Arkansas Federal Credit Union

What Arkansas Federal Credit Union does

Arkansas Federal Credit Union is a member-owned, not-for-profit financial cooperative chartered in 1956 and headquartered in Little Rock, Arkansas. It serves 150,000+ members — primarily Arkansas residents and employees of 700+ partner organizations — through a multi-channel delivery model: 27+ physical branches across the state, online and mobile banking platforms, phone support, and access to 30,000+ surcharge-free ATMs. Membership eligibility has been materially expanded via a partnership with the American Consumer Council, which enables essentially any Arkansas resident to join.

The product suite spans a unified Spend & Save core (Elite, Premium, and Everyday Checking; Money Market Savings; Certificates; IRAs) plus a Borrow division covering personal loans, auto loans (new, used, refinance, lease-alternative, first-time buyer), home equity loans/lines, recreational loans, and a full mortgage platform (Conventional, FHA, VA, USDA with 0% down, Jumbo, 40-Year, Physician, Construction, Land & Lot, Adjustable Rate, Manufactured Home). Credit cards include Low Rate, Cash Back, Secured, and Business variants. Business Banking extends into SBA lending, Business Credit Cards with 2% cash back, Treasury Management, POS Services, and Positive Pay check/ACH fraud protection. Insurance and investments are distributed through the wholly-owned affiliate Arkansas Federal Insurance Solutions LLC and third-party Guided Wealth Portfolios.

The technology layer is a standard digital banking platform with mobile apps (iOS and Android), mobile deposit, bill pay, Zelle P2P integration via Early Warning Services, Credit IQ credit score monitoring, My Cards card controls, Early Pay two-day early direct deposit, and Cents to Savings round-up automation. Revenue is generated primarily through net interest income on the loan portfolio (mortgages, auto, personal, credit cards) and deposit-related services, supplemented by transaction fees (late fees up to $40, balance transfer and cash advance fees at 3.00%, monthly service fees on certain accounts), insurance commissions via the captive agency, and referral/investment income. As a cooperative, earnings are returned to members through higher deposit rates (up to 6.00% APY on Elite Checking) and lower loan rates rather than distributed to external shareholders.

Name

Arkansas Federal Credit Union

Legal name

Arkansas Federal Credit Union

Website

https://afcu.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1956

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Member-owned, not-for-profit credit union founded in 1956 serving 150,000+ Arkansas residents and businesses through 27+ branches, digital banking, and 700+ employer partnerships, offering deposits, loans, mortgages, credit cards, insurance, and business banking services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Retail Banking (Credit Union)

NAICS

Credit Unions (52213)

SIC

National Commercial Banks (6021)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Credit Unions (Retail/Consumer Focus) (FSABAEAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Bank & Credit Union Personal Loans (Unsecured Installment) (FSAKAAAL)

Keywords

• Retail banking services
• Consumer lending
• Mortgage lending
• Business banking
• Credit union services

Headquarters

HQ city

Jacksonville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices25 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Interest Income: Primary revenue stream from interest earned on loan portfolio including mortgages, auto loans, personal loans, and credit cards. As a credit union, earnings are returned to members through better rates on loans and higher rates on deposits.
2. Fee Income: Various service fees including late payment fees (up to $40), balance transfer fees (3.00%), cash advance fees (3.00%), ATM fees at out-of-network ATMs, and monthly service fees on certain accounts ($15 for Elite Checking if balance drops below $2,500)
3. Deposit Account Services: Revenue from checking, savings, money market, and certificate accounts where the credit union uses deposited funds to originate loans
4. Insurance Products: Insurance products including auto, home, boat, motorcycle, ATV, RV insurance through Arkansas Federal Insurance Solutions, and debt protection
5. Investment Products: Investment services including Guided Wealth Portfolios and retirement planning through third-party providers

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels8 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Arkansas Federal Credit Union is a member-owned, not-for-profit financial cooperative offering a full suite of personal and business banking products, including checking and savings accounts, money market and certificates, credit cards, personal and auto loans, mortgages, home equity, business banking, SBA lending, insurance, and investments. The credit union serves Arkansas residents, employees of 700+ partner organizations, and local businesses through 27+ branches, digital banking platforms, and dedicated lending teams.

