Publix Employees Federal Credit Union

What Publix Employees Federal Credit Union does

Publix Employees Federal Credit Union (PEFCU) is a federally chartered, member-owned credit union founded in 1957 to serve associates of Publix Super Markets, Inc. and their immediate family members. Headquartered in Lakeland, Florida, PEFCU operates ten full-service branches (nine in Florida and one in Lawrenceville, Georgia, with the Jacksonville branch recently closed) and reports more than $1.8 billion in total assets, placing it in the top 5% of U.S. credit unions by size and earning it a 5-Star Bauer Financial rating with an A+ financial health grade.

PEFCU delivers a full retail banking stack spanning deposit products (Prime Share Savings, Free Checking, Money Market, High-Yield Money Market, Share Certificates, Traditional and Roth IRAs, Holiday Club and Stock Club savings), consumer lending (Personal Loans, Publix Stock-Secured Loans and Lines of Credit, Savings-Secured Loans), vehicle financing (Auto, Motorcycle, UTV/ATV, Boat/RV, plus an AutoChoice balloon program and refinancing), real estate lending (Conventional, Jumbo, Home Equity, First-Time Home Buyer in FL/KY, and Land Loans across eight southeastern states), and Visa credit and debit cards. Distribution combines physical branches, employer-payroll direct deposit integration with Publix, the PEFCU Online Banking web platform, and the PEFCU Mobile app (iOS/Android) with Mobile Deposit (since January 2017), External Transfers (since August 2022), Zelle (launched July 2025), digital wallet support (Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay), and access to nearly 30,000 surcharge-free ATMs via the CO-OP ATM Network. Back-office integrations include MeridianLink for online applications, DocuSign for electronic signatures, and Visa Account Updater for card-on-file continuity.

Revenue mechanics are those of a cooperative credit union: net interest income from mortgages, consumer, and vehicle loans funds operations, supplemented by transaction fees (overdraft/NSF $30, stop payment $30, domestic wire $20, international wire $45), interchange on Visa cards, and insurance distribution via TruStage. Earnings are returned to members through higher savings yields, lower loan rates, and free core services rather than distributed to external shareholders. Member acquisition is community-led and direct-to-consumer via workplace outreach at Publix locations, branches, digital onboarding, and a member Contact Center. Notable niche products (Stock Club accounts and Publix Stock-Secured Loans) and youth/senior club programs (Hugh Manatee, Boom!, Journey) are specifically tailored to the Publix associate lifecycle.

Name

Publix Employees Federal Credit Union

Legal name

Publix Employees Federal Credit Union

Website

https://pefcu.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1957

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Publix Employees Federal Credit Union is a federally chartered, member-owned credit union founded in 1957 that serves Publix Super Markets associates and their families with deposits, consumer and mortgage loans, Visa cards, and digital banking across Florida and Georgia, holding over $1.8 billion in assets.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Retail Banking (Credit Union)

NAICS

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

SIC

Functions Related To Depository Banking, Nec (6099)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industry

General Purpose Credit Cards (FSAKABAA)

Keywords

• Retail banking services
• Consumer lending products
• Credit union memberships
• Residential mortgage loans
• Deposit account services

Headquarters

HQ city

Lakeland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices11 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Interest Income from Lending: PEFCU generates primary revenue through interest earned on loan products including mortgages, auto loans, personal loans, home equity loans, and credit cards. As a credit union, earnings are returned to members through better rates on savings and lower rates on loans.
2. Fee-based Services: Fees charged for specific services including overdraft/NSF fees ($30), stop payments ($30), wire transfers ($20 domestic, $45 international), ATM fees for non-network usage, and various account service fees. Many core services are provided free to members.
3. Share Certificate and Savings Products: Revenue generated from spread between interest paid on savings/share certificates and interest earned on loans. Money market accounts, IRAs, and share certificates provide funding for lending operations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Publix Employees Federal Credit Union (PEFCU) is a member-owned, federally insured credit union providing retail banking and lending products — savings and checking accounts, money market accounts, share certificates, IRAs, auto/boat/RV/personal loans, home mortgages, Visa credit and debit cards, and digital banking services — primarily to Publix Super Markets associates and their families across Florida and Georgia. Revenue is generated primarily through interest income on loans and the spread between deposit and lending rates, supplemented by service fees on wire transfers, overdrafts, and other ancillary services.

