• The two new patents are related to certain cannabinoid-infused beverage compositions using LXRP’s DehydraTECH technology
• Globally, LXRP has filed some 50 patent applications as the company expands its IP portfolio; LXRP hopes to receive two more granted patents from Australia by year end, giving it 12 in total
• LXRP out-licenses its technology, which promotes healthier and faster ingestion; the company seeks accelerated patent application examinations in Australia based on the U.S. patents

Lexaria Bioscience Corp. (CSE: LXX) (OTCQX: LXRP) has been granted two new U.S. patents based on cannabinoid-infused beverage compositions using its DehydraTECH ingestion technology platform. The company is building its strategic intellectual property (IP) portfolio with over 50 applications worldwide and is seeking expedited examination for two more patents in Australia based on the U.S. patents it received. It hopes to be granted two new corresponding Australian patents by year’s end (http://ibn.fm/JOlXg).

If all are issued, LXRP will then hold 12 issued patents within its first patent family, “Food and Beverage Compositions Infused With Lipophilic Active Agents and Methods of Use Thereof.” It would strengthen LXRP’s IP claims in both countries. The two new U.S. patents granted are numbers 10,103,225 and 10,084,044.

Based in British Columbia, Canada, LXRP is a biotechnology company that has developed technology which has proven faster and more effective delivery of cannabinoids in human clinical studies and nicotine in animal laboratory studies. Its IP portfolio already includes patents for oral delivery of all cannabinoids. The newest patents are to protect LXRP’s cannabinoid-infused beverage compositions. The compositions use both non-psychoactive cannabinoids, such as CBD, and also psychoactive cannabinoids, such as THC.

LXRP has a growing IP portfolio and will license in any of the countries worldwide where its technology already has a patent or is patent-pending. DehydraTECH is its proprietary absorption technology platform.

LXRP has now filed a total of more than 50 patent applications across 10 current patent families. It is preparing applications for at least six more patents that will each form the basis for a separate patent family. It expects to file them before the end of this year, giving it management over a total of 16 patent families. The company anticipates that numerous patents will be granted within each of these families (http://ibn.fm/NMrUd).

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.LexariaBioscience.com

• Bankcard fraud to cross $6 billion in 2018
• TrustGateway blockchain technology uses biometrics to block fraud
• System under consideration by two major U.S. commercial banks

The maturation of ecommerce has been a boon to consumers everywhere, turning the world into one global marketplace. Now, though you live in America, you can order goods from China; you can shop on Amazon even though you live in the Himalayas (http://ibn.fm/M0seX). Naturally, such trade involves customer-not-present (CNP) transacting, which is providing great opportunity for fraud. CNP fraud accounts for 70 percent of card fraud (http://ibn.fm/kvPPx). For 2018, it is projected to reach $6.4 billion in the U.S. alone, which, perhaps, is why two major U.S. commercial banks and one of the largest payment infrastructural platforms in the country are taking a look at a novel solution offered by GreenBox POS, LLC (OTC: GRBX). The company has developed a payment gateway – TrustGateway – that blocks CNP fraud with blockchain technology. The gateway is a major component of the company’s QuickCard payment system and is proving to be highly efficient in preventing fraud on the GreenBox payment platform.

Buying online with a bankcard is generally a smooth, seamless process, but behind the scenes, there’s a lot going on, some of which involves a “payment gateway.” After a purchaser submits his or her debit or credit card information to a merchant online, the payment gateway sends that information, together with the amount to be charged, to the credit card payment network for processing. At present, the three largest are Visa, MasterCard and Chase. Naturally, the payment gateway is not a one-way conduit. It transmits the response from the card network back to the merchant, typically with a cryptic “approved” or “declined” message.

Such gateways are no match for someone using a stolen card or card information that has been filched, but GreenBox’s TrustGateway may just be, since it uses a number of authenticating factors. These include internet protocol (IP) correlations, location data and biometrics. To succeed in penetrating TrustGateway, a malefactor would need to take on the cardholder’s personality. GreenBox is able to provide a system with greater security since it owns all the parts that make the blockchain payment system – from TrustKeys to ledger and gateway. TrustGateway also takes part in load balancing. It maximizes system uptime and can be integrated into the QuickCard payment system and GreenBox platform.

