Main share of credit unions assets is concentrated in loans (about 50%), while the share of consumer loans in commercial banks and finance companies active operations rarely exceeds 15%. The most common type of loans in credit unions are loans to purchase new and used cars (40%), followed by first mortgages and second mortgages (35%), about 10% are unsecured personal loans to member of unions and about 15% - are loans on credit cards and other loans. Credit unions also differ from the traditional consumer cooperatives. When organizing the credit union it is important that people know each other and know the extent to which each of them is trustworthy. Typically new members of the credit union become citizens having suretyship or recommendations from their friends - members of the credit union. 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. Income derived from the provision of services to its members, does not become the profit of credit union and is distributed among its members in proportion to their savings. Credit unions appeared in England in the 19th century. In 1844 a group of workers from Rochdale established the first cooperative. To increase the number of credit unions in 1979 was adopted the corresponding law that serves as the legal basis of their activity. Credit union as a consumer cooperative operates on the principles of equality of all its members.