World Council of Credit Unions

World Council of Credit Unions Improving lives through credit unions

As the European Union reviews the competitiveness of its banking sector, the World Council of Credit Unions is advocatin...
06/12/2026

As the European Union reviews the competitiveness of its banking sector, the World Council of Credit Unions is advocating for a regulatory approach that recognizes the unique role of credit unions and financial cooperatives in Europe’s financial ecosystem.

In a letter to the European Commission, Paul Andrews, WOCCU's Vice President of International Advocacy, outlined why regulations designed for large commercial banks should not automatically apply to smaller, member-owned cooperative institutions.

The letter emphasizes several key advocacy priorities for the credit union sector, including:
• proportional regulation based on institutional size and risk profile
• protecting cooperative financial models and member-owned governance
• strengthening financial inclusion and community-based lending
• supporting digital accessibility without excluding vulnerable populations
• preserving local economic resilience and preventing financial deserts
• opposition to excessive market consolidation
• regulatory frameworks designed for scale differences, not one-size-fits-all rules

Europe's financial future should not belong only to the biggest institutions. Credit unions and cooperatives play a critical role in keeping finance local, inclusive and people-centered.

06/11/2026

We still reminisce about San José!

The 2026 Regional Cooperative Finance Forum opened with remarks from Paul Treinen, President & CEO of WOCCU.

His message focused on the challenges and opportunities shaping the future of credit unions: from economic uncertainty and technological change to artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and evolving regulations.

WOCCU’s President emphasized the need for stronger advocacy, deeper collaboration across the global network and a renewed commitment to the cooperative difference.

His call to action was clear: credit unions must not simply adapt to change, they must help lead it.

For DE Day of Service 2026, team members from World Council of Credit Unions and Worldwide Foundation for Credit Unions ...
06/11/2026

For DE Day of Service 2026, team members from World Council of Credit Unions and Worldwide Foundation for Credit Unions joined fellow Development Educators in Madison, Wisconsin, to volunteer at Agrace.

Led by Kassandra Schroeder, the group spent the day helping maintain outdoor spaces that bring comfort and joy to residents, families and caregivers.

We’re grateful to Agrace for their work and for welcoming us into their community.

A special thank you to the team who participated in this year’s DE Day of Service: Kassandra Schroeder, Eleni Giakoumopoulos,Marcey Ciaccio, Jennifer Pinney Speth, Lisa Giuffre Person, Jack Van Kauwenbergh, Kadie Hochmuth, Christi Swoboda and Laura Mihm.

World Credit Union Conference is more than keynote sessions and networking opportunities. It’s also a celebration of the...
06/09/2026

World Credit Union Conference is more than keynote sessions and networking opportunities. It’s also a celebration of the people, cultures and values that make our movement unique. 🌏

Every year, attendees have similar questions about participation, traditions and what to expect, so we’ve gathered a few clear answers to help you prepare with confidence.

Swipe to discover two things you may not know about WCUC 2026 before we meet in Sydney ➡️

🌎 San José, Costa Rica. El Foro Regional 2026 cerró hoy. Pero lo que comenzó aquí no termina.Dos días. Cuatro bloques. D...
06/08/2026

🌎 San José, Costa Rica. El Foro Regional 2026 cerró hoy. Pero lo que comenzó aquí no termina.

Dos días. Cuatro bloques. Decenas de líderes. Una sola certeza:

El cooperativismo no está reaccionando al cambio. Lo está construyendo.

El Día 2 llegó con más intensidad aún:

Brasil nos enseñó que escalar no significa perder la esencia. Que es posible innovar, integrar sistemas y seguir siendo profundamente cooperativo.

La IA ya no es el futuro. Es una decisión que las cooperativas deben tomar hoy. Blossom y AWS mostraron cómo las plataformas modernas están redefiniendo la experiencia del socio — más ágil, más personal, más relevante.

La gobernanza no es burocracia. Es la arquitectura que permite a las cooperativas sobrevivir crisis, crecer con propósito y servir generaciones.

De neocooperativas a superapps. Los casos presentados desde México y Costa Rica demostraron que la innovación cooperativa en LAC ya genera resultados — no promesas.

💡La Declaración de la Ruta Regional lo dijo sin ambigüedad:

✅ Marcos regulatorios que reconozcan la naturaleza cooperativa
✅ Aceleración digital sin dejar a nadie atrás
✅ Remesas e inclusión financiera como prioridad regional
✅ PERLAS modernizado para una resiliencia institucional real
✅ Integración cooperativa profunda — de palabras a estructuras

Gracias a cada líder, aliado y organización que hizo posible este espacio.

El Foro cierra. El movimiento sigue.

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See the first comment for the English version.

