Canyon View Credit Union Review: Checking, Savings, Loans, and Eligibility

Canyon View Credit Union Overview

Canyon View Credit Union—formerly known as UFirst Credit Union and University First Credit Union—was founded in 1956 by a group of University of Utah professors under the name University Federal Credit Union. Its original purpose was to serve the state’s university community. Over the years, it has evolved and expanded its services to support a broader audience. In July 2022, the institution adopted the name UFirst Credit Union, reflecting its reach beyond the university community. However, in 2025, the organization changed its name again to Canyon View Credit Union to reflect its growth across the state of Utah and to avoid confusion with Utah First Credit Union.

Expansion

In 2004, Canyon View Credit Union expanded its field of membership to include anyone who lives, works, studies, worships, or volunteers in Salt Lake County, as well as the immediate family members of those who qualify. In 2020, it expanded again to include Davis, Utah, Wasatch, Summit, and Tooele counties.

As the organization expanded across Utah, it also went through a branding dispute and litigation tied to confusion with Utah First Credit Union, which contributed to a later name change. Despite its growth, it continues to describe itself as a community-based credit union with strong roots tied to the University of Utah.

Canyon Credit Union Products and Services

Canyon View Credit Union offers both personal and business banking services. These include everyday deposit accounts—like checking and savings—as well as lending options for common needs.

On the lending side, it provides a range of loans, including auto loans, mortgages, and student lending, along with other consumer and business loan options.

For access and convenience, it highlights participation in a nationwide surcharge-free ATM network with 30,000+ locations, making it easier to withdraw cash without paying extra fees.

Canyon View Credit Union Checking Accounts

Rewards Checking

• $0 monthly fee
• $0 minimum balance
• Earn points via qualifying monthly activities like:
  • $1,000 to $3,500 in direct deposits
  • 25  to 50 qualifying debit and/or credit transactions
• Get paid up to 2 days early

Dividends Checking

• $0 monthly fee
• $0 minimum balance
• Pays monthly dividends (APY is tiered)
• $0 box of standard checks annually, free cashier’s checks & money orders, 24/7 online banking
• Get paid up to 2 days early

Simply Spend Checking

• $0 monthly maintenance fee
• $0 minimum balance 
• $0 overdraft fees and $0 insufficient funds (NSF) fees
• Includes an instantly issued Visa debit card

canyonviewcu.com | Checking Accounts

Canyon View Credit Union Savings Accounts

Primary Savings

• $0 monthly fee
• $10 minimum balance required for membership
• Earns dividends on your full balance
• Works as your main “membership” savings account

Secondary Savings

• $0 monthly fee
• $0 minimum balance
• Earns dividends on your full balance
• Good for saving toward specific goals (home, car, vacation)

Educational Savings

• $0 monthly fee
• Contribute up to $2,000/year per child
• Earnings grow tax-deferred
• Withdrawals can be tax-free for qualified education expenses
• Earns dividends on your full balance

IRA (Traditional & Roth)

• $0 monthly fee
• Available as Traditional IRA and Roth IRA
• $500 to open
• Earns dividends on your full balance
• IRA Accumulator option has $0 minimum requirement

Christmas Club

• $0 monthly fee
• $0 minimum balance
• Earns dividends on your full balance
• Money is distributed the Friday after Thanksgiving to checking, savings, or by check
• Account closes if you make an early withdrawal

Canyon View Credit Union Certificate Accounts

Certificate accounts are a CD-style way to save where you pick a term and earn competitive dividends while your funds are federally insured by the NCUA. Canyon View’s options range from flexible certificates you can keep adding to, to higher-rate certificates designed for set time periods.

If you want some access during the term, the 12-Month Access Certificate allows limited penalty-free withdrawals, and if you want the option to benefit if rates rise, the One-Time Bump Certificate lets you increase your rate once during the term. For straightforward “set it and earn,” the Regular Share Certificate lets you choose a term from 6 months to 5 years.

Add-On Certificate

• $0 monthly fee
• $10 minimum balance to get started
• Add deposits at any time, with the structure of a certificate
• Choose your term from 3–60 months
• Up to $250,000 aggregate balance
• Dividends are paid monthly, and early withdrawal penalties may apply

12-Month Access Share Certificate

• $0 monthly fee
• Open with $500
• Keep access to your funds with $0 penalty for $1 withdrawal each calendar quarter
• $100 minimum balance must be maintained
• Competitive fixed dividend rates
• Additional withdrawals can trigger a dividend penalty, and withdrawing before the term ends may trigger a dividend penalty

