Date: Thursday, December 11, 2025
Time: 12:00–1:00 PM ET (45-minute discussion + 15-minute Q&A)
Where: Virtual Event (Free to Attend)
As the cannabis industry stands on the brink of federal change, financial institutions face new questions about risk, regulation, and opportunity. With the DEA’s pending rescheduling decision (and whispers of full descheduling), banks, credit unions, and compliance professionals must navigate a rapidly evolving landscape that could redefine cannabis and hemp banking.
Join Chris Van Dyck, Attorney at Cogent Law, and Steven Kemmerling, Founder & CEO of CRB Monitor, for a live 60-minute discussion exploring how federal developments, state action, and ongoing regulatory uncertainty are reshaping the future of cannabis finance.
This session will unpack what rescheduling could mean for FinCEN guidance, how intoxicating hemp continues to blur compliance lines, and where financial institutions can find opportunity in the midst of regulatory ambiguity.
The conversation will feature a fireside-style discussion with limited slides, offering candid insights from two leading voices in cannabis compliance and financial regulation.
Attendees Will Learn
- What federal rescheduling and potential descheduling could mean for financial institutions and cannabis-related businesses (CRBs)
- Whether these changes might prompt FinCEN to revise its long-standing guidance
- Why the SAFER Banking Act may not be the regulatory fix many expect
- How FFIEC provisions could shape examiner expectations and compliance frameworks in 2026
- Why intoxicating hemp products have created new compliance headaches, and how institutions can manage the risk
- How the 2018 Farm Bill loophole and the pending Farm Spending Bill impact hemp regulation and enforcement
- The latest state-level developments, including Governor Abbott’s Texas hemp executive order, influencing banking policy nationwide
- Practical strategies for mitigating risk and maintaining compliance amid uncertainty
Who Should Attend
- Compliance officers and BSA professionals
- Bank and credit union executives
- Policy analysts and legal advisors
- Cannabis and hemp industry service providers
- Financial technology and RegTech professionals
Meet the Speakers
Steven Kemmerling
Founder & CEO, CRB Monitor
Steven Kemmerling is the Founder and CEO of CRB Monitor, the leading RegTech platform for cannabis-related business intelligence and compliance. With a database covering over 80,000 private cannabis businesses, 212,000 licenses, and 137,000 decision-makers, CRB Monitor serves as the single source of truth for financial institutions navigating the cannabis sector.
Steven pioneered the industry’s risk-tiering framework, first introduced in his 2016 ACAMS Today white paper Defining Marijuana-Related Businesses, which has since become the standard used by banks and regulators nationwide. Before founding CRB Monitor, Steven worked as an M&A investment banker and securities litigation consultant.
Chris Van Dyck
Partner, Cogent Law
Chris Van Dyck is a regulatory attorney and former BSA Officer with nearly a decade of experience in cannabis banking. As a Partner at Cogent Law, he advises financial institutions on structuring and managing compliant cannabis banking programs that mitigate risk while driving growth. Chris previously led one of the nation’s most successful cannabis banking initiatives, turning compliance into a competitive advantage and major revenue stream. His work bridges policy, operations, and strategy, helping clients adapt to the ever-evolving intersection of law, regulation, and financial technology.
Presented by Cogent Law and CRB Monitor
Virtual Event – Free to Attend