Strong. Safe. Secure.

Stanford FCU was founded in 1959 and today has 86,000 members worldwide with $4 billion in assets.

In 2023, we experienced several high-profile banking failures in our market (Silicon Valley Bank and First Republic Bank), rattling the nerves of many consumers including our members. Today, we want to be sensitive to the fact that consumers still remain cautious and apprehensive about the safety and soundness in the banking industry. I thought this would be a good opportunity to provide our members with an update regarding the financial position of your credit union and reassure members your money is safe with us.

There was a lot of news coverage about why both financial institutions collapsed; however, the primary reasons included a high percentage of uninsured deposits, unrealized gains and losses on the balance sheet from investments, and unhedged low-rate interest-only mortgages. Below is some information about Stanford FCU in these areas and a link to our December 2023 financial performance.

Our uninsured shares as of 12/31/23 were just under 15% compared to 93.9% at Silicon Valley Bank when it collapsed. You can see a chart comparing Stanford FCU to other financial institutions on this page.
We have very minimal unrealized losses on investments. As of 12/31/23, the impact to our capital of unrealized losses was .52 bp, a result that would reduce our capital from 10.61% to 10.09%.
Our capital level at 10.61% is well above the “well-capitalized” threshold of 7.0% set by our federal regulators.
Despite the increase in rates impacting our cost of funds, Stanford FCU’s income for 2023 remained strong and well above our peers as a result of reducing operating expenses and managing our balance sheet.
We will continue to manage your credit union with a priority on safety and soundness.

I am passionate about the credit union difference and want to take this opportunity to remind you what it means for you. As a credit union, we are different than a bank because we are structured and operate as a non-profit financial cooperative. The foundation of this structure is that we do not distribute net income to a small group of investors or shareholders. It is important that we make net income to build capital for safety and soundness purposes. However, beyond that, our focus is on expanding our service offerings and providing strong value to you. Our value comes to you in the form of competitive rates and very minimal fees—much lower than our for-profit competition and very low compared to our credit union peers. Our value is also reflected in our service to you—we strive to be reachable and responsive!

As a financial cooperative, pricing and rebates are stronger the more you do with us, rewarding you as you deepen your relationship with us. If you’re not getting our best rates, reach out to our member relationship team for assistance.

We hope you feel reassured that your money is safe and secure at Stanford FCU. We’ve been in business serving the Bay Area since 1959, and we work every day to strengthen the trust our members have in us.

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NCUA Call Reports

You can view Stanford FCU’s financial performance reports on NCUA’s website using our Charter Number 13392.

View reports

Your credit union is…

Financially sound

Stanford FCU is in the top 100 credit unions in the U.S. by asset size and very conservatively managed. Our capital is strong and we maintain equity reserves and liquid investments that prioritize safety and soundness.

Different than a bank

Credit unions are not-for-profit so we never put profits before people. All decisions are made in the best interests of our member/owners. Our volunteer Board of Directors and Supervisory Committee provide direction and oversight.

Federally regulated

Stanford FCU is regulated and insured by the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA), an independent agency of the U.S. government, just as banks are regulated and insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC).

Deposits are federally insured

The NCUA operates and manages the National Credit Union Share Insurance Fund (NCUSIF) which insures the deposits of millions of account holders in all federal credit unions and the vast majority of state-chartered credit unions. NCUSIF is backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government.

Deposits are insured up to at least $250,000. Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs) up to an additional $250,000. Accounts can be structured for more coverage. Schedule an in-person or virtual appointment so we can help maximize your coverage or visit the NCUA’s share insurance web page for more information.