Beyond the Numbers: Should Your Bank Consider Banking Cannabis-Related Businesses?

Cannabis-related products and companies squarely live in a world of a perpetual gray area. To help clear up the opaque nature of banking by cannabis-related businesses on this episode of Weaver: Beyond the Numbers, host Shelby Skrhak sits down with Rachel Mondragon, Weaver Senior Manager in Regulatory Compliance specializing in financial institutions, to discuss.

The federal Controlled Substances Act makes marijuana a schedule 1 prohibited drug, plant and all, but recent legislation has given states new ability to delineate parts of marijuana, from medicinal CBD all the way to whole decriminalization. The legality of it is gray, so banks, credit card companies, and other financial institutions have kept their distance.

“Understandably, you have financial institutions thinking of banking this type of client but they’re obviously hesitating,” Mondragon said. “Part of that is lack of knowledge and understanding when we make a distinction between marijuana, THC, and CBD.”

But that’s left legitimate CBD businesses to make due as an all-cash organization, despite the industry’s rapid growth and proliferation across the United States. With many cannabis-related businesses needing banking and very few banks serving these customers, there’s an opportunity.

“For bankers that are looking at potentially banking this type of customer, there is profit to be made,” Mondragon said. “Financial institutions can’t deny that there are other financial institutions that have taken this leap, saying ‘These people have to bank somewhere. We’re going to go into this niche and we’re taking that risk.’ But it’s still a risk-based decision.”

For the latest news, videos, and podcasts in the Food & Beverage Industry, be sure to subscribe to our industry publication.

Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!

Twitter – @FoodMKSL
Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale
LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale

Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!

Image

Latest

How Branded Moving Trucks Help Storage Facilities Attract More Customers
August 1, 2025

You know that feeling when you see the same truck three times in a week? First at the grocery store, then outside your friend’s place, then stuck in traffic next to you. By the third sighting, that company name is burned into your brain. Smart storage facility owners figured this out years ago. They’re…

Read More
Winter is Coming: 9 Battle-Tested Strategies to Shield Your Commercial Property from Skyrocketing Insurance Costs
August 1, 2025

The numbers are brutal. Insurance deductibles that used to be a manageable $2,000 flat fee have morphed into percentage-based nightmares tied to property values. What was once a minor business expense can now hit six figures with a single burst pipe or ice dam incident. Meanwhile, insurance premiums have surged 20.4% on average, leaving property…

Read More
From Zero to 460% Engagement: 6 UGC Campaigns That Broke All the Rules
August 1, 2025

Picture this: You spend months crafting the perfect marketing campaign. Professional photographers, expensive equipment, polished copy. You launch it and… crickets. Meanwhile, your competitor posts a simple challenge asking customers to share their stories, and suddenly they’re swimming in engagement, leads, and brand loyalty. Sound familiar? You’re not alone. The biggest mistake brands make with…

Read More
Purpose Factory Event 2025
Lights, Camera, Action
August 1, 2025

The Purpose Factory Event 2025 emerges at a moment when organizations are being challenged to redefine what success really means. Beyond profits and projections, the gathering champions a model of growth that intertwines cultural impact with strategic vision. It’s a forum where companies explore how values can be engineered into operations, not just marketed in…

Read More