Page 5 - GS220902
P. 5

Letter from the editor



                 o the frustration of those seeking to help
                 cannabis-related businesses transact, mari-
                 juana continues to be illegal at the federal
        T level. Thirty-nine states and the District
        of Columbia have legalized the sale of cannabis
        products for medicinal and/or recreational purposes.
        Federal agents have not clamped down on marijuana
        use in those locales, but they don't need to do that to
        make life difficult for businesses in that vertical. The
                                                                Howdy
        banking system does it for them. Federally insured      Howdy
        banks and credit unions that service the industry
        face an extremely high regulatory barrier with strict
                                                                Y’all!
        monitoring and reporting requirements. Most choose      Y’all!
        not to bother. Also, Visa and Mastercard don't allow
        cannabis-related transactions to ride their rails, and
        they're clamping down on workarounds clever entre-
        preneurs have devised.

        This issue's lead article checks in with enterprises do-
        ing business in the cannabis vertical and those help-
        ing them accept electronic payments to find out what
        the latest developments and challenges are and what
        they are doing to address them.

        Challenges, of course, are an inherent part of pay-     I’m working hard to help you increase
                                                                         rk
                                                                                                              as
                                                                                                                 e
                                                                       o
                                                                                                             e
                                                                                              l
                                                                                         o he
                                                                                     d t
                                                                                                     u incr
                                                                                                   o
                                                                                               p y
                                                                 ’
                                                                               g ha
                                                                I
                                                                  m w
                                                                                    r
                                                                            in
        ments.  One  expert  contributor  addresses  the  chal-
                                                                         your bottom line today!
        lenge of a new MCC created for gun and ammunition                y o ur b o t t o m line t o d a y!
        sales, which will require more vigilance than routine
        MCC additions. Other industry leaders share insights
                                                                                     o B
                                                                                  N
                                                                                           ull
        within these pages on the reasons why merchants are                       No Bull
        turning to surcharging and how they can make their
        surcharging programs compliant with state laws and
        card brand rules; the importance of scrutinizing the       Customized advertising campaigns
        Schedule A when signing with a new partner; the
        benefits of cash funding for merchants; the growth         to fit any size company and budget.
        of digital commerce; key trends shaping today's pay-        • Spotlight Innovators’ Pages
        ments revolution; and why kiosks are an ideal solu-
        tion for travel and entertainment businesses hit hard          (frequently updated content)
        by the COVID pandemic and in its aftermath.
                                                                    • Print (various size options)
        In addition to updates on milestones in the payments        • Resource Guide listing
        community, highlighted news stories include cover-
        age of a lawsuit filed against Block Inc., Square's par-       (print/online/front page options)
        ent company, for breach of its Cash App Investing ser-      • Email Blasts (to GS readership)
        vice; notice of the 2022 Inc. 5000 honorees; a proposed
        class action lawsuit challenging Apple's control of the     • Online (website/twice monthly magazine)
        tap-and-pay iOS mobile wallet market; an upcoming
        meeting of ETA representatives with federal policy-         • Video
        makers on Capitol Hill; and the new MCC for gun             • Bundle advertisng campaign discounts*
        and ammunition sales. Plus, we've included product
        and company profiles, along with resources for those
        seeking partnerships and services in the payments           Rick Aston
        community.
                                                                           Senior Media Partnership Specialist
        We will welcome your feedback at greensheet@green-
                                                                          707-284-1693
        sheet.com and look forward to posting the press re-               707-284-1693
        leases you send to press@greensheet.com.
                                                                                                                  5
   1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   10