In the U.S., credit unions have a clear organizational structure. All credit unions belong to one or the other parent credit union (there are 35 of them in the U.S.). First central bank of credit unions appeared in 1876. Credit unions began to appear rapidly in many European countries. 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. 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. In the credit union compensation for use of the loan (interest) is a source of compensation for savings. Initially, the target groups of credit unions were farmers (Raiffeisen), and now they include both individuals (credit unions), and organizations. Consumer loan and reliable savings - these are the main goals, which mean "natural persons" having decided to unite in credit consumer cooperative. The value of credit unions is not limited to the role of the economic agent - they are an important element of the social structure and a factor of social stability and progress. Standards by which credit unions build their work do not coincide with the standards and regulations of consumer cooperation of the usual type. Corporate alliances are intermediaries between credit unions and financial markets.