North Coast Credit Union

Name

North Coast Credit Union

Legal name

North Coast Credit Union

Website

https://northcoastcu.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1939

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Retail Banking (Consumer Credit Union)

NAICS

Credit Unions (52213), Credit Unions (522130), Credit Card Issuing (522210)

SIC

Personal Credit Institutions (6141)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Employer/Occupational Credit Unions (FSABAEAB), Co-Branded Credit Cards (FSAKABAB)

Keywords

• Retail banking services
• Consumer lending
• Credit union deposits
• Home mortgage loans
• Small business lending

Headquarters

HQ city

Bellingham

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Interest Income from Loans: Primary revenue stream from interest charged on auto loans, home mortgages, personal loans, credit cards, business loans, and HELOCs. Rates vary by product type and creditworthiness.
2. Fee Income: Various fees including overdraft/Courtesy Pay fees, credit card annual fees ($50), late payment fees, rush order fees, statement copy fees, and returned payment fees.
3. Credit Card Interest: Interest income from revolving credit card balances; APR ranges from 11.99% to 19.99% based on creditworthiness
4. Insurance Products: GAP (Guaranteed Asset Protection) insurance on auto loans, AD&D insurance through TruStage partnership

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels8 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

North Coast Credit Union is a member-owned, not-for-profit financial cooperative that provides consumer and small business banking products and services. Its core offerings include deposit accounts (checking, savings, money market, CDs, IRAs, HSAs), consumer loans (auto, recreational vehicle, personal, credit cards, lines of credit), residential mortgages and HELOCs, commercial lending, and specialty loans, distributed through five Washington State branches plus online, mobile, and a 30,000+ ATM network.

