Arizona Financial Credit Union
| Company type | Credit union |
|---|---|
| Industry | Financial services |
| Founded | 1936 |
| Headquarters | Phoenix , United States |
Area served | Arizona (Coconino, Gila, La Paz, Maricopa, Mohave, Navajo, Pima, Pinal, Yavapai, and Yuma counties) |
| Products | Financial services |
| Website | www |
Arizona Financial Credit Union (commonly known as Arizona Financial) is a federally insured credit union headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona. With assets totaling $3.4 billion, it ranks as the second-largest credit union within the state. As of June 2025, the institution maintains 20 branch locations throughout Arizona.
The credit union traces its origins back to 1936, emerging from several credit unions that served municipal workers in different cities within the Valley. From 1981 until 2022, it operated under the name Arizona Federal Credit Union before transitioning from a federal to a state charter.
History
Initially established in 1936 under the name Phoenix City Employees Federal Credit Union, it combined forces in 1981 with similar credit unions based in Mesa, Arizona, Chandler, Arizona, Scottsdale, Arizona, and Tempe, Arizona to create Arizona Federal Credit Union. At that time, membership numbered 28,000 with assets of $48 million. The credit union grew through a series of mergers, conversion to a community charter, and expansion driven by the population growth of the Phoenix metropolitan area.
In 2008, Arizona Federal experienced a significant annual loss of $115 million—one of the largest recorded by a credit union—which resulted in branch closures during 2009. By 2012, the organization had returned to profitability with a net income exceeding $44 million and earned "well capitalized" status as designated by the National Credit Union Administration.
In June 2017, Arizona Federal entered into an exclusive three-year financial partnership with Phoenix Rising FC.
On December 1, 2019, Arizona Federal completed the acquisition of Pinnacle Bank, based in Phoenix, for $269 million—marking the first instance of a credit union acquiring a bank within Arizona. This transaction was finalized by late 2020. Subsequently, in 2022, it agreed to purchase Horizon Community Bank, thereby extending its footprint into Mohave and La Paz counties; following these acquisitions, total assets reached $3.4 billion.
As of July 1, 2022, following its conversion to a state charter, the credit union rebranded itself as Arizona Financial Credit Union. This change allowed it to broaden its service area beyond Maricopa and Pinal counties and Tucson to include ten counties across Arizona: Coconino, Gila, La Paz, Maricopa, Mohave, Navajo, Pima, Pinal, Yavapai, and Yuma.