The GreenBox POS (point-of-sale) platform is the foundation for the entire GreenBox product line, including LOOPZ and QuickCard. LOOPZ is a delivery software solution, which has three essential elements: a back-end dispatcher and two mobile apps, one for drivers and one for consumers. The LOOPZ standalone back-end dispatcher is the backbone of the system. It controls functions like accepting orders, managing drivers, setting payments, tracking deliveries and much more. The dispatching works through an SAAS engine, so there is no installation, backup or data restoration required. All of the software is supported by table and phone apps, making it easy for management on the go. With the app, drivers have access to the built-in advanced dashboard that ensures that every delivery is completed smoothly. On the consumer side, customers connect directly to merchants and are updated in real-time, guaranteeing peace of mind.

The QuickCard payment system consists of an app, an e-wallet and a kiosk. The QuickCard app allows a customer to load currency onto his or her e-wallet from a credit card or linked bank account. Customers can also link to a QuickCard kiosk installed by a merchant, which allows them to shop at that retail outlet, online or anywhere that accepts e-wallet transactions. Purchasing goods is easy with QuickCard. The customer simply enters the transaction amount and with a single click, QuickCard generates a QR code. The code is scanned by the merchant, and the funds are transferred immediately and securely, with a record being stored on the app. With TrustGateway integrated into the QuickCard payment system, consumers and merchants will have the assurance of safer transacting.

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.GreenBoxPOS.com

• SeeThruEquity revised its initial price target for American Premium Water on the basis of new company developments and strategic market positioning
• The launch of LALPINA Hydro CBD and the subsequent distribution of the product will enable the company to enter the rapidly-growing CBD market
• New research report suggests that CBD market could grow to an astounding $22 billion by 2022

American Premium Water Corp. (OTC: HIPH) announced on October 10, 2018, that independent equity research firm SeeThruEquity has revised its initial price target upward. The revision corrected the original $0.15 target to $0.30, the company said in a press release (http://ibn.fm/W5F0G). According to the SeeThruEquity report, one of the main reasons behind the price target revision is the launch of LALPINA Hydro CBD, a technically superior cannabidiol-infused beverage, which will enable the company to target large consumer opportunities.

The subsequent distribution of the CBD beverage, as well as the strategic American Premium Water deals aimed at expanding the company’s presence on the luxury markets, have also been quoted as reasons for the target revision.

According to American Premium Water CEO Ryan Fishoff, the revised target validates all of the company’s strategic efforts. Over the past year, the company has entered one of the most rapidly evolving American economic sectors – the CBD market. As a result, the company has managed to significantly reduce debt, enter substantial distribution agreements and position itself for sustainable growth in the future.

The launch of the CBD beverage enables the company to participate in a fast-growing market that is anticipated to outpace the cannabis industry within the next few years. While Greenwave Advisors estimates that the CBD market will reach $3 billion by 2021 and The Hemp Journal anticipates the increase to slightly exceed $2 billion (http://ibn.fm/rjBWD), a new report by the Brightfield Group forecasts significantly higher growth, estimating that the hemp-CBD market alone could hit $22 billion by 2022 (http://ibn.fm/B3c1v).

The revised SeeThruEquity initial price target represents a potential upside of 471.4 percent from HIPH’s recent price of $0.0525 per share, reported a day before the announcement, on October 9, 2018.

The report further highlights the fact that the company will also potentially benefit from a recent Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) action that removes CBD as a Schedule 1 drug whenever the trace amount of THC remains below 0.1 percent. In such instances, the product will be classified as a Schedule 5 drug, following FDA approval. This change may enable additional growth in the field of pharmacology.

LALPINA Hydro CBD contains no detectable amounts of THC, which means that American Premium Water Corp. could now be able to explore the medical potential of the formulation via partnerships with industry representatives.

LALPINA Hydro CBD mixes hydro with nanotechnology to deliver hydro-infused CBD water to consumers. The company started offering the new product via its website on August 27, 2018. The nanotechnology in LALPINA Hydro CBD enables a quicker absorption rate in comparison to other CBD-infused waters. On October 17, the company announced that it had developed a prototype THC-infused beverage utilizing the same technology.

The product ensures proper hydration, and it could also be utilized by active individuals to ensure muscle relief. CBD is an excellent choice for quick workout recovery due to its analgesic, anti-inflammatory, anti-spasm and neuroprotective properties.

