As investments continue to fuel the cannabis market expansion, the social stigma revolving around the plant is beginning to subside. Similar to most emerging industries, institutions invest because they see potential value for future growth. And with the growing popularity of the cannabis marketplace, companies across various industries have become interested. Notably, healthcare companies are interested in ramping up cannabis research because the plant could become a viable treatment option for patients living with a variety of ailments. On the other hand, alcohol, tobacco, and healthcare companies have stepped into the cannabis industry because of declining sales in their primary units. For instance, large corporations such as Altria, owner of Marlboro, and Constellation Brands, producer of Corona and Modelo, have invested billions of dollars into the cannabis industry. Specifically, the two have invested in various cannabis companies to stimulate their overall business portfolios, as tobacco and alcohol consumption rates are declining. Now, the Arizona Beverage Company has even entered into the industry with its own venture to manufacture vape pens and infused gummies and drinks. Arizona Beverage is well known for its USD 1 drinks found throughout thousands of convenience stores and supermarkets internationally. And Arizona Tea’s entry marks yet another large corporation diving into the cannabis marketplace. The investments are not only propelling the cannabis industry but are also allowing it to become a mainstream market among consumers. Now, as more large companies take their place within the cannabis market, the industry is positioned to become a disruptive global entity. And according to data compiled by Verified Market Research, the global marijuana market was valued at USD 42.20 Billion in 2016. Furthermore, by 2025, the market is expected to reach USD 466.81 Billion while registering a CAGR of 35.3% from 2018 to 2025. Pasha Brands Ltd. (OTC: CRFTF) (CSE: CRFT), Cronos Group Inc. (NASDAQ: CRON) (TSX: CRON), Aurora Cannabis Inc. (NYSE: ACB) (TSX: ACB), Aphria Inc. (NYSE: APHA) (TSX: APHA), HEXO Corp. (NYSE: HEXO) (TSX: HEXO).

The cannabis industry is split into two segments: recreational and medical. Predominantly, the medical industry is much larger because of its global accessibility and availability. However, countries such as the U.S. and Canada are expected to accelerate the recreational segment’s growth, causing it to eventually surpass the medical segment. While the two markets target wholly different audiences, they handle widely similar products. For instance, extracts and concentrates continue to be so highly popular in both market segments that they have ultimately led to a decline in dried cannabis flower sales throughout the past recent years. Nonetheless, “craft cultivators” have taken initiative to revive the dried cannabis flower market. Craft cultivators engage in cultivating premium cannabis and high-quality strains. Unlike typical large licensed producers, craft cultivators generally operate on a smaller scale in order to ensure their products are consistent. And while large scale producers usually have automated grow houses, craft cultivators take extra, meticulous steps and carefully inspect each individual plant to assure that it is growing healthy and maintaining its cannabinoid content. Consequently, craft cultivators create an exceptional strain that stands out against producers that grow tons of cannabis in volume. “We are seeing more and more mainstream retail and branding strategies come into the space as the industry continues to evolve and mature. With the shift toward mainstream cannabis, a number of high-end marketing and brand firms are starting to enter the space to cater to the new consumer. Naturally, this has led, and will continue to lead, to the prevalence of more high-end products throughout the market,” said Erik Knutson, Chief Executive Officer or CanCore Concepts.

Pasha Brands Ltd. (OTC: CRFTF) (CSE: CRFT) is also listed on the Canadian Securities Exchange under the ticker (CSE: CRFT). Earlier this week, the Company announced breaking news that, “the Company has secured eligibility by the Depository Trust Company (DTC) for its shares on the OTC Markets.

The DTC is a subsidiary of the Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation (DTCC), which manages the electronic clearing and settlement of publicly traded companies in the United States. Securities that are eligible to be electronically cleared and settled through the DTC are considered DTC-eligible. Pasha’s common shares are now fully DTC-eligible, and trade under the symbol “CRFTF” on the OTC Markets. This electronic method of clearing securities speeds up the receipt of stock and cash, and thus accelerates the settlement process for investors.

‘We are very pleased to have obtained DTC eligibility,’ said Patrick Brauckmann, Executive Chairman of Pasha Brands. ‘This status will make the process of trading our stock in the United States much easier. We expect that this will make our shares available to a larger percentage of the investment market, which should improve the liquidity of our shares and therefore benefit Pasha and our shareholders.’

Established in 1973 under the incorporation laws of New York for trust companies, the DTC has grown to one of the largest securities depositories in the world holding securities valued at upwards of $54 trillion (2017).

SOURCE FinancialBuzz.com