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 relationship between credit unions and shareholders arise from the membership and are not customer relationship. Credit unions base their activities on savings of shareholders, their shares and savings contributions, which make up the fund of mutual financial assistance - a source of cash loans to shareholders. 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.