Main share of credit unions assets is concentrated in loans (about 50%), while the share of consumer loans in commercial banks and finance companies active operations rarely exceeds 15%. The most common type of loans in credit unions are loans to purchase new and used cars (40%), followed by first mortgages and second mortgages (35%), about 10% are unsecured personal loans to member of unions and about 15% - are loans on credit cards and other loans. Specialization of credit unions to provide financial services to its shareholders requires a particularly strict regulation of membership and acceptable activities. First central bank of credit unions appeared in 1876. Credit unions began to appear rapidly in many European countries. Members of credit unions place in credit unions usually free fund balances, ie those that remain after expenses devoted to education of children, the acquisition of new properties, additional pension benefits, etc. The main advantage of credit unions consists in transparency, controllability, governance for shareholders. Since the early 80's started the process of consolidation of credit unions, leading to a decrease in their number with a simultaneous increase in the total number of members. Credit unions of the open type are still controlled by their members, but at the same time provide services to people who are not its members (external customers). Credit unions, like today's credit unions, emerged in the 19th century in Germany as a result of crop failure and famine. Credit unions historically formed as a special form of social support, initially taken upon themselves the social mission of protecting the interests of citizens in the field of financial services.