GIG HARBOR, Wash. — Larger credit unions are sharply increasing marketing investments and are outperforming smaller peers in deposits, loans and revenue growth, according to a new analysis by Capital Performance Group and The Financial Brand.
The report, based on 2025 NCUA call report data analyzed by Capital Performance Group in partnership with The Financial Brand, said growing competition from large banks and fintech firms is forcing credit unions to rethink marketing and brand strategies.
According to the analysis, marketing spending across the credit union industry rose in 2025, with mid-sized and large institutions increasing budgets by roughly 9% from a year earlier.
The study found a widening divide between large and small credit unions.
The Findings
Credit unions with more than $5 billion in assets devoted 4.30% of noninterest expense to marketing in 2025, compared with just 1.23% for institutions with less than $100 million in assets, according to The Financial Brand and Capital Performance Group. Institutions between $100 million and $499.9 million spent 2.92%, while those between $500 million and $4.9 billion spent 3.38%.
The report said the largest credit unions are dedicating more than three times as much of their operating budgets to marketing as the smallest institutions.
The analysis also found credit unions with higher marketing investments generally reported stronger deposit growth, loan growth and revenue expansion in 2025.
The Spend at Small CUs
When measured against average assets, smaller credit unions spent about 0.047% on marketing, while mid-sized institutions spent approximately 0.110% to 0.118%, according to the report. Credit unions above $5 billion spent slightly less relative to assets, which the analysis attributed to economies of scale.
The study examined data from 2,915 federally insured credit unions and used median figures to reduce distortion from unusually high or low spending levels.
The full report can be found here.
