Marijuana news and trends

Less US Cannabis Restrictions Could Ease Sector’s Fragmented Payments System
Regulation // August 30, 2023

In a significant development for the cannabis industry, U.S. health officials have recommended easing restrictions on cannabis and reclassifying it as a Schedule III drug under the Controlled Substances Act. The move could open the door to more cohesive payments systems in the sector. Currently,...

Sen. Booker Sees Hope for Reform Around Banks and Cannabis
Politics // January 30, 2023

Cannabis — an industry around which many digital tools have arisen — may benefit from new legislation. Seeking Alpha reported Monday (Jan. 30) that Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., believes broad marijuana legislation has good prospects in Congress, telling NJ.com that with the new Republican majority,...

Marijuana Bill Introduced in Congress as Industry Readies for Growth 
Investments // January 16, 2023

The first marijuana bill of the new Congress has been introduced. Cannabis stocks in the United States and Canada typically rise when legal reforms are proposed, as they did in December when President Joe Biden signed a marijuana research bill into law, Seeking Alpha reported...

Cannabis Industry Sees Rising Demand for B2B Payments, Cash Flow and AR Services
B2B Payments // September 21, 2022

It may have taken six years, but but B2B cannabis platform LeafLink just crossed the $1 billion transaction threshold as its payments solutions, like the cannabis industry itself, continue to mature and grow. According to the company’s Wednesday (Sept. 21) press release, LeafLink now provides...

Interviews & Exclusives
Digital ID, Biometrics Help Marijuana Dispensaries Tackle Automated Vending Compliance

November 22, 2021
Digital identity solutions have become increasingly widespread in recent years as alternatives or supplements to old-fashioned authentication methods like passwords. Businesses of all types are rapidly implementing digital authentication solutions to verify their customers more quickly and securely than ever before, especially for self-service kiosks and vending machines that take payment cards. Identity verification is […]

What Grubhub, Uber Can Teach CUs About Loyalty and Rewards

November 25, 2019
Credit unions (CUs) are unique among financial institutions (FIs) for the sense of loyalty they inspire among their members. PYMNTS’ Credit Union Innovation Index found that 65% of such members...

The Next Big Cashless Play: Cannabis

April 05, 2019
Blunt question for PYMNTS readers (pun intended): Have you been inside a pot shop lately? One of the legal operations that are springing up in the states that have approved...

Worldpay SVP: Why States Won’t Play Around With Sports Betting Regs

May 16, 2018
Today, illegal gambling represents a $150 billion business. Soon, however, the payments industry will be able to tap into that market legally, thanks to a recent decision by the Supreme...

Quick Reads
Cannabis Businesses Find Themselves Cut Off From Banking System

April 02, 2024
More than half of all Americans live in a state that has legalized marijuana. All the same, legitimate cannabis businesses still find themselves dealing with the same problem as drug dealers operating outside the law: what to do with all their cash. As the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported Monday (April 1), that’s because while […]

Less US Cannabis Restrictions Could Ease Sector’s Fragmented Payments System

August 30, 2023
In a significant development for the cannabis industry, U.S. health officials have recommended easing restrictions on cannabis and reclassifying it as a Schedule III drug under the Controlled Substances Act....

Sen. Booker Sees Hope for Reform Around Banks and Cannabis

January 30, 2023
Cannabis — an industry around which many digital tools have arisen — may benefit from new legislation. Seeking Alpha reported Monday (Jan. 30) that Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., believes broad...

Marijuana Bill Introduced in Congress as Industry Readies for Growth 

January 16, 2023
The first marijuana bill of the new Congress has been introduced. Cannabis stocks in the United States and Canada typically rise when legal reforms are proposed, as they did in...