Like any financial institution, credit unions have the financial resources. Some credit unions are closed, serving only their members. However, the more and more popularitywin cooperatives of open type. Typically new members of the credit union become citizens having suretyship or recommendations from their friends - members of the credit union. Among the U.S. credit unions, there are three groups that differ in terms of assets, shareholders, and business services. Until the 70's there was a proliferation of the U.S. credit unions due to the increase of their number and the number of shareholders, although it must be acknowledged that there was also and a qualitative growth. Credit unions appeared in England in the 19th century. In 1844 a group of workers from Rochdale established the first cooperative. Standards by which credit unions build their work do not coincide with the standards and regulations of consumer cooperation of the usual type. Credit union as a consumer cooperative operates on the principles of equality of all its members.