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.). Typically new members of the credit union become citizens having suretyship or recommendations from their friends - members of the credit union. First central bank of credit unions appeared in 1876. Credit unions began to appear rapidly in many European countries. Until the mid-XX century, credit unions in the United States had little assets that did not exceed, as a rule, 100 thousand dollars The supreme body of the World Council of Credit Unions is the Assembly, which elects the president and the board of directors of WOCCU. Unlike banks credit unions limit their activities to a closed circle of people.