Credit unions perform the function of social protection in a vital for people sphere of financial services. They care about improving the financial literacy of the population, are working on the formation of their members and their employees. Over 30% of the assets of credit unions are investments in government securities, certificates of deposit of banks and savings loan associations, as well as in the parent credit unions, and other risk-free investments. The relationship between credit unions and shareholders arise from the membership and are not customer relationship. In some cases, the initiators of credit unions can be trade unions, associations such as social support centers and others. Credit unions, like today's credit unions, emerged in the 19th century in Germany as a result of crop failure and famine. Credit cooperatives and credit unions exist in many different forms. The main differences relate to the nature of the membership and the opening of a credit institution. On the consumer credit market in the U.S. credit unions are on the third place after the commercial banks and finance companies and are ahead of savings institutions, not taking into account the loans on real estate. Corporate alliances are intermediaries between credit unions and financial markets.