Product overview

Publix Employees Federal Credit Union (PEFCU) is a member-owned credit union offering a comprehensive suite of financial products and services. The core offerings include savings and checking accounts (Prime Share Savings, Free Checking), investment products (Money Market, Share Certificates, Traditional and Roth IRAs), consumer loans (Personal Loans, Publix Stock Secured Loans, Savings Secured Loans), vehicle financing (Auto Loans with AutoChoice alternative financing, Motorcycle, UTV/ATV, Boat & RV loans), real estate lending (Conventional/Jumbo Mortgages, Home Equity, First-Time Home Buyer, Land Loans), and Visa credit/debit cards. Digital banking is delivered through PEFCU Online Banking (web platform) and PEFCU Mobile Banking (iOS/Android app) with features including Mobile Deposit, External Transfers, Zelle, and Bill Pay. Additional services include insurance products through TruStage partners, credit monitoring, financial calculators, GAP coverage, Mechanical Breakdown Protection, wire transfers, safe deposit boxes, and access to the CO-OP ATM network. Specialized savings clubs serve different life stages: Hugh Manatee Kids Club (ages 0-12), Boom! Club (ages 13-17), Journey Club (55+), Stock Club for Publix stock purchases, and Holiday Club for seasonal savings.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Prime Share Savings Account Primary savings account required for PEFCU membership with a $5 minimum deposit. Earns dividends with a $50 minimum daily balance. Insured by NCUA up to $250,000 (single) or $500,000 (joint).
• Free Checking Account No minimum balance checking account with no per-check charges. Includes free overdraft protection and mobile deposit capabilities. Available to all members.
• Money Market Account Versatile savings account with higher earnings than traditional savings. Requires $1,000 minimum to open. Includes flexible access to funds without withdrawal penalties.
• High-Yield Money Market Account Tiered savings account paying up to 3.50% APY on balances of $25,000 or more (1.05% APY on $1,000-$24,999). Minimum $25,000 to open with unlimited transactions and check-writing privileges.
• Share Certificates Fixed-rate term savings with dividends generally higher than savings accounts. Terms range from 6 months to 5 years, with Jumbo certificates requiring $100,000 minimum. Example rates: 6-month at 3.22% APY ($500 min); 1-year at 3.65% APY ($1,000 min); 15-month special at 4.55% APY ($1,000 min).
• Traditional IRA Individual Retirement Account offering tax-deferred savings for retirement. Contribution limit of $6,000 for under 50, with $1,000 catch-up for those 50+. Insured separately by NCUA up to $250,000.
• Roth IRA Individual Retirement Account with after-tax contributions and tax-free qualified withdrawals in retirement. Available to qualifying members.
• Stock Club Account Dedicated savings account for Publix stock purchases with higher dividends (up to 5.00% APY on first $2,500). Features free withdrawals during designated stock purchasing windows (March, May-June, August-September, November-December).
• Holiday Club Account Year-round savings account for holiday expenses. Funds automatically transfer to savings on November 1 with no maintenance fees.
• Personal Loan Unsecured loan with low fixed rates (as low as 9.50% APR) for various purposes including vacations, weddings, or unexpected repairs. No application fee or collateral required.
• Publix Stock Secured Loan Loan using Publix stock as collateral at 60% or 80% of stock value. Features low rates, continued dividend payments, and terms up to 15 years with no early payoff penalties.
• Publix Stock Line of Credit Revolving line of credit using non-ESOP Publix stock as collateral at 80% of value for flexible borrowing.
• Savings Secured Loan Loan using PEFCU savings as collateral while continuing to earn dividends on those savings. Terms up to 60 months.
