Today in the UK there are about 700 credit unions with assets exceeding 200 million pounds. Main share of credit unions assets is concentrated in loans (about 50%), while the share of consumer loans in commercial banks and finance companies active operations rarely exceeds 15%. The most common type of loans in credit unions are loans to purchase new and used cars (40%), followed by first mortgages and second mortgages (35%), about 10% are unsecured personal loans to member of unions and about 15% - are loans on credit cards and other loans. Is necessary that all shareholders of the credit union were members of a single community, would know each other well enough to enjoy mutual trust. First central bank of credit unions appeared in 1876. Credit unions began to appear rapidly in many European countries. Membership in the credit union forms responsible citizens and conscientious attitude to their obligations as a norm of behavior, identify the value of a decent man's reputation in the business turnover. In the credit union compensation for use of the loan (interest) is a source of compensation for savings. The supreme body of the World Council of Credit Unions is the Assembly, which elects the president and the board of directors of WOCCU. The specifics of credit unions and, in some sense, their uniqueness lies in the fact that they work not for profit and do not appropriate profit. Corporate alliances are intermediaries between credit unions and financial markets.