Historically, credit unions were preceded by widespread development of credit cooperation in many countries of Europe and America. Specialization of credit unions to provide financial services to its shareholders requires a particularly strict regulation of membership and acceptable activities. Share contributions are transferred to the credit union on the basis of membership for the whole stay of a shareholder as member of the credit union and are the basis of membership. 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. Corporate alliances are intermediaries between credit unions and financial markets.