Los Angeles Federal Credit Union

What Los Angeles Federal Credit Union does

Los Angeles Federal Credit Union (LAFCU) is a federally chartered, member-owned credit union founded in 1936, headquartered in Glendale, California and serving members across ten Southern California counties (Imperial, Kern, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, and Ventura). Membership eligibility extends to City of Los Angeles employees, Los Angeles Charitable Association members, and any resident within the field of membership. The institution is regulated by the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) with federal deposit insurance up to $250,000 per account, and it is currently celebrating its 90th anniversary.

The product set spans deposit accounts (Free Checking, Connect Transaction Account, Share Savings, Money Market Savings, Share Certificates, IRAs, HSAs), lending (new and used vehicle loans from 3.90% APR with up to 125% financing and terms to 180 months; ARM and fixed-rate mortgages; unsecured personal loans at 12.00% APR up to $50,000; energy loans; business loans; and student loans through LendKey), and a Visa credit card portfolio (Student Platinum, Share-Secured Platinum, Business-Rewards Platinum, low-rate Platinum, and Signature Rewards Platinum, with no annual fee). Wealth management and investment services are delivered through a strategic partnership with Cetera Investment Services LLC at a branded Glendale office (300 South Glendale Avenue).

Distribution and technology rely on a multi-channel stack: physical branches and proprietary ATMs, a shared branching arrangement with CO-OP, full online and mobile banking with mobile check deposit, the Angie 24/7 speech-enabled virtual assistant for phone banking, Zelle for peer-to-peer payments, a MeridianLink digital onboarding portal for account opening and consumer loan applications, and a separate borrower portal for real estate. Security and compliance tooling includes ZeroFox for digital risk and SiteImprove for accessibility; the institution is an Equal Housing Opportunity Lender, CCPA-compliant, and offers a BankOn-certified low-fee account targeting underbanked consumers. Operations are supported by 51-100 employees, and leadership is anchored by President Richard Lie.

Name

Los Angeles Federal Credit Union

Legal name

Los Angeles Federal Credit Union

Website

https://lafcu.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1936

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Los Angeles Federal Credit Union is a federally chartered, member-owned credit union founded in 1936 serving City of Los Angeles employees and residents across ten Southern California counties with deposit accounts, consumer and business loans, Visa credit cards, and wealth management through Cetera.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Glendale

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Loan Interest Income: Interest income from vehicle loans (3.90%-16.75% APR), mortgage loans, personal loans, student loans, business loans, and credit cards. Primary revenue driver for the credit union.
2. Credit Card Fees and Interest: Revolving credit card revenue from Visa credit cards including Student Platinum, Share-Secured Platinum, Business-Rewards Platinum, Platinum with Low Rate, and Signature Rewards Platinum cards. Rates range from 10.00% to 15.75% APR.
3. Deposit Account Fees: Various fees including overdraft/NSF fees, stop payment fees, wire transfer fees, ATM fees at non-proprietary machines, monthly maintenance fees (waived with qualifying activity), inactive account fees, and paper statement fees.
4. Share Certificate and Savings Products: Savings accounts, money market accounts, share certificates (starter, traditional, IRA, ROTH, Coverdell ESA) generating dividend expense but fee income from early withdrawal penalties.
5. Wealth Management Services: Investment and wealth management services through Cetera Investment Services including annuities, stocks, bonds, and retirement planning. Revenue shared with Cetera.
6. Business Account Services: Business checking, savings, money market accounts, and business loans for small business members.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels8 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Los Angeles Federal Credit Union is a member-owned federal credit union providing retail banking, consumer lending, and wealth management services to individuals and small businesses across ten Southern California counties. Its offerings include deposit accounts (checking, savings, money market, share certificates), loan products (vehicle, mortgage, personal, energy, student, business), credit cards, and investment and insurance services delivered through branches, digital channels, and a shared branching network.