Product overview

North Coast Credit Union offers a comprehensive suite of financial products and services centered around its core banking platform. The product portfolio includes multiple checking account types (Free Checking, Interest-Bearing Checking, Money Market Checking) with optional Smart Benefits add-on, savings accounts including the high-yield Thrive Savings (5% APY), Money Market Savings, Health Savings Accounts, and Youth Savings with Report Card Rewards. The loan offerings span consumer lending (vehicle loans, recreational vehicle loans, personal loans including Smart Loans and open lines of credit), credit cards (BIG Rewards and No Annual Fee cards with balance transfer promotions), residential lending (30-year fixed and adjustable rate mortgages, HELOCs, lot loans, construction loans), and specialized products (DACA loans and Citizenship loans). Business banking includes commercial loans, lines of credit, and commercial real estate financing. Digital banking is delivered through Online and Mobile Banking platforms with Mobile Wallet support for Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Samsung Pay. Additional services include money transfers, loan payment services (including Skip A Pay programs), Courtesy Pay overdraft protection, GAP insurance, and Debt Protection insurance. Financial tools such as calculators and educational blog content complement the product suite.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Free Checking No-fee checking account for individual members with no minimum balance, a free debit card, thousands of fee-free ATMs nationwide, and full online and mobile banking including bill pay, mobile deposit, e-statements, and eAlerts.
• Interest-Bearing Checking Checking account that earns dividends on the everyday balance; $5 monthly fee is waived with a $1,000 minimum daily balance.
• Money Market Checking Checking account earning dividends on balances of $2,500 or more, with online and mobile banking, mobile check deposit, bill pay, e-statements, and eAlerts.
• Savings Account Free savings account with tiered dividend rates based on balance. Members can open multiple sub-accounts dedicated to specific savings goals (vacation, holiday, etc.).
• Thrive Savings High-yield savings account earning 5.00% APY on balances up to $5,000 with no minimum balance required. One account per member; balances above $5,000 earn 0.100% APY.
• Money Market Savings Tiered-rate savings account earning competitive interest on balances of $50,000 or more; $10 monthly fee applies to balances under $50,000. Includes six out-of-branch transactions per month.
• Health Savings Account (HSA) Tax-advantaged savings account with no minimum balance or withdrawal restrictions. Used with a High Deductible Health Plan and accessed via HSA Debit Card and/or Bill Pay.
• Youth Savings Account Free savings account for children and teens with a $5 minimum to open. Eligible for the Report Card Rewards program where the credit union matches $5 deposit rewards with donations to Operation Warm.
• Certificate of Deposit (CD) Term-based savings certificates with various terms from 3 months to 5 years and competitive interest rates. Interest accrues daily and is applied monthly; early withdrawal penalties apply. NCUA-insured.
• Build a CD 12-month certificate of deposit with no fees, $25 minimum to open, and the ability to make additional deposits anytime. NCUA-insured. Designed for goal-based savings such as youth and family use cases.
• Individual Retirement Account (IRA) Tax-deferred retirement savings available as Traditional, Roth, or SEP IRA varieties, with various term options.
• Vehicle & Auto Loans Low-interest loans for new and used vehicles with no fees to apply and no early-payment penalties. Includes dealership loans, refinancing, pre-approval, and optional GAP insurance. Rates as low as 5.22% APR.
• Recreational Vehicle Loans Loans for boats, motorcycles, RVs, trailers, ATVs, jet skis, horse trailers, and snowmobiles with competitive rates (as low as 7.25% APR).
• Personal Loans Secured and unsecured loans for one-time expenses up to $10,000 with repayment terms up to 60 months. Includes vehicle-secured loans, secured credit-building loans, and open lines of credit.
• Smart Loans Personal loans offering lower interest rates and no maintenance fees, available as a free Smart Checking Benefit.
• Open Line of Credit Revolving credit line for ongoing expenses that can be used and repaid at any time, functioning as a buffer against unexpected needs or an alternative to credit cards.
• BIG Rewards Credit Card Credit card with rates starting at 11.99% APR, 1 reward point per $1 spent, 1% cash back on purchases, no cash advance fees, and a $50 annual fee (waived first year and waived with Smart Benefits).
• No Annual Fee Credit Card Credit card starting at 13.99% APR fixed rate with no annual fee.
• Home Mortgages Comprehensive residential mortgage products including 30-year fixed mortgages, adjustable rate mortgages (ARMs), land/lot loans, jumbo loans, and construction loans. Loans are kept and serviced locally.
• Home Equity Lines of Credit (HELOC) Revolving credit lines for up to 80% of home equity with $20,000 minimum and $100,000 maximum. 5-year draw period followed by 15-year repayment. Annual fee waived first year.
• Business Loans Commercial lending products including facility and equipment loans, commercial and small business lines of credit, commercial real estate loans, multi-family loans, and commercial construction loans.
• DACA Loans Specialty loan covering the $495 DACA application filing fee, paid back over 12 months at 9% APR with $43.29 monthly payments. Requires a verification letter from an authorized attorney (often obtained through the Skagit Immigration Rights Council partnership).
• Citizenship Loans Loans covering U.S. citizenship application fees — Full Fee option ($725) or Partial Fee option ($405). Paid back over 12 months at 9% APR.
• Online Banking 24/7 digital banking platform with personalized transactions, wire transfers, new account opening, card management, account updates, custom alerts, dark mode, language options, and quick balances.
• Mobile Banking App Native mobile app available on the Apple App Store and Google Play, enabling account management, mobile deposits, bill pay, and card controls from anywhere.

