Like the credit cooperatives, credit unions form associations of a higher level, which are called corporate credit unions. First Credit Union was savings unprofitable institution, or rather credit cooperative, providing services to its members. When organizing the credit union it is important that people know each other and know the extent to which each of them is trustworthy. 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. As of the January 1, 2012 the national associations and confederations unite more than 196 million members participating in the 51,013 credit unions in 100 countries. Credit unions are competitors of savings institutions, adding interest on deposits of members. This applies to the shares, as well as to additional funds transferred to the account in the credit union. Consumer loan and reliable savings - these are the main goals, which mean "natural persons" having decided to unite in credit consumer cooperative. Historically, credit unions have grown from the experience of credit cooperatives, but they took the experience of organizations of mutual aid of citizens by moving methods of social self-protection from labor and toward consumption. Today, the World Council of Credit Unions is represented as members four regional confederations and twelve national associations.