As intoxicating hemp products continue to challenge regulators, reshape consumer markets, and test the boundaries of the Farm Bill, financial institutions and industry leaders need a clearer view of what comes next. Topics include emerging regulatory developments, market disruption, and the legal and business implications for hemp and cannabis stakeholders alike, with a focus on unique impacts on Indigenous communities and tribal interests. Attendees will gain a stronger understanding of how intoxicating hemp is influencing policy, competition, and opportunity across the broader cannabis landscape.

Explore how financial institutions can make the most of specialized high-risk banking teams by broadening their expertise beyond cannabis into other complex customer segments such as money services businesses (MSBs), crypto-related businesses, and other higher-risk verticals. This session will examine how to leverage existing compliance, onboarding, and monitoring infrastructure to create new revenue opportunities while managing risk thoughtfully and efficiently.

Join a panel with cannabis State Regulators, Drug Policy Alliance, and K&LGates. Hear the Regulators’ perspective of what is/isn’t happening at the state level, and what they’d like to hear from banks.

With rescheduling now beginning, much is still unknown and the impacts will be significant across both the cannabis and banking industries. This session will present what we know, and what we don't know, about the rescheduling timeline, what it means for CRBs and financial institutions, and how the industry can understand and deal with the challenges.

As the cannabis industry matures, financial distress, litigation, and operational mismanagement are becoming increasingly common. This presentation will explore the legal foundation of cannabis receiverships, the unique challenges they pose—such as licensing, asset management, and navigating state regulations—and the practical strategies for managing operations under court supervision.

Promoting your cannabis banking services can attract CRBs—but also draw regulatory scrutiny. This session examines some of the best practices associated with promoting your program based on the level of exposure desired. This session reviews what messaging works, what to avoid, and how to target your marketing to match your risk appetite.

The reclassification of cannabis from Schedule 1 to Schedule 3 will happen over the next two years, opening new revenue opportunities in the next phase of cannabis banking. This session explores how forward-looking banks and credit unions are building smart lending programs that expand CRB banking beyond deposits into commercial loans and increasing their net interest margin. We will examine why standardized credit risk ratings are becoming the credit enablement layer for cannabis lending and a prerequisite for participating in future secondary debt markets. Financial institutions that begin preparing now can demand competitive yields for CRB loans and position their lending programs to participate in a future secondary debt market.

This timely session examines recent network crackdowns and enforcement actions impacting cannabis transactions, especially those utilizing "Cashless ATM" platforms. Learn how card networks, payment processors, and regulators are responding to cannabis payment structures that attempt to bypass traditional restrictions, and what could mean for banks currently supporting cannabis businesses.

This practical session will show attendees how AI can be used right now to analyze large volumes of data more quickly, identify patterns, summarize complex information, and turn raw content into usable business insights. Also highlights using AI for creating marketing visuals, drafting content, and improving everyday productivity across banking and financial services teams.

Operational audits of CRBs require more than traditional accounting methods. Learn how to assess inventory, seed-to-sale systems, security protocols, and internal controls to verify compliance and profitability.

This session brings both perspectives to the table in a candid, side-by-side conversation. Instead of another walkthrough of “how cannabis banking works,” we’ll explore what’s really happening beneath the surface: assumptions, blind spots, miscommunications, and missed expectations. If you want smoother onboarding, stronger partnerships, and fewer friction points, this conversation is critical.

Ensure your institution is prepared with a cannabis-specific BSA/OFAC checklist. This session walks through essential elements for compliance, including proper completion of SARs, accurate customer risk ratings, and screening protocols tailored for CRBs.

Cannabis lenders often assume insurance provides a meaningful layer of protection on pledged collateral, but that assumption can be dangerously misleading. This session will explore why cannabis insurance coverage may contain gaps, exclusions, or practical limitations that leave real exposure for secured lenders when a loss occurs.

Cannabis payments are not just a technology problem - they are a legal, operational, network, and third-party risk challenge. This session brings together payments education, fintech legal, and payments strategy expertise to unpack the guardrails financial institutions need before supporting CRB payment activity. The discussion will examine how to evaluate payment models, document risk decisions, manage vendor and network exposure, and separate credible solutions from risky shortcuts. Attendees will leave with practical questions to bring back to compliance, legal, operations, and executive teams.