Quantifiable outcome

• 5.22% APR on auto loans (as low as)
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration11 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• 92.9 KISM RadiominorGTM or Marketing PartnerJoint promotional partnership for '92 Days of Summer' campaign offering members and listeners a chance to win $35,000. Promotion featured on KISM website and North Coast Credit Union communications.
• CO-OP ATM NetworkcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSurcharge-free ATM access at nearly 30,000 locations including 7-Eleven, Costco, and Walgreens. Members can withdraw cash without fees at any CO-OP branded ATM.
• Operation WarmminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership where North Coast matches $5 report card rewards deposits with donations to Operation Warm, which provides coats for children in local schools through firefighter partnerships.
• Skagit Immigration Rights CouncilminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerReferral partner providing verification of review letters for DACA and citizenship loan applicants. NCCU offers specialized loan products for immigration-related filing fees.
• Apple PaycoreTechnology or IntegrationMobile wallet integration enabling members to add North Coast debit and credit cards to Apple Pay for contactless in-store and online payments.
• Google PaycoreTechnology or IntegrationMobile wallet integration enabling members to add North Coast debit and credit cards to Google Pay for contactless in-store and online payments.
• Samsung PaycoreTechnology or IntegrationMobile wallet integration enabling members to add North Coast debit and credit cards to Samsung Pay for contactless in-store and online payments.
• Visa Click to PaycoreTechnology or IntegrationCredit card integration with Visa's secure checkout solution allowing members to skip forms and speed through online checkout at participating merchants.
• Scorecard RewardscoreTechnology or IntegrationCredit card rewards program allowing members to redeem points for travel, cashback, merchandise, charitable donations, and now as currency at checkout with select retailers, gas stations, and PayPal.
• Card Suite Lite (FIS)coreTechnology or IntegrationFree mobile app (developed by FIS) for card management allowing freeze/unfreeze, spending limits, location controls, and real-time transaction alerts.
• H&R BlockminorGTM or Marketing PartnerTax preparation discount partner offering up to $25 savings on H&R Block services for North Coast members.
• TurboTax (Intuit)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerTax preparation discount partner offering up to 20% savings on TurboTax for North Coast members through credit union member benefits program.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves12 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• WECU (Whatcom Educational Credit Union): WECU is a Bellingham-headquartered community credit union serving Whatcom County with a similar member-owned model, branch footprint, and consumer/mortgage product mix — making it the closest geographic and product peer to NCCU.
• Sound Credit Union: Sound Credit Union is a Washington-state community credit union with multi-branch presence and full consumer/commercial banking products — a direct comparable in scale, geography, and product offering to NCCU.
• Gesa Credit Union: Gesa is a Washington-state community credit union offering checking, savings, mortgages, auto loans, and business lending through multiple branches statewide — directly comparable to NCCU's community-charter model and product suite.
• OnPoint Community Credit Union: OnPoint is a Pacific Northwest community credit union offering similar consumer lending, mortgages, and digital banking capabilities; its broader PNW footprint and consumer/member focus make it a comparable community-CU peer.

Broad incumbents

• BECU (Boeing Employees Credit Union): BECU is Washington state's largest credit union, originally occupational (Boeing employees) and now operating a community charter with branches across WA — a significantly larger broad incumbent competing against NCCU across many of the same product categories.
• First Tech Federal Credit Union: First Tech is a federally chartered technology-employer credit union that has expanded to community membership; it offers similar consumer lending, credit cards, and digital-first banking on a materially larger scale.
• SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union: SchoolsFirst is a large occupational credit union (California school employees) with deep consumer lending, mortgage, and digital capabilities — a relevant benchmark for an occupational-heritage CU that has moved to broader membership.
• PenFed (Pentagon Federal Credit Union): PenFed is one of the largest US credit unions, offering nationwide consumer lending, mortgages, and credit cards via digital channels — a broad incumbent that competes with NCCU for digital-first Washington members.

Regional players

• Ent Credit Union: Ent is a Colorado-based community credit union that grew via merger to similar mid-size scale with full consumer/commercial banking — a comparable regional growth-via-inorganic-consolidation model.

Emerging players

• Alliant Credit Union: Alliant is a digital-first, community-charter credit union serving members nationwide with competitive savings rates and consumer loans — closely comparable to NCCU's Thrive Savings and credit card products but at much larger scale via digital onboarding.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/NorthCoastCU

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 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 North Coast Credit Union