Cannabis Banking in Vermont: Market Overview and Fundamentals

This session has completed. 

Marijuana sales have been healthy in Vermont since the adult use rollout at the end of 2022. With over 500 retail, manufacturing, cultivation, and plant-touching support businesses licensed to operate, the state expects this to continue to grow, with over 50 currently in the wings pending final approval. In fact, the state’s own market analysis suggests that the combined medical and adult-use markets will generate north of $250 million worth of retail sales in 2025 alone – a far cry from $15 million in 2021 from when the program was medical only!

Vermont is also one of a small handful of states that encourages financial institutions to provide financial services to cannabis businesses. Still, many are discouraged by the perceived regulatory and compliance burden of doing so and questions around how to create a scalable, profitable program. 

Accordingly, on January 18th at 2 p.m., the Vermont Bankers Association and Green Check will present “Cannabis Banking in Vermont: Market Overview and Fundamentals,” a complimentary, one-hour virtual presentation that arms Vermont banking professionals with the knowledge they need to engage with the legal cannabis industry in Vermont.  

Taught by Green Check Verified subject matter experts — with experience building and scaling cannabis lines of business with over 150 U.S. financial institutions —this three-part educational event covers the following topics:

Session 1: The Fundamentals of Cannabis Banking 

• Essential terminology: cannabis/marijuana/hemp, THC/CBD
• The cannabis market opportunity in the US
• The cannabis market opportunity in Vermont
• Defining cannabis businesses and identifying their needs
• Federal and state cannabis law, guidance, and regulations
• FinCEN’s 2014 marijuana banking guidance: what you need to know
• Locating and onboarding cannabis businesses
• Ongoing monitoring and working with your examiner

Session 2: Special Considerations in Vermont

The Vermont legal cannabis industry comes with its own particular challenges and opportunities.  In this session, we will explore the current state of Vermont cannabis market; where that market is headed; and what financial institutions in Vermont need to understand to grow with this industry safely and effectively.  

Takeaways

• Copies of all presentation materials
• A cannabis banking policy template
• A copy of the sample financial model developed during the session
• A copy of the sample risk assessment developed during the session
• 90-day access to a recording of both sessions

Audience

• Board members
• CEO
• CFO
• Compliance and risk officers
• Branch operations managers
• Business development teams
• Lending officers
• Marketing and communications teams

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