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EMARKETER

Community Bank and Credit Union Trends 2025

Staying Relevant Amid Economic Uncertainty, M&A Growing Pains, and a Generational Disconnect

Report by Julia Woolever  |  Jul 30, 2025
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Table of Contents
Executive Summary
Smaller FIs that were already struggling to grow now face added uncertainty
Tariffs could weaken smaller FIs’ customer base
Community banks and credit unions are merging to stay alive and competitive
Smaller FIs’ value proposition isn’t translating to younger consumers
Recommendations for credit unions and community banks
Sources
Media Gallery
About This Report
Community banks and credit unions face rising delinquencies, margin pressure, and a disconnect with young consumers. As M&As accelerate, institutions must modernize tech and retain local trust to survive.
Topics
Financial Services
Banking
US
Table of Contents
Executive Summary
Smaller FIs that were already struggling to grow now face added uncertainty
Tariffs could weaken smaller FIs’ customer base
Community banks and credit unions are merging to stay alive and competitive
Smaller FIs’ value proposition isn’t translating to younger consumers
Recommendations for credit unions and community banks
Sources
Media Gallery

Community banks and credit unions already faced slower growth and an aging customer base. Those challenges are now being compounded by macroeconomic pressure and a surge in merger and acquisition (M&A) activity. These institutions play an outsize role in lending to small businesses and rural communities, but their relevance is at stake.

Key Question: What key trends will most impact smaller financial institutions (FIs) in 2025 and beyond?

Credit Union Membership Is Declining for the Smallest Institutions
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Key Stat: Credit union membership is declining at the smallest institutions—it’s down 7.8% YoY at those with less than $10 million in assets, per Q1 2025 National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) data.

This report can help you: develop product strategy (banks)

Here’s what’s in the full report

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Table of Contents

  1. Executive Summary
  2. Smaller FIs that were already struggling to grow now face added uncertainty
  3. Tariffs could weaken smaller FIs’ customer base
  1. Community banks and credit unions are merging to stay alive and competitive
  2. Smaller FIs’ value proposition isn’t translating to younger consumers
  3. Recommendations for credit unions and community banks
  1. Sources
  2. Media Gallery

Charts in This Report

Credit Union Membership Is Declining for the Smallest Institutions A Minority of Community Bankers Think the Business Environment Will Worsen in the Next Year
Credit Unions Are Acquiring Community Banks at a Record Pace, With an All-Time High in 2024The Desire for Economies of Scale Is Driving Community Bank M&A Activity
Credit Unions Are Heavily Weighted Toward Older Customer Bases—and It’s Intensifying

authors

Julia Woolever

Contributors

Lauren Ashcraft
Rahul Chadha
Director, Report Editing
Vladimir de Leon
Chart Editor
Eleni Digalaki
Kyndall Krist
Senior Copy Editor
Penelope Lin
Director, Data Visualization
Tiffani Montez
Amy Rotondo
Director, US Research
Emman Velasco
Chart Editor
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