• Auto Loan (Cars & Trucks) Vehicle financing for new and used cars and trucks with preapproval options and competitive rates (as low as 4.49% APR for new, 4.74% APR for used). Includes AutoChoice and refinancing options.
• Motorcycle Loan Financing for new or used motorcycles with preapproval and refinancing options.
• UTV/ATV Loan Financing for utility vehicles (UTVs) and all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) with low-rate preapproval options.
• Boat & RV Loan Financing for new and used boats and recreational vehicles with competitive rates for purchase or refinancing.
• AutoChoice Alternative Vehicle Financing Alternative vehicle financing program with guaranteed future value and up to 40% lower monthly payments. Offers flexibility to return, trade-in, or keep the vehicle at term end.
• Conventional & Jumbo Mortgage Fixed-rate home loans for purchase or refinance of primary residence with terms up to 30 years. Available in AL, FL, GA, KY, NC, SC, TN, and VA. Example rates: 30-year fixed as low as 5.990%/6.051% APR; 15-year fixed as low as 5.370%/5.470% APR (based on $250,000 loan with 20% down).
• Home Equity Loan Closed-end fixed-rate loan for primary residence with terms up to 20 years and minimum loan amount of $10,000.
• First-Time Home Buyer Mortgage Special mortgage program financing up to 97% ($350,000 max) for first-time homebuyers in Florida and Kentucky. Requires completion of Fannie Mae's HomeView course. Rate as low as 7.120%/7.176% APR (30-year term).
• Land Loan Fixed-rate land financing for purchasing vacant residential lots. 20-year term with minimum loan amount of $40,000. Property must be located in AL, FL, GA, KY, NC, SC, TN, or VA.
• Visa Platinum Credit Card Non-variable rate credit card at 9.90% APR with no annual fee and ScoreCard rewards program. Features EMV chip, contactless payments, and digital wallet compatibility (Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay). Includes Visa Secure fraud protection.
• Visa Secured Credit Card Secured credit card at 9.90% APR for members building or rebuilding credit. Requires a security deposit.
• Visa Contactless Debit Card Debit card with EMV chip and contactless payment capability. Available to members age 13+ with checking account. Includes fraud protection and digital wallet integration (Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay).
• Wire Transfer Service Domestic and international wire transfer services. Fees: $20 domestic outgoing, $45 international outgoing, $5 incoming.
• CO-OP ATM Network Access Access to nearly 30,000 surcharge-free ATMs across all 50 states and 10 countries through CO-OP ATM Network partnership. Members can make withdrawals, transfers, balance inquiries, and deposits at select locations.
• Safe Deposit Box Secure storage boxes available at Lakeland and Jacksonville offices in various sizes with annual rental fees.
• Emergency Disaster Loan Special loan program for members in declared disaster areas. Features terms up to 36 months with low interest rates.
• Credit Monitoring Service Free credit monitoring service providing daily credit score access, full credit report, real-time alerts, and credit score simulator via mobile and online banking.
• Auto & Home Insurance Auto and home coverage insurance products offered through TruStage (CMFG Life Insurance Company), providing potential savings on auto and home coverage for credit union members.
• TruStage Life Insurance Term and whole life insurance products through TruStage (CMFG Life Insurance Company). Includes 100% online application with instant decisions up to $100,000. TruStage is rated 'A' (Excellent) by A.M. Best.
• Accidental Death & Dismemberment Insurance Insurance benefit underwritten by Minnesota Life Insurance Company. Includes $2,000 coverage paid by PEFCU at no cost to members, with optional additional coverage up to $300,000.

