SeaWest Coast Guard Federal Credit Union

What SeaWest Coast Guard Federal Credit Union does

SeaWest Coast Guard Federal Credit Union is a federally chartered, not-for-profit credit union founded in 1958–1959 by U.S. Coast Guard personnel at what is now Coast Guard Island in Alameda, California. Originally established to shield Coast Guard members from a local lender charging 36% interest, the institution has grown from $1 million in assets in 1965 to over $400 million today. Its field of membership now spans active-duty and retired personnel from all branches of the U.S. Armed Forces, honorably discharged veterans, Coast Guard Auxiliary members, and employees of federal agencies including CBP, FEMA, TSA, ICE, and the Secret Service. The credit union operates two physical branches in California (Alameda Coast Guard Island and the restricted-access USCG Training Center branch in Petaluma) and is led by a member-owned cooperative governance structure with sole affiliate Sea West Services LLC.

The product suite is organized around three pillars: deposit products (checking, savings, certificates, IRAs), lending products (auto loans, mortgages, FHA/VA loans, home equity/HELOCs, credit cards, personal loans, and share/certificate-secured credit-builder loans), and digital and partner-enabled services (mobile and online banking with check deposit, Zelle P2P payments, Savvy Money credit monitoring, bill pay, and calculators). The technology platform combines a proprietary mobile and online banking front end with security infrastructure supported by AT&T and Microsoft encryption partnerships, while loan and account opening workflows are powered by Financial-Net and iLend respectively. Insurance products (auto, life, AD&D) are delivered through a TruStage partnership, and geographic reach is extended through the Velera Shared-Branch Network and CO-OP ATM network.

SeaWest operates as a not-for-profit cooperative, generating revenue primarily through net interest income on its loan portfolio supplemented by transaction-based fees (NSF fees at $25/item, domestic wire transfers at $20, international at $25, and ATM surcharges beyond four free monthly withdrawals). Pricing is structured to minimize fees for the core military segment — including free checking for active duty and veterans, free CO-OP ATM transactions, free online and mobile banking, and a $7 monthly maintenance fee waived with sufficient balance or direct deposit. Distribution is community-led: physical access at Coast Guard installations, supplemented by a national shared branching footprint, a mobile-first digital channel, and word-of-mouth acquisition within the military community.

Name

SeaWest Coast Guard Federal Credit Union

Legal name

SeaWest Coast Guard Federal Credit Union

Website

https://seawest.coop

Company type

Private

Founded year

1959

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

SeaWest Coast Guard Federal Credit Union is a federally chartered, not-for-profit credit union founded in 1959, serving Coast Guard personnel, active-duty military, veterans, and federal agency employees through deposit accounts, consumer and mortgage loans, and digital banking, with over $400 million in assets.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Federal Credit Union Banking

NAICS

Credit Unions (522130), Credit Unions (52213)

SIC

Savings Institution, Federally Chartered (6035)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYFSABAEAI

Military & Veterans Credit Unions

Financial & Insurance/Banking (Commerical, Retail & Consumer)/Community & Cooperative Banking (Credit Unions, Mutuals)

Keywords

• Credit union services
• Consumer banking
• Military lending
• Deposit accounts
• Membership banking

Headquarters

HQ city

Alexandria

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Interest Income from Lending: As a not-for-profit credit union, Sea West generates revenue primarily through interest earned on loans including mortgages, auto loans, personal loans, home equity loans, and credit cards
2. Account and Service Fees: Various fees for services including ATM charges (for non-CO-OP ATMs after 4 free monthly withdrawals), overdraft transfers, wire transfers, stop payments, and account research. Many basic services are free including checking for active duty and veterans.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

SeaWest Coast Guard Federal Credit Union is a not-for-profit, federally chartered credit union that provides consumer banking products to eligible members of the military and federal employee community. Core offerings include checking and savings accounts, share certificates, IRAs, auto loans, mortgage loans, home equity loans, credit cards, personal loans, and share-secured loans, delivered through branch locations, online banking, and a mobile app. Revenue is primarily generated through interest income on loans plus transaction-based service fees.

Product overview

SeaWest Coast Guard Federal Credit Union offers a comprehensive suite of consumer banking products organized around three core pillars: deposit accounts (checking, savings, certificates, and IRAs), lending products (auto loans, mortgages, home equity, credit cards, personal loans, and share-secured loans), and digital banking services (mobile/online banking, bill pay, and Savvy Money credit monitoring). The credit union functions as a single-platform financial institution with modular service offerings—core deposit and lending products are supplemented by integrated partner services including TruStage insurance, CO-OP/ Velera shared branching networks, and Zelle payment services. A mobile app and online banking portal serve as the primary digital access channels for all services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Checking Accounts Personal checking accounts with free checking for active duty service members and veterans, providing access to bill pay, online banking, debit card services, and free transactions at Sea West and CO-OP Network ATMs.
• Savings Accounts Personal savings accounts including youth accounts with competitive rates and free transactions at Sea West ATMs, designed for members building savings.
• Share Certificates Share certificates with competitive fixed rates for terms ranging from 3 months to 5 years for members seeking term-deposit savings.
• Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs) Traditional and Roth IRA savings accounts offered to members, with balances above $100 maintained free of charge.
• Auto Loans Vehicle financing for new and used automobiles with competitive rates and terms up to 84 months, available to eligible credit union members.
• Mortgage Loans Home purchase and refinance loans including conventional, FHA, and VA mortgages offered with competitive rates to eligible members.
• Home Equity Loans Home equity lines of credit (HELOCs) and fixed-rate home equity loans that allow members to access accumulated home equity.
• Credit Cards Visa credit cards with various reward programs, competitive rates, and free card replacement available to eligible members.
• Personal Loans Unsecured personal loans for various purposes including debt consolidation, emergencies, and major purchases, available to eligible members.
• Share/Certificate Secured Loans Credit-building loans backed by member savings or share certificates as collateral, offering low fixed rates while keeping savings intact.
• Mobile & Online Banking Digital banking platform accessible via mobile app on iOS and Android and via web browser, enabling check deposits, balance viewing, fund transfers, and bill payment for members.
• Bill Pay Online bill payment service for recurring and one-time payments, integrated with Zelle for person-to-person fund transfers between members and others.
• Insurance Products TruStage and Allied Solutions insurance products including auto insurance (5% discount through TruStage), life insurance up to $300,000, and $1,000 free accidental death and dismemberment coverage for members.

