San Diego County Credit Union and California Coast Credit Union did not hold the title for long.

The two San Diego-based credit unions on April 11 announced plans to combine in the largest credit union merger struck in 2025.

Until Wednesday.

That’s when Wings Credit Union in Apple Valley, Minnesota, announced a merger of equals with Ent Credit Union in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Both credit unions are the largest in their respective states.

The newly formed credit union will have roughly $19.2 billion of assets making it the 10th largest credit union in the country, just behind $19.5 billion-asset Alliant Credit Union in Chicago.

The institution, which will use the Wings name, would also serve nearly one million members.

“With this new combined entity, we are excited to offer members access to a combined 91 locations in Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin,” said Chad Graves, CEO of $9.8 billion-asset Ent.

Graves will lead the new institution.

The companies said they share a similar history, values, culture, and growth path, and the merger aligns with both companies’ long-term goals to achieve more operating efficiencies.

“With shared roots in aviation, the name Wings Credit Union celebrates our unique legacies and the positive impact ahead. The concepts of “Wings” and flight also have strong connections to the ideas of upward movement, goals, aspirations, and achievement,” said Frank Weidner, President and CEO of $9.4 billion-asset Wings Credit Union.

The press release did not say what role, if any, Weidner would play in the new organization.

The credit union industry has seen a number of huge mergers in recent months.

In fact, the $12 billion-asset Digital Federal Credit Union and the $16.7 billion-asset First Tech Fed in September revealed plans to combine in a deal that is believed to be the largest credit union merger ever announced.

“It’s wild seeing these large credit unions feeling the need to merge,” the CEO of a western credit union told Tyfone.

The Ent/Wings deal is expected to become official sometime next year.

Ent has nearly 557,000 members and earned roughly $69.3 million in 2024, a 15% increase compared to a year earlier, according to call report data from the National Credit Union Administration.

For the 372,000-member Wings Credit Union, 2024 earnings totaled $16 million, a 74% decrease.

“When we first asked our team to explore merger opportunities, Ent was atop our list of potential partners.”

 – Greg Miller
Chairman
Wings Credit Union