Quantifiable outcome

• 5-Star rating from Bauer Financial
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration17 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• CO-OP ATM NetworkcoreTechnology or IntegrationPartnership providing access to nearly 30,000 surcharge-free ATMs across all 50 states and 10 countries. Members can make surcharge-free withdrawals, transfers, and balance inquiries. Select locations accept ATM deposits.
• TruStagecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with TruStage (CMFG Life Insurance Company) to offer insurance products including auto/home coverage, life insurance, cancer insurance, and Medicare supplement insurance. TruStage rated 'A' (Excellent) by A.M. Best.
• VisacoreTechnology or IntegrationPartnership with Visa for credit and debit card issuance. Includes Visa Secure fraud protection, Visa Click to Pay, and VISA Account Updater (VAU) for automatic card information updates with merchants.
• League of Southeastern Credit Unions & Affiliates (LSCU)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProud partner of LSCU, which serves as the credit union's advocate through advocacy, compliance, education, and communications services.
• Love My Credit Union RewardsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership offering discounts on products and services including TurboTax and H&R Block. Members have saved over $2 billion through the program.
• ZellecoreTechnology or IntegrationIntegration with Zelle for peer-to-peer payment services, allowing members to send and receive money quickly through the PEFCU mobile app.
• Fannie MaecoreTechnology or IntegrationUse of Fannie Mae's HomeView course as a requirement for First-Time Home Buyer program. Fannie Mae provides the free education curriculum for homebuyers.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• BECU (Boeing Employees Credit Union): Washington-state-based, employer-affinity credit union serving Boeing employees and broader community with a similar member-owned cooperative model and full retail product suite. Highly comparable business model: single-employer heritage expanded to broader community field of membership.
• Fairwinds Credit Union: Orlando, FL-based member-owned credit union with comparable asset size and full retail/mortgage/consumer-lending product mix. Overlaps geographically with PEFCU's central Florida footprint and competes for Publix associates in the Orlando MSA.
• Grow Financial Federal Credit Union: Tampa, FL-based credit union with similar mid-sized asset base ($3B+), member-owned cooperative structure, and full retail product suite. Competes directly for Florida consumers and Publix associates in the Tampa Bay region.
• Achieve Credit Union: Florida-based credit union (formerly IBM Southeast Employees FCU) originally founded as an employer-affinity institution serving IBM employees and now expanded community charter. Closest structural analog to PEFCU's employer-affinity roots and subsequent member expansion.
• MIDFLORIDA Credit Union: Florida-headquartered credit union operating across central and north Florida with comparable asset scale, full-service retail offerings, and member-owned cooperative model — overlapping with PEFCU in the Lakeland, Orlando, Jacksonville, and Tampa markets.
• Alliant Credit Union: Large member-owned digital-first credit union serving a national affinity membership with competitive deposit rates and minimal physical footprint. Direct comparator for digital experience, fee structure, and nationwide reach for mobile-centric Publix associates.
• Suncoast Credit Union: One of the largest credit unions in Florida ($15B+ assets), serving members across the state with a similar full-suite retail product offering (deposits, consumer loans, mortgages, cards). Direct competitor for Publix associates' primary banking relationships in Florida.

Broad incumbents

• PenFed (Pentagon Federal Credit Union): Large federally chartered affinity credit union ($25B+ assets) serving military and broader community nationwide. Comparable as a scaled member-owned cooperative with mortgage, consumer lending, and card products targeting an employee/affinity demographic.
• VyStar Credit Union: One of the largest credit unions in Florida ($10B+ assets), headquartered in Jacksonville with statewide branch coverage. Larger scale, broader product set, and deeper Jacksonville presence position VyStar as a broad incumbent competing for the same Publix associate base.
• Navy Federal Credit Union: The largest U.S. credit union ($170B+ assets), serving military members and families via a member-owned cooperative model. Analogous single-affinity heritage, member-focused value proposition, and federal regulation, though at vastly greater scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/PublixCU
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/PublixCU
• Facebookfacebook.com/PublixCU
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/publix-employees-federal-credit-union
• Instagraminstagram.com/publixcu

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 Publix Employees Federal Credit Union