This chapter provided an overview of the major activities of savings institutions, credit unions, and finance companies. Savings institutions and credit unions rely heavily on deposits to fund loans, whereas finance companies do not accept deposits but find themselves mainly with commercial paper and long-term security issues. Historically, while commercial banks have concentrated on commercial or business lending and on investing in securities, savings institutions have concentrated on mortgage lending and credit unions on consumer lending. Finance companies also compete directly with depository institutions for high-quality (prime) loan customers. Further, this industry services those subprime (high-risk) borrowers deemed too risky for depository institutions. These differences are being eroded due to competitive forces, regulation, and the changing nature of financial and business technology, so that the types of interest rate, credit, liquidity, and operational risks faced by commercial banks, savings institutions, credit unions, and finance companies are becoming increasingly similar.