Product overview

Los Angeles Federal Credit Union operates as a full-service financial institution offering a comprehensive suite of banking products and services. The core portfolio centers on deposit accounts (Free Checking, Connect Transaction Account, Share Savings, Money Market, and Share Certificate accounts), loan products (vehicle, mortgage, personal, student, energy, and business loans), and Visa credit cards. Digital services include 24/7 Online & Mobile Banking and the Angie Virtual Assistant for telephone banking. Supplementary services encompass wealth management through Cetera Investment Services, insurance products, relationship rewards programs, youth and senior accounts, vehicle buying assistance, elder financial abuse protection, and emergency relief programs. The credit union also participates in CO-OP Shared Branching and offers Zelle for peer-to-peer payments.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Free Checking A consumer checking account with no monthly maintenance fees, designed for everyday personal banking use.
• Connect Account A second-chance checking product for consumers who need to rebuild their banking relationship.
• Share Savings A core savings account that establishes and maintains a member's ownership share in the credit union.
• Money Market Account A tiered savings product offering higher yields than standard savings for members maintaining larger balances.
• Share Certificates Fixed-term certificate of deposit products providing guaranteed returns for members over set maturities.
• Vehicle Loans Auto financing for new and used vehicle purchases offered to members at competitive credit union rates.
• Visa Credit Cards Consumer Visa credit cards providing revolving credit for personal purchases and balance management.
• Mortgages Home loan products for members purchasing or refinancing residential real estate.
• Personal Loans Unsecured installment loans for personal financing needs such as debt consolidation or major expenses.
• Energy Loans Specialized loans financing energy efficiency improvements and renewable energy installations for residential properties.
• Business Loans Credit products for small business members supporting working capital, equipment, and operational financing.
• Student Loans Financing options for students pursuing higher education, supporting tuition and education-related expenses.
• Wealth Management Investment advisory and brokerage services delivered through Cetera Investment Services for members planning long-term financial goals.
• Insurance Personal insurance products offered to members covering life, accident, and other protection needs.
• Youth Accounts Savings and checking products tailored for younger members to introduce early banking habits.
• Senior Accounts Deposit products tailored for older members with features aligned to retirement banking needs.

Quantifiable outcome

• New vehicle loans as low as 3.90% APR
• +4 more outcomes

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration8 records

AI capability3 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Cetera Investment Services LLCcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCetera Investment Services provides wealth management and investment services to LAFCU members through a branded page at lafcuwm.org. Services include retirement planning, estate strategy, investment management, insurance, and tax planning. Cetera is a registered broker-dealer and investment adviser with FINRA/SIPC. Revenue is shared through this partnership arrangement.
• MeridianLinkcoreTechnology or IntegrationMeridianLink provides the digital account opening and loan application platform for LAFCU. Members use this platform to open new accounts, apply for vehicle loans, credit cards, and personal loans online. Real estate loans processed through a separate borrower portal.
• CO-OP Shared BranchingcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCO-OP provides shared branching network access allowing LAFCU members to conduct transactions at thousands of other credit union locations nationwide. This expands LAFCU's physical service footprint beyond its own branch locations.
• VisacoreTechnology or IntegrationVisa provides the payment network infrastructure for LAFCU's credit cards (Student Platinum, Share-Secured Platinum, Business-Rewards Platinum, Platinum with Low Rate, Signature Rewards Platinum) and debit cards. All LAFCU cards operate on the Visa network with Visa's Zero Liability fraud protection.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union: Large Southern California community credit union serving school employees and their families; directly comparable to LAFCU as a community-charter federal credit union with full-service consumer banking, competitive loan rates, and digital channels operating in overlapping counties.
• Wescom Credit Union: Southern California community credit union serving multiple employer groups and residents across LA, Orange, Riverside, and surrounding counties; mirrors LAFCU's hybrid employer/community charter, multi-branch distribution, and full-service consumer banking model.
• Logix Federal Credit Union: Southern California federal credit union offering consumer deposits, vehicle loans, mortgages, and credit cards to a defined membership field; comparable to LAFCU in charter type, product breadth, and regional focus.
• Kinecta Federal Credit Union: LA-area federal credit union originally chartered for aerospace employees; comparable to LAFCU in federal charter structure, employer-plus-community eligibility model, and full-service retail banking offering across Southern California.
• First City Credit Union: Los Angeles-based community credit union serving select employer groups and residents; closest geographic and demographic peer to LAFCU given shared LA footprint and overlapping membership eligibility.
• Southland Credit Union: Southern California community credit union serving select employer groups and residents in LA, Orange, and Riverside counties; comparable to LAFCU in community-charter structure and personal/vehicle lending focus.

Regional players

• Orange County's Credit Union: Credit union serving residents and select employer groups primarily in Orange County; comparable to LAFCU in community charter and product suite, though focused on a more narrowly defined Southern California geography.
• Patelco Credit Union: Northern California community credit union providing full-service consumer and small-business banking; comparable to LAFCU in cooperative structure, member-owned positioning, and full deposit/loan product mix, though operating in a different geography.

Broad incumbents

• Golden 1 Credit Union: One of California's largest credit unions offering consumer and small-business banking, investments, and insurance statewide; comparable to LAFCU in cooperative ownership and product breadth, but substantially larger with broader geographic reach and deeper digital capabilities.

Others

• Cetera Investment Services (partner comparability): Registered broker-dealer and RIA that delivers wealth management through credit union and bank partnership programs (including its own branded program inside LAFCU). Relevant as the operating partner enabling LAFCU's wealth-management offering and as a model for embedded retail-investing distribution.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/lafcu
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCw-yYk4dSpp_phft0YtVArA
• Facebookfacebook.com/LAFCUfanpage
• Instagraminstagram.com/LAFCU
• TikToktiktok.com/@lafcu
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/los-angeles-federal-credit-union

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Los Angeles Federal Credit Union