While there are always exceptions to the rule, statistics show that, in general, credit unions with more assets have a greater percentage of their members carrying their credit cards.

Analysis of credit union data collected by the NCUA shows that most credit unions have penetrations around 15%, while the largest credit unions (those with more than $1 billion in assets) have card penetrations of around 20%, according to Asset Exchange.

Asset Exchange is a credit card consultancy and card portfolio brokerage specializing in credit union card portfolios and programs.

The firm found that the dollar weighted average penetration rate is 17% for all credit unions. But that number hides a reality that the larger credit unions account for a disproportionate percentage of the nation’s credit union outstanding balances. Three percent of credit union card portfolios are larger than $50 million, but they account for more than 50% of total outstanding balances; while 30% of credit union card portfolios are less than $500,000, but they account for less than 1% of total outstanding balances.