What Is NASCUS

About NASCUS

The National Association of State Credit Union Supervisors is comprised of state regulatory agencies, state and federal credit unions, credit union leagues, and industry partners. NASCUS provides a platform for a marketplace of ideas and best practices in which perspectives and expertise inform public policy of both regulators and system stakeholders.

Working together, NASCUS members ensure a safe, sound, growth-oriented credit union system for today and tomorrow. As the professional association for state credit union regulatory agencies, NASCUS serves as a voice of the state credit union system and defender of the dual chartering system.

Our Mission: To forge a vibrant dual charter system by promoting a relevant, growth-oriented, and healthy state charter option.

Our Purpose:  To advance credit union legislation, regulation, and supervision to promote a resilient state-chartered cooperative credit union system through regulator and credit union collaboration.

Membership

NASCUS works across all regulatory levels, by representing 45 state agencies1. and Puerto Rico that charter and supervise state credit unions and collaborating with federal agencies such as NCUA, CFPB, FinCEN, Treasury, DHS, and Federal Reserve, as rules are proposed and crafted. We provide professional development and timely information on critical trends and issues that impact the financial services sector, including topics such as Cryptocurrencies, Fintech, Litigation Trends, Capital Reform, Credit Union Act Modernization, Distributed Ledger Technology, Cannabis Banking, BSA/AML Reform, etc. Unique in the credit union space, NASCUS blends a national perspective of state regulators, state and federal credit unions, leagues, and other system stakeholders.

NASCUS membership is open to:

  • All 45 state credit union regulatory agencies1
  • State- and federal-charter credit unions
  • Organizations primarily owned by credit unions
  • Organizations primarily serving credit unions
  • Cooperative Organizations

Utilizing the insight of NASCUS’s diverse national membership, NASCUS leverages a variety of perspectives to identify coming trends, cutting-edge issues, and future challenges that allow our membership to remain future-focused. Whether recognizing the significance of virtual currencies before bitcoin was invented, developing a knowledge base on cannabis banking, or exploring fintech and advocating for expanded investment authority, NASCUS has been leading the way in creating solutions that benefit supervisory agencies and credit unions alike.

Click here for a list of member benefits. 

1. Five states do not have state-chartered credit unions: Arkansas, Delaware, Hawaii, South Dakota, and Wyoming.

Engagement

We Engage All Industry Stakeholders and Policy Influencers. Current Members and Partners

  • State credit union regulatory agencies
  • Federal regulatory agencies: NCUA, CFPB, Federal Reserve, Treasury, OCC, FFIEC, FTC
  • State-chartered and federal-chartered credit unions
  • Banking counterparts: CSBS, FHLB
  • Credit union associations and Leagues
  • CUSOs, Think Tanks, and Industry Partners

Top Priorities

  • Enhance the governance of the Share Insurance Fund by expanding the NCUA Board and requiring state regulatory experience
  • Restore the strength of the dual chartering system by maximizing state flexibility to have state specific rules different from NCUA’s federal credit union rules; for example exempting state charters from NCUA’s merger rule
  • Ensure equity in the Overhead Transfer Rate (OTR), so state charters only pay their fair share
  • Better calibrate regulation and supervision to preserve a viable and growth-oriented credit union system
  • Modernize state credit union laws to allow state charters to evolve with the financial services sector
  • Facilitate the ability of state credit unions to engage in interstate activities and add fields of membership in other states as permissible

Leadership

NASCUS is governed by a Board of Directors, which consists of state regulators and a Credit Union Advisory Council. Together these bodies are known as Joint Leadership. NASCUS’ operations are led by President and CEO Brian Knight and its staff from NASCUS headquarters in Arlington, VA.

Committees

NASCUS’ committees are comprised of member organizations. The committees provide Joint Leadership with input and guidance on policies impacting the credit union system.

Our History

In 1965, a group of state regulators gathered to address rapid growth trends in state-chartered credit unions. This gathering resulted in a need to collaborate across state lines in developing policies and procedures to ensure effective supervision.

Finding that the challenges they faced were “many and mutual,” state regulators joined together and created a framework for the organization to grow into the NASCUS of today.

The following March of 1966, eleven state regulators met at the Savoy Hotel in Des Moines, Iowa, to incorporate the association of state regulators. That year seventeen additional states and a Canadian provisional credit union regulator joined the association. Over the following years, all 45 state credit union regulatory agencies would join NASCUS as their professional association.

Through this multi-state collaboration, regulatory agencies debated regulatory guidance and supervisory practices, shared best practices, formulated ideas, and engaged with their federal counterparts. Additionally, these partners utilized NASCUS’s strength in professional development to enhance state examiner performance and ensure best-in-class supervision.

In its first 25 years, NASCUS supported the state supervisory system to face the challenges that propelled its creation and expanded into an innovative and vibrant source of industry services.

In the early 1990s, state regulators sought to expand their perspectives to create impactful policies for the industry as a whole. As a result, NASCUS membership was open to credit unions. Credit union staff were now part of the dialogue, debates, and conversations around the policies that influenced their businesses and members.

NASCUS remains at its core the same regulators’ professional association from 1965 and meets the challenges of the state credit union system. Today, NASCUS has evolved with an inclusive membership that encourages in-depth industry and regulator dialogue while recognizing the independent needs of both. This open conversation is what fuels innovation.

We invite you to join the conversation and become a member today.

NASCUS’s Timeline

  • 1965 – State Regulators gather and form NASCUS
  • 1970 – NCUA Established
  • 1989 – NASCUS Accreditation Program debuts; Michigan becomes first Accredited state
  • 1992 –State regulators invite credit unions to join NASCUS for an inclusive exchange of ideas and perspectives
  • 1998 – NASCUS joins with system-wide stakeholders to work for the passage of the Credit Union Membership Access Act to fix deficiencies in the Federal Charter
  • Present – NASCUS membership today includes the state regulatory agencies, state and federal credit unions, credit union leagues and service associations, and other third parties that support the credit union system. Working together, NASCUS members seek to ensure a vibrant, safe, and sound credit union system.

Governance & Policies

NASCUS Bylaws (April 2022)
NASCUS Public Policies (April 2022)

Financial Audit & Review Reports

FY2021 NASCUS-NISCUE Financial Statements – Audit Report
FY2020 NASCUS-NISCUE Financial Statements – Financial Review Report
FY2019 NASCUS-NISCUE Financial Statements – Financial Review Report
FY2018 NASCUS-NISCUE Financial Statements – Audit Report
FY2017 NASCUS-NISCUE Financial Statements – Financial Review Report
FY2016 NASCUS-NISCUE Financial Statements – Financial Review Report