JACOM Credit Union

What JACOM Credit Union does

JACOM Credit Union (legal name Japanese American Community Credit Union) is a state-chartered, NCUA-insured, not-for-profit financial cooperative founded in June 1951 in Los Angeles, California, after the founders' Tanomoshi savings club which began in 1945 to help returning Japanese American families purchase homes. It serves approximately 9,000 members drawn from individuals of Japanese ancestry residing in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, and San Bernardino counties, employees of designated partner organizations (The Rafu Shimpo, Keiro Services, King's Hawaiian, East West Eye Institute, Miyako Inn & Spa, and others), and immediate family of existing members. The institution operates from a single main branch at 3037 West Jefferson Boulevard in Los Angeles, supplemented nationally by the CO-OP Shared Branch (5,000+ locations) and CO-OP ATM (37,000+ surcharge-free) networks.

The core product surface is a standard full-service consumer credit-union portfolio: deposit products (share savings, share draft checking, 6-36 month share certificates, IRA certificates, Daruma/Holiday club accounts) and lending products (new and pre-owned auto loans up to 100% financing, motorcycle loans, personal loans including share-secured and signature, the Ri Visa credit card, the Okane Visa debit card, home equity loans, Sallie Mae student loans via referral partnership, and mortgage products via the Right Choice Mortgage partnership). Digital delivery is centered on the NetCU platform — proprietary online banking launched in 2008 and rebuilt as a custom mobile application in January 2025 — which integrates Zelle for person-to-peer payments (since January 2021), SavvyMoney's Credit Sense for credit score monitoring, SecurLOCK Equip for card management, Message Pay for external-account loan payments, Transfer Now for inter-institution fund transfers, and Originate for online account opening. Digital wallet support (Apple Pay, Samsung Pay, Google Pay) was added in December 2020, EMV-chip cards rolled out in February 2019, and the IDCheck shared-branch authentication feature shipped in May 2025. As of 2026, JACom holds $60+ million in assets and operates with approximately 10 staff plus an unpaid five-member Board of Directors and three-member Supervisory Committee.

Revenue is generated primarily from net interest margin on the loan and deposit portfolio, supplemented by transaction fees (loan processing $50 on auto, payment processing $2.95 ACH / $9.95 debit via Message Pay), Visa interchange income on the Okane debit and Ri credit cards, and referral commissions from partners including Sallie Mae, TruStage insurance, Autoland, and Right Choice Mortgage. As a cooperative, surplus is returned to members through above-market deposit rates and below-market loan rates rather than distributed externally; the institution is not listed and does not raise external capital. Go-to-market is community-led, relying on employer and cultural-organization partnerships for member referral, supported by digital channels (website, mobile-app store listings, Facebook, and email newsletter) and 75 years of accumulated cultural credibility anchored by the 'Once a Member, Always a Member' positioning.

Name

JACOM Credit Union

Legal name

Japanese American Community Credit Union

Website

https://jacomcu.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1951

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

JACOM Credit Union is a not-for-profit, NCUA-insured financial cooperative founded in 1951, serving approximately 9,000 Japanese American members across Southern California through consumer deposit accounts, loans, and its NetCU digital banking platform.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Retail Banking

NAICS

Credit Unions (522130), Credit Unions (52213)

SIC

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

• Retail banking services
• Credit union lending
• Consumer deposits
• Digital banking
• Community financial cooperative

Headquarters

HQ city

Los Angeles

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Loan Interest Income: Interest income from various loan products including auto loans, personal loans, home loans, credit cards, and share-secured loans. All loan approvals subject to credit and income evaluation.
2. Deposit/Share Account Income: Dividend/interest income from share accounts, share certificates, and IRA certificates. Variable and fixed rate accounts with competitive APY rates.
3. Fee Income: Various fees including loan processing fees ($50 for auto loans), payment processing fees ($2.95 ACH/$9.95 debit card), and potentially other service fees.
4. Credit Card Interchange: Income from Ri Visa credit card and Okane Visa debit card transactions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels8 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

JACOM Credit Union is a not-for-profit financial cooperative that provides full-service retail banking and lending products to members of the Japanese American community in Southern California. Core offerings include share savings and share draft (checking) accounts, share certificates, IRA certificates, auto loans (new, pre-owned, and motorcycle), personal loans, home equity loans, Ri Visa credit cards, and Okane Visa debit cards. Digital banking is delivered through the NetCU Online Banking platform and NetCU Mobile App, integrated with Zelle for peer-to-peer payments, Credit Sense for credit score monitoring, and mobile check deposit.