American Premium Water Corporation is a California-based company that maintains a portfolio of subsidiaries catering to the health and luxury goods markets. The company’s two primary pillars are the development of health and beauty biotechnology for the purpose of unlocking the full potential of hydrogen and nanotechnologies, in combination with CBD.

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.AmericanPremiumWater.com

• Sharing Services reports Q1 net sales of $12.9 million; this is an increase of more than 35 percent compared to the last quarter of the previous year
• The impressive sales numbers can be attributed to the line of products the company launched in December 2017 and its aggressive Blue Ocean Strategy
• The company has a targeted expansion strategy and acquisitions of interests in diverse industries including health, energy and technology

Sharing Services, Inc. (OTCQB: SHRV) has been making headlines in the direct selling market with product launches and record sales numbers. The company’s fiscal year runs from May 1 to April 30. In the first quarter ended July 31, 2018, the company reported revenues of $12.9 million. Compared to its fourth quarter revenues of $8.3 million, this result marked a 36 percent jump in sales (http://ibn.fm/tqj13).

On December 13, 2017, the company launched several wellness products under its Elevacity Global health-and-wellness division. The products, which include Elier Mud, an anti-aging product, and Timeless, a line of skincare products for both men and women, have made a huge contribution to the company’s earnings.

The contribution of its Elepreneurs marketing team has also been significant, especially relating to its execution of the Blue Ocean Strategy and the direct-to-market approach.

According to John ‘JT’ Thatch, the company’s CEO, customers are pleased with the launched products, because they are seeing great results. In terms of numbers, SHRV has reported over $20 million in sales since these products were introduced.

The $12.9 million Q1 result represents a milestone for the company, and management is impressed with the pace at which the company is exceeding its goals.

Being a direct marketing company, the major operating expense item is selling and marketing, which accounted for slightly under 50 percent of the reported Q1 net sales. Apart from the revenue growth, the asset base for the company has also scaled up from $5.9 million at the end of the last financial year to $8.4 million in the first quarter 2018. This is according to the 10-Q reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Top decision makers in the direct selling industry looking to manage and grow their businesses can leverage the expertise of Direct Selling News. Operating from Plano, Texas, this platform serves the information needs of executives who seek to understand the dynamics of the industry.

Sharing Services, Inc. is a Plano, Texas-based holding company with a diversified portfolio in the direct selling industry. The company is progressively gaining traction in the industry mainly by owning, operating or controlling companies at different levels within the direct-selling sector. To date, the company has interests in health and wellness, technology, energy, training, insurance services, media and travel benefits. Sharing Services has a keen interest in home-based entrepreneurs through its direct-selling support offerings.

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.SHRVinc.com

• Robust user activity of more than 76,000 orders noted using pre-purchase app available on newly acquired subsidiary, Where’s Weed
• Monetary value of orders placed via app online with Where’s Weed and its mobile cannabis service hub surges past $12.6 million
• Consumer demand for cannabidiol (CBD) products could generate market worth $22 billion by 2022
• Wholly owned subsidiary Pura Vida Vitamins offers hemp and CBD-related products in addition to other health and wellness products

Golden Developing Solutions, Inc. (OTC: DVLP), an emerging leader in the rapidly expanding cannabis and cannabidiol (CBD) marketplace, offers consumers an important, intuitive option when it comes to purchasing a favored brand or product line from a licensed retailer or medical dispensary. The company’s “Pre-Purchase App,” available through newly acquired subsidiary Where’s Weed (WheresWeed.com), focuses on providing customers with a secure, efficient way to locate and purchase cannabis in both the recreational and medical cannabis markets of the United States and Canada.

Data culled from user activity since the app’s launch in January 2018 shows an overwhelmingly positive response from cannabis consumers, as noted by DVLP CEO Stavros Triant. As of early October, more than 76,000 separate orders were placed with dispensaries by customers using the app, which translates to a monetary value of $12.6 million.

“We aren’t surprised in the least to see booming activity on this App so far this year,” Triant said in a news release (http://ibn.fm/gRNqE). “The technology is seamless and offers a highly intuitive path connecting customers with vendors through a complete order-entry interface.”

Overall user activity and new user adoption of the app is expected to accelerate exponentially over the next year as both organic network effect dynamics and overall growth in the cannabis market continue to blossom.

