Historically, credit unions were preceded by widespread development of credit cooperation in many countries of Europe and America. The economic basis of credit unions - finances of a household. The main objective of the credit union - to ensure financial stability of a household, to ensure the priority of their shareholders' financial interests. In the U.S. credit unions timely and full repayment of loans is a common phenomenon. Unpaid and delinquent loans are not more than 3% of their amount. Among the U.S. credit unions, there are three groups that differ in terms of assets, shareholders, and business services. 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). Taking a decision to join a credit union, citizens create an organization through which they participate in the shared savings by mutual crediting and joint (collective) use of personal savings. 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. Worldwide credit union movement is represented by regional confederations and national organizations within the World Council of Credit Unions.