Product overview

JACom Credit Union offers a comprehensive suite of financial products and services as a full-service credit union serving the Japanese American community in Southern California. The core product portfolio centers on deposit accounts (share savings, share draft checking, share certificates, and IRA certificates) and loan products (new and pre-owned auto loans, motorcycle loans, personal loans, Visa credit cards, student loans via Sallie Mae partnership, and home equity/mortgage products). Digital banking services are delivered through the NetCU Online Banking platform and NetCU Mobile App, which integrate Zelle for peer-to-peer payments, Credit Sense for free credit score monitoring, and Mobile Check Deposit. Card services include the Okane Visa Debit Card and Ri Visa Credit Card, with SecurLOCK Equip for card management. Physical access is supported through the CO-OP ATM Network (30,000+ surcharge-free ATMs) and CO-OP Shared Branch Network (5,600+ branches). Supplementary offerings include financial calculators, insurance products (TruStage, dental/vision), mortgage services through Right Choice Mortgage, auto-buying assistance via Autoland, and various fraud prevention tools including IDCheck. The institution is federally insured by NCUA and has grown to over $60 million in assets serving nearly 9,000 members since its founding in 1951.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• New Auto Loans
• Pre-Owned Auto Loans
• Motorcycle Loans
• Share Account (Savings)
• Share Draft (Checking)
• Share Certificate
• IRA Certificate
• Daruma/Holiday Account
• Personal Loans
• Share-Secured Loan
• Visa Credit Card (Ri)
• Okane Visa Debit Card
• Home Equity Loans
• Sallie Mae Student Loans
• NetCU Online Banking
• NetCU Mobile App
• Zelle Peer-to-Peer Payments
• Auto Junction
• Credit Sense

Quantifiable outcome

• Serving nearly 9,000 members/owners with $60+ million in assets
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration9 records

Feature9 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• SavvyMoney (Credit Sense)coreTechnology or Integration · 1 September 2022Credit score monitoring and reporting platform integrated into NetCU online and mobile banking providing daily credit score access, real-time alerts, and personalized credit reports.
• New Leaf LendingminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 September 2022Mortgage product partnership for home lending services.
• Sallie MaecoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 July 2022Student loan partnership providing competitive variable and fixed rate student loans for undergraduate and graduate students attending degree-granting institutions. JACom receives referral compensation.
• Early Warning Services (Zelle)coreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2021Zelle P2P payment service integrated into NetCU mobile app enabling fast money transfers to friends and family with no fees.
• Digital Wallets (Apple Pay, Samsung Pay, Google Pay)coreTechnology or Integration · 1 December 2020Integration enabling members to add Okane debit and Ri Credit cards to digital wallets for mobile payments.
• CU PartnersminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 March 2012Earlier mortgage partnership before transition to New Leaf Lending.
• CIGNA Dental & Vision (Member Select)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 March 2006Dental PPO & HMO coverage and Vision Service Plan for employed and retired members without employer group plans.
• CO-OP ATM NetworkcoreTechnology or IntegrationNational ATM network providing members access to over 37,000 surcharge-free ATM locations at credit unions and retail locations like Costco and 7-Eleven.
• CO-OP Shared Branch NetworkcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNational shared branching network allowing members to conduct transactions at over 5,000 credit union locations nationwide.
• AutolandminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAuto-buying service for credit union members with experienced consultants who find vehicles and negotiate prices on behalf of members.
• Right Choice MortgagecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerMortgage partnership through Sergio Miramontes providing first trust deeds, government loans (VA, FHA), reverse mortgages, and specialized mortgage products.
• TruStageminorGTM or Marketing PartnerInsurance products including life, car, home, and accidental death and dismemberment coverage backed by TruStage's 80+ years of credit union partnership.
• Love My Credit Union RewardsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDiscount rewards program offering member savings on various products and services through the Love My Credit Union program.
• Kaeru NetworkminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDiscount program where members receive special discounts at select establishments by showing their JACom CU ID cards.
• Newport Benefits Insurance SolutionsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDental and vision insurance products available to members through licensed insurance agents at Newport Benefits.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Kinecta Federal Credit Union: Large Southern California credit union offering full-service banking, mortgages, and digital channels across a broad membership base. Comparable on product breadth and SoCal footprint, but operates at materially larger scale than JACOM.
• SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union: Large SoCal credit union serving school employees with a defined-membership, community-bond model analogous to JACOM's. Comparable structure, but vastly larger scale and product set.
• California Credit Union: Statewide California credit union offering deposits, lending, and digital banking. A relevant incumbent comparable for SoCal community credit union competition and product/pricing benchmarks.
• Wescom Credit Union: Major Southern California credit union serving a defined membership with deposits, lending, and shared branching. Provides a useful benchmark for SoCal community CU economics and digital capabilities versus JACOM.
• Logix Federal Credit Union: Southern California community credit union offering full-service banking and digital platforms. Comparable regional presence and product mix to JACOM with a larger asset base.

Others

• Cathay Bank: Commercial bank focused on Asian American communities in California. Not a credit union, but competes for the same culturally aligned depositors and small-business relationships JACOM serves in SoCal.

Direct peers

• First City Credit Union: Los Angeles-based community credit union serving a defined membership in the LA area with personal banking, lending, and digital services. Closest scale and geography comparable to JACOM.
• Self-Help Federal Credit Union: Community development credit union serving underserved and mission-driven communities across multiple states. Comparable on the community-bond model and small scale relative to mainstream CUs.
• Pacific Service Credit Union: Hawaii-based credit union with deep Japanese American heritage serving multigenerational members. Most direct comparable: similar community-bond membership model, full deposit/loan suite, and shared cultural mission aligned to JACOM.

Emerging players

• Alliant Credit Union: Digital-first credit union with nationwide membership and competitive deposit/lending rates. Represents the neo-credit-union competitive threat to small, branch-anchored community CUs like JACOM.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/JAComCU/?ref=ts

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 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 JACOM Credit Union