“This has become a win-win for both consumer and vendor. It’s a hit. And we fully expect it will continue to be an unequivocal success because it simplifies life for cannabis consumers through a highly effective and intuitive One-Stop-Shop shopping experience,” Triant added. “We have big plans for monetizing this traffic, which is really just one minor component of the diverse and thriving Where’s Weed website, community, and network. The results thus far powerfully underscore our convictions in approaching this asset as a strategic target.”

Multiple reports describing the cannabis industry and its projected growth pattern include revenues in the billions of dollars. A report issued by Statista estimates U.S. consumer sales of CBD products alone will total around $1.15 billion by 2020 and reach $1.8 billion by 2022 (http://ibn.fm/V2foe). An even more optimistic opinion is reached by cannabis industry analysts at the Brightfield Group, which estimates that the hemp-CBD market could skyrocket to $22 billion by 2022 now that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the sale of a cannabidiol drug for childhood epilepsy, possibly soon giving rise to further changes in CBD’s legal status nationwide, as detailed in an article published by Rolling Stone (http://ibn.fm/h1MaL).

Triant points out that quality and branding continue to be driving factors in DVLP’s strategic decision-making process. The company’s wholly owned Pura Vida Vitamins, LLC subsidiary, which recently launched a direct-to-consumer website (www.PuraVidaVitamins.com), is a perfect example of this philosophy. Pura Vida branded merchandise is geared toward the fitness and sports industry. Pura Vida products include hemp- and CBD-related products and other products focusing on health and lifestyle, which are available through established wholesale and distribution channels. In addition, a line of CBD pet supplements and other products are in development.

For more information, visit the company’s websites at www.PuraVidaVitamins.com and www.WheresWeed.com

• Demand for lithium is expected to triple by 2025
• QMC is in the process of expanding the historic reported resource estimate of 1.2 million tons prior to initiating production
• Recent sample returned over 4.15 percent Li2O
• Companies continue to report new lithium supply contracts
• Innovations such as 3D-printing of Li-ion batteries in virtually any shape continue to drive demand

Lithium-ion batteries, the worldwide mainstay of the electrical industry for powering computerized products that range from wrist-worn devices to electric cars and trucks, have been the subject of intense scrutiny by hundreds of research and development efforts attempting to improve existing technology. Innovation does take time and is likely to present itself as a new wrinkle on an old way of doing things, which is good news for junior miners exploring the profit potential of Earth’s lithium resources. The Irgon Mine Project is one of these lithium resources; located in southeastern Manitoba, it is a large spodumene-bearing pegmatite dike currently being developed by QMC Quantum Minerals Corp. (OTC: QMCQF) (TSX.V: QMC) (FSE: 3LQ).

At the first-ever S&P Global Platts Battery Metals Conference held in New York on October 16, a discussion on a wide variety of potential new battery chemistries led Roman Kramarchuk, the head of technology policy and energy analytics for S&P Global Platts, to argue (http://ibn.fm/1iWJt) that developments in battery technology “are not necessarily a quick process. It can take 10 years to go from introduction to full development. These are the technologies of the future, but they will not sneak up on us.”

In the meantime, the lithium market is enjoying a robust forecast in an active supply chain. Lithium pricing has weakened slightly this year amid concerns about oversupply of the metal, but Lithium Investing News’ third quarter assessment, also published October 16 (http://ibn.fm/vhSOe), predicted that demand for the metal will triple by 2025 as businesses increase their push for lithium carbonate and lithium hydroxide for use as Li-ion battery cathodes. It also noted a number of new supply contracts and the introduction of new spodumene concentrate supplies from Australia and Brazil.

“This escalation in downstream interest shows that lithium supply remains a key concern throughout the battery supply chain,” Benchmark Mineral Intelligence Senior Analyst Andrew Miller told the agency.

An ACS Applied Energy Materials report notes that researchers have developed a new method to 3D-print lithium-ion batteries in virtually any shape – an advance that may also help manufacturers streamline production efficiency of their materials (http://ibn.fm/Ci2X7).

QMC continues to aggressively bet on the lithium market’s potential. The company is working toward establishing a new North American source of the metal by breathing new life into the Irgon Lithium Mine operation in the Cat Lake-Winnipeg River Pegmatite Field of southeastern Manitoba.