Quantifiable outcome

• Assets grown from $1 million in 1965 to over $400 million today

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration8 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Velera Shared-Branch NetworkcoreTechnology or IntegrationSea West has partnered with Velera Shared-Branch Network to provide members access to 5,550+ participating branches and over 35,000 surcharge-free ATMs nationwide, including Puerto Rico and Guam.
• CO-OP Financial Services NetworkcoreTechnology or IntegrationSea West is part of the CO-OP Financial Services Network, providing access to over 30,000 surcharge-free ATMs nationwide for member convenience.
• TruStage InsurancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSea West works with TruStage to bring special insurance options and discounts to credit union members, including auto insurance (5% cheaper through TruStage), life insurance up to $300,000, and accidental death and dismemberment coverage with $1,000 free for members.
• Allied SolutionsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for insurance products alongside TruStage, providing additional coverage options for members.
• Liberty MutualminorOthersLiberty Mutual car insurance available at 5% discount through TruStage partnership for Sea West members.
• AT&TcoreTechnology or IntegrationSecurity technology partner providing state-of-the-art software and encryption technology for credit union operations.
• MicrosoftcoreTechnology or IntegrationSecurity technology partner providing software and encryption technology for advanced security defenses.
• CUNA MutualcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint marketing partner providing insurance and financial products to credit unions and their members. This is Sea West's only joint marketing partner.
• Sea West Services LLCcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSea West Coast Guard Federal Credit Union's sole affiliate company for shared services and operations.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Alliant Credit Union: A large digital-first credit union providing checking, savings, lending, and credit card products to members nationwide through an online and mobile channel with a shared branching network. Comparable as a federally chartered cooperative with a similar member-owned pricing model emphasizing low fees and high digital functionality.
• USAA Federal Savings Bank: A member-owned financial services organization historically serving U.S. military members, veterans, and their families across banking, insurance, and investment products. Comparable because it shares the military-membership focus, member-owned economics, and breadth of deposit and lending products aimed at service members.
• First Command Financial Services: A financial services firm specializing in serving active duty military, retirees, and their families through banking, investment, and insurance products. Comparable because it pursues the same military-lifecycle customer with tailored products and educational content specific to service-member financial planning.
• Digital Federal Credit Union (DCU): A federally chartered, member-owned credit union serving a defined membership community with a strong digital banking focus, CO-OP ATM and shared branching access, and similar small-cooperative economics. Comparable because it operates under the same federal credit union model with national reach through the CO-OP network.
• Pentagon Federal Credit Union (PenFed): A large U.S. military and defense community credit union offering checking, savings, mortgage, auto, and credit card products to active duty, retirees, veterans, and DOD employees. Comparable because it serves an overlapping military membership base with a similar community-credit-union value proposition and national digital footprint.
• Navy Federal Credit Union: The largest U.S. military credit union serving all branches of the armed forces including Coast Guard personnel, Coast Guard civilians, and their families. Directly comparable because it targets the same military membership base as Sea West, offers the same core suite of deposit and lending products, and operates under the same federal credit union charter with NCUA insurance.

Emerging players

• SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union: A large federal credit union serving a defined occupational membership community (California school employees and their families) with comprehensive deposit and lending products. Comparable as a federally chartered, occupation-defined cooperative employing a similar membership-restricted growth strategy and value proposition.

Regional players

• Travis Credit Union: A community-chartered credit union headquartered in Northern California serving members in the Bay Area and surrounding counties with deposit and lending products. Comparable as a fellow cooperative operating in Sea West's overlapping Bay Area geography with similar member-focused pricing and lending offerings.
• Patelco Credit Union: A Bay Area-headquartered community credit union serving Northern California residents with checking, savings, loans, and digital banking services. Comparable as another federally insured cooperative competitor operating in Sea West's geographic market with a similar community-credit-union mission and product set.

Broad incumbents

• Security Service Federal Credit Union: A large multi-segment federal credit union serving military, federal employees, and a broader membership base. Comparable as a federally chartered, NCUA-insured credit union offering similar deposit/lending products, though with a significantly larger asset base and broader membership eligibility than Sea West.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/SeaWestCreditUnion
• Instagraminstagram.com/seawestfcu
• Xx.com/SeawestFCU
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/119317

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 SeaWest Coast Guard Federal Credit Union