One-Time Bump Share Certificate

• $0 monthly fee
• $500 minimum balance to open
• Choose a term from 6 months–5 years
• Use $1 one-time rate bump during your term if rates increase
• Available as Regular and Traditional IRA Bump Certificates
• At maturity, it renews into a Regular Certificate of the same term without the bump option unless it’s withdrawn during the 7-day grace period

Regular Share Certificate

• $0 monthly fee
• $500 minimum balance to open
• Choose a term from 6 months–5 years
• Fixed dividend rates for the term you choose
• NCUA-insured deposit protection up to $250,000 per depositor, per ownership category

Canyon View Credit Cards

canyonviewcu.com | Credit Cards

Crimson Rewards VISA® Credit Card

• $0 monthly fee
• $0 annual fee
• Earn rewards points on every purchase
• Bonus rewards: 5x U of U Campus Store and U of U tuition, 4x gas stations, 3x warehouse stores and qualifying travel, 2x restaurants and grocery stores
• Points expire after 60 months

Student Rewards VISA® Credit Card

• $0 monthly fee
• $0 annual fee
• Earn rewards points on every purchase
• Bonus rewards: 5x U of U Campus Store and U of U tuition, 4x gas stations, 3x warehouse stores and qualifying travel, 2x restaurants and grocery stores
• Credit limits up to $4,000

Crimson VISA® Credit Card

• $0 monthly fee
• $0 annual fee
• Stable-rate messaging is a key feature of this card

Secured VISA® Credit Card

• $0 monthly fee
• $0 annual fee
• Secured at 110% of the credit line
• Designed to help build or rebuild credit

Additional VISA® card benefits

• In-branch instant card replacement for eligible lost or damaged cards
• Cell phone replacement insurance when you pay your monthly phone bill with the card
• Auto rental collision damage coverage for eligible rentals
• Travel accident insurance with $250,000 coverage when you pay your fare with the card

Canyon View Credit Union Loans

• Auto Loans: Competitive financing for purchasing new and used vehicles. 
• Recreational Vehicle (RV) Loans: Financing for motorhomes and other recreational vehicles. 
• Signature Loans: Unsecured loans with flexible terms for personal needs. 
• Student Lending: Financial help for higher education (offered through LendKey). 
• Savings-Secured Loans: Affordable-rate loans backed by your savings or a certificate account. 
• In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) Loans: Financing for fertility treatments. 
• Overdraft Line of Credit: Overdraft protection with a line of credit to help cover unexpected overdrafts. 

Mortgages

• First-Time Homebuyer Loans: Assistance for first-time homebuyers.
• Home Refinancing: Options to lower your monthly payments.
• Construction Loans: Financing to build a new home.
• Adjustable-Rate Mortgages (ARMs): Start with a lower rate that can adjust over time.
• Condo Loans: Financing options for condominium homes.
• Short-Term Mortgages: Pay off your home faster with shorter terms.
• Second Mortgage: Access the equity you’ve built in your home.
• Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC): Get an additional line of credit using your home equity.
• Jumbo Financing: Higher-value loans that exceed conventional limits.
• FHA Loans: One of the most accessible options for homebuyers.
• VA Loans: Loans for military veterans and active-duty service members.
• Reverse Mortgages: Provide seniors with access to available cash.

Who Can Join Chartway Credit Union?

You may be eligible for membership if you meet one of the following:

1. Place of Residence, Work, Study, Worship, or Volunteering: You live, work, study, worship, or volunteer in Salt Lake, Davis, Summit, Tooele, Wasatch, or Utah counties.

2. Family Membership: You have an immediate family member who is already a member of Canyon View Credit Union. Immediate family members include a spouse, child, sibling, parent, grandparent, grandchild, stepparents, stepchildren, stepsiblings, and adoptive relationships.

For more information on how to qualify for membership, you can visit Canyon View’s website or contact customer service by phone or at a branch.

Conclusion

Canyon View Credit Union was founded in 1956 by a group of University of Utah professors under the name University Federal Credit Union, originally created to serve Utah’s university community. Over time, it expanded beyond those roots as its membership base grew.

In 2004, it broadened eligibility to include people who live, work, study, worship, or volunteer in Salt Lake County, plus immediate family members. In 2020, it expanded again to include Davis, Utah, Wasatch, Summit, and Tooele counties, helping fuel major statewide growth. In July 2022, it adopted the name UFirst Credit Union to reflect wider accessibility and a member-first focus. After a period of public confusion and litigation involving Utah First Credit Union, it rebranded again in 2025 as Canyon View Credit Union, a name intended to better distinguish the credit union as it continued expanding across Utah.

Today, Canyon View serves 100,000+ members through 20+ branches and offers a full range of financial products, including checking and savings accounts, certificate accounts, mortgages, personal and auto loans, and credit cards for individuals and businesses.