Western Cooperative Credit Union

What Western Cooperative Credit Union does

Western Cooperative Credit Union (WCCU) is a member-owned, federally chartered community credit union founded in 1938 and headquartered in Williston, North Dakota. It serves consumers, homeowners, farmers and ranchers, teens, and seniors primarily across western North Dakota through four branch locations (Williston main, Williston downtown, Dickinson, and Hebron), supported by a dedicated agricultural lending team that conducts on-the-farm visits. WCCU also operates three wholly owned insurance agencies (Cooperative Insurance Agency, Krabseth Insurance Agency, and WCCU Insurance Agency) offering auto, home, life, farm, crop, and commercial coverage.

WCCU's product set spans core deposit accounts (Basic Checking, Kasasa-branded reward checking, Share Savings, First Freedom Money Market, Standard Savings, traditional and Roth IRAs, Coverdell ESAs, HSAs, and CDs), lending products (auto, agricultural, home equity, HELOC, conventional and government-backed mortgages including FHA, VA, Rural Development, and ND Housing), payment products (WCCU MasterCard debit, VISA credit cards issued through Elan Financial Services), and value-added services (Kasasa Tunes, Silver Dollar Club, iTalk telephone banking, Remote Deposit Anywhere, Secure Message Center, and youth savings clubs). Digital delivery runs on a Banno/Grip mobile application, a Zix-powered secure messaging portal, and a ProfitStars-powered online loan payment experience, with two-factor authentication required for account access.

Revenue is generated primarily through net interest income on loans and deposits, fee income (overdraft, ATM, wire transfer), affiliate referral commissions from the three insurance agencies, and ancillary product income from credit life and disability insurance underwritten by CMFG Life, mechanical breakdown protection, and GAP Advantage coverage. The credit union is not-for-profit and member-owned, with no outside equity, no parent company, and no disclosed funding rounds.

Name

Western Cooperative Credit Union

Legal name

Western Cooperative Credit Union

Website

https://wccu.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1938

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Western Cooperative Credit Union is a member-owned community credit union headquartered in Williston, North Dakota, founded in 1938. It serves consumers, farmers and ranchers, teens, and seniors in western North Dakota through four branches, digital banking, and three affiliated insurance agencies offering deposit, loan, mortgage, and insurance products.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Retail Banking

NAICS

Credit Unions (522130), Credit Card Issuing (52221)

SIC

Savings Institution, Federally Chartered (6035), Personal Credit Institutions (6141)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Agricultural & Rural Cooperatives (Farm Credit/Co-op Banks) (FSABAEAG), Co-Branded Credit Cards (FSAKABAB)

Keywords

• Retail banking services
• Consumer lending
• Agricultural lending
• Credit union services
• Insurance products

Headquarters

HQ city

Williston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Interest Income from Loans: The primary revenue stream comes from interest charged on various loan products including auto loans, mortgages, agricultural loans, home equity loans, and personal loans. Rates vary by product type and term length.
2. Interest on Deposits: Earnings from spreading interest-earning deposits across various savings, money market, and certificate of deposit accounts. The credit union pays competitive rates to members while earning spread income.
3. Fee Income: Various fee income sources including overdraft fees, ATM fees for out-of-network usage, wire transfer fees, and other service charges. Some accounts like Kasasa products offer fee-free banking with qualifications.
4. Credit Life and Disability Insurance: Optional insurance products sold to borrowers to cover loan payments in case of death or disability, underwritten by CMFG Life Insurance Company
5. Mechanical Breakdown Protection (MBP): Vehicle service contracts offered on auto loans covering major mechanical failures after factory warranty expires
6. Guaranteed Asset Protection (GAP) Advantage: Gap coverage that may cancel part of the next loan balance if a vehicle is totaled, when purchasing a replacement vehicle
7. Insurance Agency Revenue: Three affiliated insurance agencies (Cooperative Insurance Agency, Krabseth Insurance Agency, WCCU Insurance Agency) generate commission income from selling auto, home, life, farm, crop, and commercial insurance products

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Western Cooperative Credit Union is a member-owned financial cooperative that delivers retail banking services including checking, savings, money market, CDs, IRAs, debit and credit cards, auto loans, mortgages, home equity loans, and specialized agricultural lending to members across western North Dakota. It also operates three wholly-owned insurance agencies offering personal, commercial, farm, crop, and recreational coverage. Distribution occurs through physical branches, online and mobile banking platforms, telephone banking, and a shared CO-OP ATM network.

Product overview

Western Cooperative Credit Union (WCCU) is a member-owned financial cooperative offering a comprehensive suite of banking products and services primarily serving members in North Dakota. The product portfolio centers on core deposit accounts (checking, savings, money market, IRAs, and CDs), a full range of lending products (auto loans, agricultural loans, home equity products, mortgages via multiple government and conventional programs, and credit cards), and insurance services through three affiliated agencies. Digital banking is delivered through a web-based Online Account Access platform and the Grip-powered Western Cooperative Mobile App, supplemented by the dedicated WCCUCardApp for card management. Reward checking is offered through the Kasasa sub-brand (Kasasa Cash, Kasasa Cash Back, Kasasa Tunes), while youth and senior segments are served by specialized products including CU Succeed, Pee Wee Penguin Club, and Silver Dollar Club. Financial planning tools include loan and savings calculators, and members can access services via telephone (iTalk), online bill payment, e-statements, and a Zix-powered Secure Message Center. Insurance is provided through three distinct branded agencies: Cooperative Insurance Agency, Krabseth Insurance Agency, and WCCU Insurance Agency.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Kasasa: Free checking accounts with rewards including Kasasa Cash (high interest rates), Kasasa Cash Back (cash back on purchases), and Kasasa Tunes (rewards on iTunes, Amazon, Google Play purchases)
• Silver Dollar Club
• CU Succeed
• Pee Wee Penguin Club
• First Freedom
• Star Student Program
• iTalk
• WCCU CardApp

