Most modern credit unions represent specialized consumer cooperatives of citizens associated by the principle of social community: place of work, place of residence, profession, or any other shared interest. Credit unions encourage savings of citizens, setting compensation payments (interest) on savings and provide from these savings loans to their members. Credit unions also differ from the traditional consumer cooperatives. 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. In the credit union compensation for use of the loan (interest) is a source of compensation for savings. Credit unions appeared in England in the 19th century. In 1844 a group of workers from Rochdale established the first cooperative. The supreme body of the World Council of Credit Unions is the Assembly, which elects the president and the board of directors of WOCCU. Credit Union - a non-profit financial institution specialized in mutual financial assistance by providing savings and credit services to their members. 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.