A NetworkNewsAudio production released earlier this month states, “QMC’s flagship project, the Irgon Lithium Mine, is directly centered on a site rich with lithium-indicated resources. In the 1950s, the Lithium Corporation of Canada Ltd. drilled 25 holes into the Irgon Dike and reported a historical resource estimate of 1.2 million tons grading 1.51 percent Li2O over a strike length of 365 meters and to a depth of 213 meters… An interactive 3D model displaying historical data derived from past drilling and underground work shows that exploration and underground development has taken place only on the central portion of the dike, which means there’s a significant opportunity to quickly increase tonnage along strike.”

QMC is in the process of bringing the historical resource data up to date to meet current NI 43-101 reporting standards by undertaking a drill program and analyzing detailed channel samples to confirm the historical results. QMC has invested two years of work in the project already, and analytical results of the channel sampling on the dike are very positive, having returned results of 1.73 percent lithium-oxide over 14 meters. Sampling of other dikes known within the property have produced chip sampling results with concentrations over 1.90 percent lithium oxide, including one that returned over 4.15 percent Li2O.

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.QMCMinerals.com

• Zenergy’s Zero Cost Program makes it possible to reduce utility consumption by 20 to 60 percent
• Green-certified homes in Texas sold for eight percent more than comparable properties
• Energy efficiency improvements slowed energy demand worldwide by 12 percent
• Zenergy’s customized, energy conservation-related services help reduce carbon footprint and energy consumption

A new report on its way from the International Energy Agency (IEA), a Paris-based energy watchdog, suggests that global demand for fuels of all kinds continued to grow in 2017 despite stronger calls for energy conservation, a Bloomberg article states (http://ibn.fm/qK0Ey). While the bulk of the increasing demand for energy comes from emerging economies such as China and India, the message of energy conservation continues to be a central goal of many governments and industries.

Next-generation energy and technology company Zenergy Brands, Inc. (OTC: ZNGY) aspires to be the industry leader and facilitator of change by leading small and medium-sized customers toward sustainable energy efficiency and conservation goals (http://ibn.fm/FqehA).

Zenergy, headquartered in Texas, operates in the emerging smart energy, conservation and utility industries, providing a suite of conservation-based products and services. Clients achieve sustainability goals, reduce carbon emissions, improve their bottom lines and reduce utility consumption by 20 to 60 percent when paired with Zenergy’s cutting-edge Zero Cost Program (http://ibn.fm/n3rZe). “Sustainability as a Service” and “Energy Conservation as a Service” are two phrases embraced by Zenergy CEO Alex Rodriguez, who said they “best describe the nature of our Zero Cost Program,” because it represents a true value proposition for the customer (http://ibn.fm/xfNhC).

The program is designed to help customers reduce electricity, natural gas and water consumption. With every Zero Cost Contract initiated, Zenergy performs an industry best practices analysis to help customers realize how they can reach their sustainability goals and lessen their carbon footprint. The Zero Cost Program utilizes proven conservation technologies such as smart controls, building automation, LED lighting solutions, refrigeration optimization, efficient water systems, EC motor controls, demand-size management and load factor correction (http://ibn.fm/BKf1F).

Zero Cost Program customers pay a portion of their utility expense savings to Zenergy over the term of the agreement, projected at a five-year minimum, while the company handles upfront costs associated with the necessary conservation equipment. The company recently closed a Zero Cost contract with a Texas-based franchisee of a recognized fast food chain, which Jeff Bay-Anderson, Zenergy vice president of business development, said is a deal worth nearly $400,000 (http://ibn.fm/4xVB0).

For residential customers, there’s another attractive reason to invest in conservation efforts provided by Zenergy. Recent studies in the California and Texas real estate markets show that green-certified homes are bringing in higher prices than comparable homes with minimal or no green features. In Texas, green certified homes sold for eight percent more than homes without energy conservation and other green improvements, according to an article in the Washington Post (http://ibn.fm/wXVbK). Up to two-thirds of those building a new home say they are willing to pay more for homes with significant green features such as energy-efficient appliances, heavy-duty insulation, water conservation, healthy indoor air quality and other tested energy conservation measures.

