Big Island Federal Credit Union

What Big Island Federal Credit Union does

Big Island Federal Credit Union is a federally chartered, member-owned financial cooperative serving the island of Hawaii. Founded in 1936 as the Big Island Teachers Federal Credit Union (the first chartered credit union in Hawaii), it transitioned to a community credit union with an island-wide charter in the 1990s and adopted its current name in 2001. The institution operates three physical branches — in Hilo (headquarters), Kailua-Kona, and Keaau — and serves Hawaii Island residents, local organizations, youth, and students.

The product set spans deposit products (Share Account, Youth Share, Christmas Share, GradVantage College, Money Market, Share Draft / checking, Term Share Certificates, IRAs), lending products (auto, personal, secured, mortgage, Green, personal line of credit, overdraft line of credit, Visa credit cards), and account-access infrastructure (online banking, mobile banking, mobile deposit, mobile wallet support for Apple Pay/Google Pay/Samsung Pay, online bill pay, eStatements, audio response, ATM access). Underlying technology is a digital banking platform (financial-net hosted) with integrations into CO-OP Shared Branching (national branch and ATM network), CUDL AutoSMART (vehicle loan marketplace), TruStage Insurance, Love My Credit Union Rewards, and Sallie Mae.

The business model is a not-for-profit cooperative. Revenue is generated primarily from interest income on the loan portfolio, deposit account fees, miscellaneous service fees (overdraft protection, wire transfers), and a one-time membership fee at account opening. Distribution runs through the three branches, digital channels, and the CO-OP shared branching network, with marketing executed via website content, quarterly email newsletters, branch-based community engagement, and partnership-driven referrals. Governance is by an elected member board, with no parent company or external shareholders.

Name

Big Island Federal Credit Union

Legal name

Big Island Federal Credit Union

Website

https://bigislandfcu.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1936

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Big Island Federal Credit Union is a federally chartered, member-owned community credit union serving Hawaii Island residents through three branches (Hilo, Kona, Keaau) with deposits, loans, digital banking, and shared branching access.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Credit Union Banking

NAICS

Credit Unions (52213), Credit Unions (522130)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industry

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

Keywords

• Community credit union
• Consumer savings accounts
• Consumer lending services
• Digital banking platform
• Retail financial services

Headquarters

HQ city

Hilo

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Revenue model

1. Interest Income: Income from lending activities including auto loans, personal loans, mortgage loans, and credit cards
2. Deposit Account Fees: Fees from checking accounts, money market accounts, and certificate accounts
3. Service Fees: Various service fees including overdraft protection, wire transfers, and other account services
4. Membership Fees: One-time membership fee and minimum deposit requirements for new members

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Big Island Federal Credit Union is a member-owned, federally chartered credit union that provides retail banking products and lending services to residents and organizations on the island of Hawaii. Its product suite spans savings accounts (Share, Youth, Christmas, Treasure Save), checking accounts (Share Draft, Money Market), term share certificates, IRAs, and a GradVantage college account, alongside consumer loans (auto, personal, secured, mortgage, green, lines of credit) and Visa debit and credit cards. Members access accounts through three physical branches, online and mobile banking, mobile deposit, mobile wallet, and the CO-OP shared branching network.

Product overview

Big Island Federal Credit Union is a community credit union serving the island of Hawaii since 1936. The institution offers a comprehensive suite of financial products including savings accounts (Share Account, Youth Share Account, Christmas Share Account, Treasure Save-ARGHS Youth Account), checking accounts (Share Draft, Money Market), term share certificates, individual retirement accounts (IRAs), and a GradVantage College Account. On the lending side, the credit union provides auto loans, personal loans, secured loans, personal and overdraft lines of credit, mortgage loans, green loans, and Visa credit cards. Account access is facilitated through online banking, mobile banking, mobile deposit, mobile wallet (Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay), online bill pay, eStatements, audio response, and ATM access. Additional services include optional loan protection, a scholarship program, UChoose Rewards, loan calculators, and shared branching through CO-OP. The credit union also partners with TruStage for insurance products and CUDL AutoSMART for auto loan services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Treasure Save-ARGHS Youth Account: A youth savings account program designed for children ages 0-11 to encourage saving habits with prizes and rewards.

