Specialization of credit unions to provide financial services to its shareholders requires a particularly strict regulation of membership and acceptable activities. Typically new members of the credit union become citizens having suretyship or recommendations from their friends - members of the credit union. Is necessary that all shareholders of the credit union were members of a single community, would know each other well enough to enjoy mutual trust. 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. 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. The specifics of credit unions and, in some sense, their uniqueness lies in the fact that they work not for profit and do not appropriate profit. Today, the World Council of Credit Unions is represented as members four regional confederations and twelve national associations.