Driving down energy consumption today means employing improving energy conservation technologies and being more mindful of the planet’s limited resources. Zenergy’s aims to enrich businesses through responsible energy use and management, increase the enterprise value and bottom line for its customers and significantly reduce the carbon footprint and demand on the nation’s energy grid and water supply.

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.ZenergyBrands.com

• First Cobalt announces filing of technical report supporting the maiden resource estimate for its 100 percent owned Iron Creek Project in Idaho
• Idaho property continues to reveal hidden potential for copper, cobalt development
• Company extending drilling into wider areas beyond established strike length for two zones, with higher grades of the metals found
• Higher-grade copper findings also correlate with silver, expanding options for the company

Pure-play cobalt company First Cobalt Corp. (TSX.V: FCC) (OTCQX: FTSSF) (ASX: FCC) is following up on the encouraging September 26 maiden resource estimate for its Idaho exploration project (http://ibn.fm/xc3ru) with news that drilling within wider mineralized zones has encountered high-grade copper and cobalt intercepts, confirming metal zonation and establishing further options for development.

A 30,000-meter drilling effort undertaken at the Iron Creek Cobalt Project site this year is extending the strike length of mineralization found in two zones, known as “Waite” and “No Name.” Drill holes at the western end of what is now an inferred resource-stage project returned intercepts that include 10.0 meters (32.8 feet) of copper measuring 4.04 percent and 8.0 meters (26.2 feet) of copper measuring 3.16 percent, including 1.4 meters (4.6 feet) of copper measuring 6.56 percent and 20.5 grams per ton of silver. There were also cobalt intercepts of 1.04 percent over 1.5 meters (4.9 feet) and 0.51 percent over 4.1 meters (13.4 feet), according to a news release about the findings (http://ibn.fm/F6GY3).

The company describes high-grade copper as findings of over four percent, and notes that they “correlate strongly with silver,” containing more than 10 grams per ton. The first hole returned select high-grade intercepts of eight percent copper and 19.4 grams per ton of silver over one meter (3.3 feet) true width, and 6.56 percent copper and 20.5 grams per ton of silver over 1.4 meters (4.6 feet) true width.

Cobalt remains the company’s priority resource. In the “No Name” zone, copper-rich lenses are concentrated at the upper part of the zone, and associated higher-grade cobalt mineralization is generally located at the lower part. Higher-grade copper has been found in the extension of the Waite zone but has only been explored by way of a few holes thus far.

“High grade cobalt and copper zones within wider mineralized zones, such as those reported here, expand our options for development as we look to the future of this project,” President and CEO Trent Mell stated in the news release. “As work advances, I am repeatedly impressed by the increasing potential of this resource and look forward to updating our mineral resource estimate in early 2019 with results from the ongoing program.”

The company expects to get a third drill rig on site this month to begin a bore-hole geophysical survey that aims to identify new targets and additional extensions of the known mineralization. The higher-grade cobalt of the currently expanded zone has primarily been at the eastern end and the higher-grade copper at the western end. The six exploratory drill holes have extended the total strike length of the Waite Zone to 520 meters (1,706 feet) along a dip length of more than 250 meters (820 feet) from the surface.

First Cobalt intends to test the length of the mineralized zone strike to more than 1,000 meters (3,281 feet) and test down dip extensions of identified cobalt-copper zones to over 300 meters (984 feet) below the surface, since the strike remains open-ended at this point. In addition, the company has now announced the filing of a technical report 43-101 supporting the maiden resource estimate for its 100 percent owned Iron Creek Project in Idaho.

Cobalt is an in-demand metal because of its relative scarcity and importance to high-tech batteries used for all manner of computerized equipment ranging from smartphones to electric vehicles. International metals and minerals consultancy firm Roskill predicts that enough refined-capacity cobalt will exist through 2021 at present supply rates, but states that “there is considerable uncertainty thereafter” (http://ibn.fm/pU614), creating a field of opportunity for companies like First Cobalt.

For more information, visit the company’s website at http://ibn.fm/FTSSF

• REFG offers a diverse commitment to the legalized cannabis industry, as digital payment processor and also as a hemp grower that owns SpeedyGrow, licensed in Colorado
• A total of 31 states plus D.C. have legalized medical marijuana, and nine states and D.C. have legalized both medical and recreational marijuana in the U.S.
• Patients and cannabis customers may sign up for Green online; the cards can be branded to the vendor, create a safe and compliant tier one processing system and build customer loyalty

Medical Cannabis Payment Solutions (OTC: REFG) is positioned for gains in the marijuana industry as both a payment processor and hemp grower while cannabis continues to emerge as a mainstream industry. A growing number of U.S. states have legalized medical and recreational marijuana, and Canada recently approved its use throughout the country (http://ibn.fm/3tLY2).