Products and services

• Share Account Primary membership savings account offering dividends on deposits with no monthly maintenance fee; requires a $50 minimum deposit to open.
• Youth Share Account Savings account for young members with no monthly or annual maintenance fee and a $5 minimum deposit to earn dividends.
• Treasure Save-ARGHS Youth Account Specialized youth savings account for children ages 0-11 featuring rewards, gifts at opening, and prizes for deposits; $5 minimum opening deposit.
• Christmas Share Account Savings account designed to help members save for holiday expenses with dedicated deposit features.
• Share Draft Account Checking account providing Visa Debit Card access and overdraft protection options for everyday transactions.
• Money Market Account Interest-bearing checking account with competitive rates for higher balance accounts.
• GradVantage College Account Savings account designed for college students with features tailored to higher education financial needs.

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• TruStage InsurancecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerTruStage provides insurance products (life, auto, home) marketed to Big Island FCU members as a benefit of credit union membership. Products include accidental death & dismemberment insurance, auto insurance, and property insurance.
• Love My Credit Union RewardsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLMCUR provides member discount programs including estate planning (Trust & Will), tax preparation (H&R Block, TurboTax), and TruStage insurance offers for credit union members.
• CUDL (Credit Union Direct Lending)coreTechnology or IntegrationCUDL provides AutoSMART vehicle shopping service allowing members to research, build, and finance vehicle purchases through an integrated platform.
• Sallie MaeminorGTM or Marketing PartnerStudent loan products available through Sallie Mae for GradVantage College Account holders and members seeking education financing.
• CO-OP Financial ServicescoreTechnology or IntegrationCO-OP provides shared branching and ATM network access, allowing members to access their accounts at over 5,000 credit union branches and 30,000 ATMs nationwide.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Hawaii State Federal Credit Union: Largest credit union in Hawaii, offering a full suite of consumer banking products and digital services statewide. Directly comparable as a Hawaii-based member-owned credit union competing for similar retail members, though with substantially greater scale and geographic reach.
• Maui Federal Credit Union: Community credit union serving Maui County with a comparable product mix (savings, loans, digital banking). Direct comparable as another small Hawaii island-based community credit union with similar member profile and branch network economics.
• Hawaii County Employees Federal Credit Union: Hawaii Island-based occupational credit union serving county employees and their families. Closely comparable as a small, Hawaii-Island-rooted federal credit union with overlapping membership pools and similar product set.
• Kauai Federal Credit Union: Community credit union serving the island of Kauai with consumer deposits, lending, and digital banking. Closely comparable in scale, structure, and island-community operating model to Big Island FCU.

Emerging players

• University of Hawaii Federal Credit Union: Hawaii-based federal credit union with historical educational-affiliation roots similar to Big Island FCU's origin as a teachers' credit union. Comparable product set with growing digital capabilities; partial overlap on Hawaii Island member segments.

Broad incumbents

• American Savings Bank: Hawaii-based community bank offering consumer and business banking with a strong branch presence on Hawaii Island. Direct overlap in retail deposits and consumer lending but operates as a broader portfolio institution rather than a credit union.
• Bank of Hawaii: Major Hawaii-headquartered commercial bank with the largest branch network in the state. Competes directly for Hawaii Island consumer and small business deposits and loans with substantially greater scale and product breadth.
• First Hawaiian Bank: Largest Hawaii-based bank with statewide branch network and full commercial and consumer product suite. Significant overlap in deposit and loan products on Hawaii Island, but serves a much broader geography and customer base.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Big Island Federal Credit Union