative order is created by citizens (individuals) to solve their financial problems that they could not solve in other financial institutions. A potential new member of a credit union must submit a recommendation of shareholders in which the referee becomes a warrant of a future member of the credit union.
Specialization of credit unions to provide financial services to its shareholders requires a particularly strict regulation of membership and acceptable activities. Is necessary that all shareholders of the credit union were members of a single community, would know each other well enough to enjoy mutual trust. Like the credit cooperatives, credit unions form associations of a higher level, which are called corporate credit unions.