REFG offers Green as a tier one digital payment system that processes payments safely and creates a non-cash environment for cannabis dispensaries and retailers. It is Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) complaint, available to the entire cannabis market and available for online signup. The company notes that the platform can handle all payments for a small business retailer (http://ibn.fm/D1XtC).

Medicinal marijuana is now legal in 31 states, plus D.C., and nine states and D.C. have legalized both medical and recreational marijuana (http://ibn.fm/hZfVz). Canada recently made the plant legal nationwide, the second country to do so.

In addition to operating payment processor Green, REFG is directly involved in growing and processing hemp. REFG, a Nevada-based company, recently acquired SpeedyGrow, a Wyoming-based firm licensed to grow and process hemp in Colorado (http://ibn.fm/cxkHU). REFG has said that it intends to apply for state licenses to grow industrial hemp in Utah (http://ibn.fm/m67Zk) and Vermont (http://ibn.fm/WSFwN).

REFG’s Green enables merchants to complete their own financial transactions successfully by handling internal payments, such as accounts payable, vendor payments and any other invoices incurred by a small business. To the consumer, Green handles cryptocurrency payments. The customer or patient can also pay directly from a bank account without requiring cash.

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.Take.Green

• GreenBox, through its technology, offer quick, easy transactions in real time
• Its blockchain gateway is TrustGateway
• The company’s products include QuickCard, Loopz and GreenBox POS

GreenBox POS, LLC (OTC: GRBX), a hardware and software technology company headquartered in San Diego, builds customized payment solutions for a host of industries. The company’s focus is blockchain secured ledger technology. This can include custom point-of-sale systems and kiosks. GreenBox has developed what it believes to be the quickest and safest way to send and process money employing blockchain technology.

With its advanced technology, GreenBox offers fast and easy transactions in real time. Businesses receive money immediately, the moment a transaction occurs. The company offers a highly customizable, all-in-one payment network. The network utilizes blockchain technology to provide cashless solutions for all kinds of businesses.

TrustGateway is GreenBox’s blockchain gateway. TrustGateway leverages IP correlations, biometrics, location matching and other information not available to standard gateways. The system automatically flags if someone attempts to assume another personality. It subsequently reverses the activity instantly. Therefore, no harm ever impacts the physical cash.

GreenBox’s product family includes QuickCard, Loopz and GreenBox POS. QuickCard permits merchants and customers to interact and pay without cash. The QuickCard kiosk handles all cash issues for cashless operations and legacy cash operations. QuickCard provides a blockchain technology-powered e-wallet. It confirms bank account availability right away and accepts cash, debit/credit card or ACH directly to most banks. QuickCard ensures security and privacy, as well as reliability.

TrustGateway and QuickCard are integrated systems. Together, they provide the security of an owned blockchain gateway. As such, they are highly resistant to fraudulent transactions. The design of the technology is for the largest platform in existence. It it will be analyzed by two major U.S. commercial banks and one of the largest payment infrastructures in the United States.

Loopz is a delivery software solution that uses an SAAS engine for tracking and organization. It provides service dispatcher back-end technology with automatic and manual modes. Loopz features two mobile applications – driver and consumer. These run on Android and iOS. Loopz offers direct reporting to point-of-sale inventory and utilizes pay for instant settlements.

GreenBox POS is a regular point-of-sale system. It employs innovative blockchain technology to pay and process money. GreenBox software features operational compliance, financial audit preparation, expense tracking, tax payments and register-specific features. It also features data fidelity controls, such as backup/restore, cloud security, privacy and more. The system integrates seamlessly with the company’s QuickCard system.

Being the gold standard for the way that all financial ledgers, for any industry, are created and maintained, GreenBox is advancing its technology via innovation. The company is set for even more growth upon the adoption of its technology by commercial banks and payment infrastructures. GreenBox continues to develop blockchain secured ledger technology to serve the needs of diverse industries.

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.GreenBoxPOS.com