Historically, credit unions were preceded by widespread development of credit cooperation in many countries of Europe and America. Like the credit cooperatives, credit unions form associations of a higher level, which are called corporate credit unions. The difference between credit unions and banks is clearly is apparent when comparing the structure of assets and liabilities of credit unions and banks. Credit unions are competitors of savings institutions, adding interest on deposits of members. This applies to the shares, as well as to additional funds transferred to the account in the credit union. In the case of default the shareholder - individual will respond with its property and, in addition, is jointly and severally liable with the credit union's commitments. Historically, credit unions have grown from the experience of credit cooperatives, but they took the experience of organizations of mutual aid of citizens by moving methods of social self-protection from labor and toward consumption.
The difference between credit unions and banks is clearly is apparent when comparing the structure of assets and liabilities of credit unions and banks. Credit unions are competitors of savings institutions, adding interest on deposits of members. This applies to the shares, as well as to additional funds transferred to the account in the credit union. Like the credit cooperatives, credit unions form associations of a higher level, which are called corporate credit unions.