Description
Cannabis Policy, Banking, and What’s Ahead for 2026
The cannabis industry closed 2025 at a pivotal moment, and 2026 is shaping up to be even more consequential for financial institutions navigating this space. Saphira Galoob, CEO of the U.S. Cannabis Roundtable, will join Tony Repanich, CEO of Shield Compliance, for a timely year-back/look-ahead discussion on the state of cannabis policy in the U.S. The presentation will reflect on the major policy, regulatory, and market developments that defined cannabis in 2025 and explore what lies ahead in 2026, with a particular focus on federal cannabis rescheduling and its implications for banking.
This session will help bank and credit union executives, compliance leaders, risk officers, and business development teams better understand how shifting federal signals, including rescheduling and ongoing legislative efforts, may impact cannabis banking programs and strategic planning in the year ahead.
Topics will include:
- Key cannabis policy and regulatory developments from 2025 and what could unfold in the months ahead
- What cannabis rescheduling could mean for financial institutions, including lending and tax implications
- The evolving role of federal agencies and potential impacts on banks and credit unions
Whether you’re actively banking cannabis businesses or assessing future opportunities, this webinar will provide critical context and insight to help your institution prepare for what’s next.
Instructor(s)
Saphira Galoob
CEO - US Cannabis Roundtable
Saphira Galoob is the driving force for combining one vision, one voice, one industry, and serves as the CEO of the US Cannabis Roundtable (USCR), which leads federal policy initiatives for the country’s leading cannabis operators, including Curaleaf, Vireo, Cresco, Trulieve, Verano, GTI, and others. Before her work with USCR, Saphira created The Liaison Group (TLG), which was the first – and remains the only – Washington, DC-based lobbying firm focused exclusively on the cannabis industry. Saphira is also the creator and visionary of the Cannabis Financial Industry Group (CFIG), a coalition of financial institutions and risk-mitigation service providers serving the state's legal cannabis industry.
Tony Repanich
President & CEO - Shield Compliance
Tony Repanich is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Shield Compliance, where he leads the company’s strategic direction and serves as the principal architect of its compliance solutions. With over 30 years of experience in the financial services industry, including two decades as a senior executive at a Washington State-based community bank, Tony brings deep expertise in banking operations, regulatory compliance, and risk management. At Shield Compliance, he leverages this experience to help financial institutions navigate the complex regulatory landscape of serving high-risk industries, including the legal cannabis industry. His leadership drives the development of purpose-built solutions that enable banks to manage risk, streamline operations, and expand into high-growth markets.
About Shield Compliance
Shield Compliance transforms how financial institutions serve the legal cannabis market. Its purpose-built BSA/AML compliance management software solution sits behind the financial institution to simplify compliance, automate processes across multiple data sources, create efficiencies, unlock new revenue, and scale operations. With real-time monitoring and comprehensive reporting capabilities, Shield Compliance sets the standard for compliance excellence in cannabis banking.