Product overview

Arkansas Federal Credit Union operates as a member-owned financial institution offering a unified banking platform with integrated product modules. The core Spend & Save platform provides checking, savings, and certificates, supplemented by Credit Cards with rewards and balance transfer features. The Borrow/Loans division encompasses personal loans, auto loans, and the full Mortgage suite (including Conventional, USDA, VA, FHA, and specialty products like Physician and Construction Loans). Digital Banking serves as the central access layer for all accounts, offering mobile banking, Zelle transfers, Credit IQ monitoring, and My Cards management. Business Banking extends treasury management, POS services, and Positive Pay fraud protection. Additional services include Invest & Insure (investments, insurance) and specialty features like Auto Buying Center, Cents to Savings, and Early Pay. The product ecosystem is designed for Arkansas residents with 25 branch locations across the state.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Spend & Save (Checking and Savings Accounts) Personal deposit accounts including Elite Checking (up to 6.00% APY on balances up to $10,000 with qualifications), Premium Checking, Everyday Checking, Certificates, Money Market Savings, and IRAs, offered to Arkansas residents and partner organization employees.
• Credit Cards Personal and business credit card products including Low Rate Credit Card, Cash Back Credit Card, Secured Credit Card (for credit-building), Business Credit Card, and Business Cash Back Credit Card, with features such as 0% introductory APR on balance transfers, no annual fee, and uChoose Rewards.
• Borrow (Personal, Home Equity, and Consumer Loans) Comprehensive consumer lending suite including Personal Loans, Home Equity Loans, Home Equity Lines of Credit (HELOC), Home Improvement Loans, Credit Builder Loans, Debt Consolidation Loans, and recreational loans for boats, RVs, ATVs, and motorcycles, available to members across Arkansas.
• Auto Loans Auto lending products including New & Used Auto Loans, Auto Refinance (rates from 3.99% APR for qualified borrowers), First-Time Auto Buyer Loan, Lease Alternative Loan, and Recreational Loans (boat, RV, ATV, motorcycle), with an Auto Buying Center connecting members to partner dealerships.
• Mortgages Full-service residential mortgage platform offering Conventional Loans, USDA Loans (100% financing, $0 down), VA Loans, FHA Loans (down payments as low as 3.5%), Jumbo Loans, 40-Year Mortgage, Physician Loans, Construction Loans, Adjustable Rate Mortgage, Land & Lot Loans, Manufactured Home Loans, and Mortgage Refinance with no application fee.
• Business Banking Business banking services including Business Loans, SBA Lending, Business Credit Cards (including 2% cash back card), Business Checking, Business Savings, Business Money Market, Business Certificates, Treasury Management, Point of Sale Services, and Positive Pay fraud protection, targeted at small and mid-sized Arkansas businesses.
• Digital Banking 24/7 online and mobile banking platform providing account access, mobile deposit, bill pay, Zelle peer-to-peer payments, Credit IQ credit score monitoring, My Cards card management, Early Pay direct deposit access, Cents to Savings automated round-ups, and secure messaging, available via iOS and Android apps.
• Invest & Insure Financial planning and insurance offerings including Investments, Guided Wealth Portfolios (online investing), Insurance products (auto, home, boat, recreational, life, identity theft protection), Debt Protection, GAP Advantage, and Extended Auto Warranty, distributed through Arkansas Federal Insurance Solutions LLC.

Quantifiable outcome

• 6.00% APY available on Elite Checking balances up to $10,000
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Early Warning Services, LLC (Zelle)coreTechnology or IntegrationPartnership to provide Zelle peer-to-peer payment services integrated directly into Arkansas Federal's online and mobile banking platforms, enabling members to send and receive money quickly and securely.
• Arkansas Federal Insurance Solutions LLCcoreTechnology or IntegrationAffiliate insurance company offering auto, home, boat, motorcycle, ATV, RV insurance and debt protection products to members.
• American Consumer CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with the Arkansas chapter of the American Consumer Council to provide consumer educational resources and allow all Arkansans to be eligible for credit union membership. ACC charges a one-time $10 joining fee which Arkansas Federal pays on members' behalf.
• Insurance and Financial Service ProvidersminorGTM or Marketing PartnerJoint marketing partners including insurance companies and financial service providers for joint product marketing.
• 700+ Arkansas Employers and OrganizationscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOver 700 Arkansas employers and organizations partner with Arkansas Federal to offer their employees access to credit union services and better banking rates as an employee benefit.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• Simmons Bank: Arkansas-headquartered community bank with deep retail, mortgage, SBA, and treasury management offerings across the same geography as Arkansas Federal. Comparable in business-banking and consumer-lending scope though structured as a chartered commercial bank rather than a cooperative.
• Bank OZK: Arkansas-headquartered bank with a strong branch presence across the state, real-estate-secured lending, and SBA activity. Comparable in geographic concentration and small-business banking orientation, though scaled larger and publicly traded.
• Arvest Bank: Large Arkansas-based community bank with a statewide branch network, mortgage origination, and consumer/SMB lending. Comparable to Arkansas Federal on geographic footprint, retail-banking model, and mortgage product breadth.

Direct peers

• Telcoe Federal Credit Union: Arkansas-headquartered federal credit union serving members in central Arkansas with consumer loans, mortgages, and business banking. Direct peer given overlapping Arkansas geography, similar federal credit-union charter, and comparable retail/SMB banking product mix.
• Diamond Lakes Federal Credit Union: Federal credit union serving south-central Arkansas with consumer and mortgage products. Direct peer as a smaller, community-chartered Arkansas credit union competing for the same retail/mortgage member base.

Broad incumbents

• PenFed Credit Union (Pentagon Federal Credit Union): One of the largest U.S. credit unions with a national digital banking platform, mortgage, auto, and credit-card products. Comparable in product suite (consumer loans, mortgages, credit cards, digital banking) but at materially larger scale and a different field-of-membership (military/affinity).
• Navy Federal Credit Union: Largest U.S. credit union by assets, serving military members and families nationwide with full consumer, mortgage, and business banking. Comparable in credit-union structure, mortgage/auto/credit-card products, and Arkansas-relevant Military Friendly positioning.
• Alliant Credit Union: Large national digital-first credit union offering checking, savings, mortgages, auto loans, and credit cards. Comparable in product breadth and digital-first member experience, though without Arkansas-specific branch density.

Emerging players

• SoFi: National digital bank and lending platform offering deposit products, personal loans, mortgages, and credit cards with no geographic restrictions. Comparable in targeting younger consumers with low-fee, high-rate, mobile-first banking — directly competing for the same member demographic.
• Ally Bank: Digital-first national bank/financial services firm with competitive deposit products, auto loans, mortgages, and credit cards. Comparable as a competitor for digital-banking members and deposit funding, though operating without a physical branch footprint.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses1 record

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/arkansasfederal
• Facebookfacebook.com/ArkansasFederal

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles22 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Arkansas Federal Credit Union