The uniqueness of credit unions is that they put together the principles and benefits of financial cooperatives, consumer cooperatives and mutual aid funds, born once by trade unions. Specialization of credit unions to provide financial services to its shareholders requires a particularly strict regulation of membership and acceptable activities. At the organization of the credit union it is important that people know each other and know the extent to which each of them is trustworthy. Until the 70's there was a proliferation of the U.S. credit unions due to the increase of their number and the number of shareholders, although it must be acknowledged that there was also and a qualitative growth. The relationship between credit unions and shareholders arise from the membership and are not customer relationship. Standards by which credit unions build their work do not coincide with the standards and regulations of consumer cooperation of the usual type.
At the organization of the credit union it is important that people know each other and know the extent to which each of them is trustworthy. Until the 70's there was a proliferation of the U.S. credit unions due to the increase of their number and the number of shareholders, although it must be acknowledged that there was also and a qualitative growth. Specialization of credit unions to provide financial services to its shareholders requires a particularly strict regulation of membership and acceptable activities.