To date, credit unions - virtually the only form of financial institution where people can quickly and without any problems get a relatively inexpensive cash loan. Borrowing rate for the credit union is a source of income to cover the administrative costs. All excess funds are returned to members in the form of dividends on savings. In recent decades, many credit unions began to resort to such form of service as Specialization of credit unions to provide financial services to its shareholders requires a particularly strict regulation of membership and acceptable activities. Among the U.S. credit unions, there are three groups that differ in terms of assets, shareholders, and business services. International cooperation has been particularly felt since the days when Alphonse Desjardins began the activity on development of credit union movement in North America. In some cases, the initiators of credit unions can be trade unions, associations such as social support centers and others. 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. 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.