El movimiento cooperativo global se reunió en Costa Rica para dar inicio al Foro Regional de Finanzas Cooperativas 2026....
06/05/2026

El movimiento cooperativo global se reunió en Costa Rica para dar inicio al Foro Regional de Finanzas Cooperativas 2026.

La jornada comenzó con las palabras de apertura de Paul Treinen, Director Ejecutivo y Gerente General de WOCCU, destacando el rol de las cooperativas en la construcción de comunidades más fuertes, inclusivas y resilientes.

🔹 Lo que vivimos hoy:

Estrategia con el socio al centro
Oscar Guzmán presentó un análisis honesto y sin filtros de los desafíos estratégicos que enfrenta el cooperativismo en LAC. No datos fríos — una llamada a la transformación.

Alianzas que mueven el mundo
El conversatorio entre Oscar Guzmán (WOCCU) y Eduardo Coello, Chairman LAC de Visa, fue uno de los momentos más potentes del día. Dos mundos — el cooperativo y el de pagos globales — encontrando terreno común para servir mejor a millones de personas. Junto a Francisco Vides de MICOOPE Guatemala y Pablo DeFilippi de Inclusiv Credit Unions, la conversación dejó algo claro: las remesas no son solo transferencias. Son vínculos entre familias, comunidades y oportunidades.

Tecnología al servicio de la inclusión BPC, Coonecta Red Transaccional y Cacpeco demostraron en vivo que el ecosistema cooperativo ya está construyendo infraestructura digital de impacto real. No prototipos. No promesas. Soluciones funcionando hoy.

💡 El cooperativismo no necesita pedir permiso para liderar la era digital.
Ya lo está haciendo.

Mañana cerramos con gobernanza, inteligencia artificial e innovación disruptiva. Sigue la conversación.

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English version of the caption is in the first comment 👇

Paul Andrews, WOCCU's Vice President of International Advocacy, recently joined members of the European Network of Credi...
06/05/2026

Paul Andrews, WOCCU's Vice President of International Advocacy, recently joined members of the European Network of Credit Unions (ENCU) in Warsaw, Poland, for discussions on the future of the credit union sector across Europe.

A key highlight was a meeting with Bogdan Furtak, Director of Credit Union Supervision at the Polish Financial Services Authority where participants exchanged perspectives on corporate governance, regulation and the importance of dialogue between regulators and credit unions.

The gathering also highlighted success stories from Polish credit unions and updates from across Europe, including encouraging progress in Hungary and Croatia.

Thank you to ENCU and all participants for the valuable conversations and continued collaboration in support of credit unions throughout Europe.

We were honored to join cooperative finance leaders from around the world at the International Symposium on Cooperative ...
06/04/2026

We were honored to join cooperative finance leaders from around the world at the International Symposium on Cooperative Financial Institutions, hosted by the International Cooperative Alliance (ICA) and the International Cooperative Banking Association (ICBA) at United Nations Headquarters in New York.

Global cooperative partners, including FEDECACES (El Salvador), United Nations Federal Credit Union (UNFCU), NATCCO (Philippines) and WOCCU, came together to discuss the future of cooperative finance.

Erin O'Hern, Senior Director of International Advocacy and Regulatory Counsel at WOCCU, spoke on emerging governance considerations and the unique regulatory challenges facing financial cooperatives in a changing financial services environment.

Thank you to the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA), ICA and ICBA for bringing these important conversations together.

Between sessions at , take 15 minutes to hear from Jason Popkowski, CEO of Lextech.Held during the refreshment break, t...
06/04/2026

Between sessions at , take 15 minutes to hear from Jason Popkowski, CEO of Lextech.

Held during the refreshment break, this short session will explore how banks can stay competitive through better use of data, technology, and customer engagement for their mortgage origination and settlements.

A quick, insightful addition to your conference agenda.

WOCCU is proud to support the Irish League of Credit Unions (ICLU) (Credit Union) at their 2026 ILCU AGM & Conference in...
06/02/2026

WOCCU is proud to support the Irish League of Credit Unions (ICLU) (Credit Union) at their 2026 ILCU AGM & Conference in Dublin.

Representing WOCCU at this year’s event were Kadie Hochmuth, Senior Events and Exhibits Manager, and Christi Swoboda, Vice President of Meetings and Events.

The conference is an important opportunity to connect with Irish credit union leaders, support our members, and continue strengthening collaboration across the global cooperative movement.

We especially enjoyed hearing from Jeff Guthrie, WOCCU Board Member at Director of the Canadian Credit Union Association about the importance of solidarity, equity, and adherence to cooperative principles.

Alongside the conference activities, WOCCU also spent time engaging in planning exciting future events. More to be announced soon!

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