Products and services

• Kasasa Cash Checking Free rewards checking account that pays 4.5% APY on balances up to $10,000 when monthly qualifications (12 debit card purchases, online banking enrollment, e-statements) are met; offers up to $25 monthly nationwide ATM fee refunds. Targets individual consumer members seeking high-yield checking.
• Kasasa Cash Back Checking Free checking account earning 3% cash back on up to $250 in debit card purchases per month (maximum $7.50 monthly), with nationwide ATM fee refunds. Designed for consumer members who prefer cash-back rewards.
• Kasasa Tunes Checking

Quantifiable outcome

• Auto loan rates as low as 4.45% APR for qualified borrowers
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration14 records

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• BannocoreTechnology or Integration · 2 April 2025Banno provides the mobile banking app platform and authentication services for the Western Cooperative Mobile App. The company is transitioning authentication methods away from Authy to SMS, voice calls, or authenticator apps.
• Bank of North DakotaminorOthers · 1 July 2024Previously offered foreign currency ordering through the Bank of North Dakota, though this service has been discontinued.
• KasasacoreTechnology or IntegrationKasasa provides the credit union's rewards checking account program including Kasasa Cash, Kasasa Cash Back, and Kasasa Tunes. These products allow WCCU to offer competitive reward structures including high-yield checking and cash back on debit card purchases through a white-label partnership with Kasasa, Ltd.
• Elan Financial ServicescoreTechnology or IntegrationElan Financial Services provides WCCU's VISA credit card program including consumer and business credit cards. Elan handles card issuance, fraud liability protection, and cardmember services while WCCU offers the products to its members.
• CO-OP Financial ServicescoreTechnology or IntegrationCO-OP provides the ATM network allowing WCCU members to access cash withdrawals at ATMs nationwide. Members can use the CO-OP ATM locator on the website to find nearby machines.
• ProfitStarscoreTechnology or IntegrationProfitStars provides the loan payment portal allowing members to make online loan payments, view payment history, and manage payment accounts through their Express platform.
• Check Printing SolutionsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThird-party check printing company for ordering checks. Members can order checks through the company's website using their routing number and account information.
• KQCD-TVcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerRegional TV station in Dickinson partnering with WCCU for the Star Student Award program, featuring monthly student profiles on their evening news broadcast.
• KUMV-TVcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerRegional TV station in Williston partnering with WCCU for the Star Student Award program, featuring monthly student profiles on their evening news broadcast.
• Applebees (Local Restaurant)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal Applebees restaurant partners with WCCU to provide prizes for Star Student award recipients.
• CMFG Life Insurance CompanycoreTechnology or IntegrationUnderwriter for MEMBER'S CHOICE Credit Life and Credit Disability Insurance products offered through WCCU loans. Located in Waverly, Iowa.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Town & Country Credit Union: Minot, North Dakota-based community credit union serving western and central North Dakota with deposit, lending, and digital banking services. Closest direct peer to WCCU given similar community charter, geography, and full-service consumer/small-business banking model.
• Capital Credit Union: North Dakota-headquartered community credit union offering checking, savings, lending, and digital banking. Comparable as a community-charter ND credit union with similar member-owned structure and full-service product suite.
• Farm Credit Services of North Dakota: Primary agricultural lender in North Dakota under the Farm Credit System, providing operating, equipment, real estate, and livestock financing to farmers and ranchers. Direct peer to WCCU's Ag Lending team given overlapping ag borrower base and rural North Dakota market.

Broad incumbents

• Gate City Bank: Fargo-headquartered community bank/financial services company with a large North Dakota retail banking franchise spanning consumer, mortgage, wealth, and business banking. Broader incumbent offering overlapping deposit and mortgage products across the same state.
• Bell Bank: Fargo-headquartered, employee-owned North Dakota bank with a broad consumer, mortgage, ag, and business banking franchise across the Upper Midwest. Larger broad incumbent offering overlapping consumer and mortgage products to ND residents.

Regional players

• Starion Financial: Bismarck-based community bank with branches across North Dakota and into South Dakota, offering consumer, commercial, mortgage, and ag lending. Regional peer operating in adjacent ND markets with similar full-service community bank model.
• First Western Bank & Trust: Minot-based community bank serving north-central and western North Dakota with consumer, ag, and commercial lending. Comparable to WCCU on geography and mix of consumer/ag banking in the same ND markets.
• Cornerstone Bank: Fargo-based North Dakota community bank with branches across the state providing consumer, mortgage, ag, and small-business lending. Comparable as a ND-focused community bank serving similar rural and mid-sized markets.
• BlackRidgeBANK: North Dakota community bank (Bismarck/Mandan) offering consumer, mortgage, ag, and business banking across central ND. Regional peer operating with a similar community-bank model in overlapping North Dakota geographies.
• Hi-Line Federal Credit Union: Havre, Montana-based community federal credit union serving north-central Montana with deposit, lending, and digital banking services. Comparable to WCCU as a similarly-sized rural Plains credit union with a comparable community-charter, member-owned model in an adjacent ag-dependent region.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/WesternCooperativeCreditUnion
• Instagraminstagram.com/western_coop_cu
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/western-cooperative-credit-union

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Subsidiaries3 records

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 Western Cooperative Credit Union