osuuspankki

Etymology
, calque of Swedish.

Noun

 * 1) credit union
 * 2)  A form of cooperative banking in which the customers may but are not obliged to become members of the cooperative (credit union) that runs the bank.
 * 1)  A form of cooperative banking in which the customers may but are not obliged to become members of the cooperative (credit union) that runs the bank.

Usage notes
Majority (200+) of the Finnish regional credit unions are organized as a group by owning jointly a "central bank" organized as limited liability company which in turn may own locally operating ordinary banks (also commonly called ) in regions where there are no competing member credit unions. Together, the group and their holdings (, formerly ) make the largest financial institution in Finland. The minority (about 30 credit unions) cooperate more loosely through. In their international communication the 's prefer to be called "co-operative banks" rather than credit unions.