For most of the legal cannabis industry's existence, cash has been king. Banking restrictions, federal scheduling, and limited payment infrastructure made it the only reliable option. Digital payments are taking over, and they offer big perks for dispensaries willing to lean in.
In 2026, the clear frontrunner in payments is ACH (also marketed to consumers as "Pay by Bank") and the loyalty mechanics that ride on top of it. If "pay by bank" sounds unfamiliar, the technology behind it isn't. ACH is the same bank-to-bank rail that has quietly powered everyday consumer payments for decades — the direct deposit behind your paycheck, the autopay on your utility bills, and the apps people use without a second thought, like PayPal, Venmo, and Zelle. Cannabis is simply catching up to a payment experience consumers already trust everywhere else.
ACH, bank-account-to-bank-account transfers, has emerged as the most durable, compliant digital payment option in cannabis. It operates within the banking framework that compliant cannabis processors already use, without the regulatory ambiguity that surrounds workarounds and gray-area card solutions.
For consumers, the experience is what they expect from any modern checkout: link a bank account once, then pay with a tap from then on. For dispensaries, the economics are compelling: meaningfully lower processing costs than card networks, no dependence on a federal status change, and a payment method that grows proportionately with online ordering. For example, dispensaries enabling ACH payments with Jane Pay see a revenue increase of over $500 per consumer per year.
Industry projections suggest nearly 42% of cannabis transactions could run over ACH rails in 2026, up from 28% in 2025. And while a move to Schedule III would eliminate the 280E tax burden and reshape the financial complications of operating a dispensary, it doesn't open credit card networks. Visa and Mastercard have shown no indication of changing their stance under a Schedule III framework. ACH is the option that's available, growing, and compliant today.
ACH positively impacts every metric that matters for an ecommerce-driven dispensary:
Average order value rises. When customers aren't capped by what's in their wallet (or by exorbitant ATM fees) carts get bigger. The hesitation around last-minute cart additions or product upgrades drops dramatically when the payment process feels like any other ecommerce transaction. A shopper who might skip a $12 pre-roll add-on when paying cash will often add it without thinking twice when checking out digitally. Jane Gold shoppers spend 51% more per cart with no negative impact to store margins.
Conversion improves. A 2025 survey found that 68% of cannabis consumers expect clear online menus and 75% want one-click reordering. When checkout requires a cash run, the highest-intent moment in the funnel turns into a logistical errand. ACH closes that gap, letting shoppers complete the purchase in the same flow they started.
Tipping goes up. Like the tablet prompt at your favorite coffee shop, a digital checkout makes tipping frictionless — no loose cash required. Surfacing a suggested-tip prompt at the moment of payment reliably lifts both how often customers tip and how much they leave, putting more money in budtenders' pockets at no cost to the dispensary.
Loyalty deepens. A linked bank account is a stickiness signal. Shoppers who link their bank account for ACH have already made a small but meaningful commitment to your store, and the data captured through digital checkout (purchase history, frequency, basket composition) is the foundation of every meaningful re-engagement and personalization program.
This is where Jane Gold comes in. Jane Gold is a brand loyalty program built directly into the ACH payment flow on Jane menus. When a shopper pays with their linked bank account via Jane Pay, they earn cash back that's redeemable on future purchases. It's a small mechanic with outsized strategic value:
It gives shoppers a clear reason to choose ACH over cash. "Earn cash back on this order" is a more enticing pitch than "skip the ATM."
It lifts ACH adoption by 116%. When a Jane Gold cash-back offer is tied to the cart, ACH adoption climbs to 15% — versus 7% when no Gold incentive is present. The cash-back nudge is a loyalty play that also pulls more shoppers across the finish line at checkout.
It creates a return loop. Earned cash back is a reason to come back to dispensaries that participate.
It shifts payment economics in the dispensary’s favor. Every ACH transaction is dramatically cheaper than alternative methods, and the cash back is structured so the per-order math works for business owners.
It builds first-party purchase data that feeds re-engagement and personalization, without asking shoppers to fill out yet another sign-up form.
In a market where loyalty programs are crowded and discounts erode margin, Jane Gold lets operators offer a tangible benefit that's tied to a behavior they actually want — paying digitally, ordering online, and coming back.
Budtender enablement. Staff is the highest-conversion channel a dispensary has. A 30-second pitch at the register ("Hey, wanna earn cash back on this order?") beats a digital prompt every time. Equip budtenders with talking points and consider a small incentive for securing sign-ups during the launch window.
In-store signage and QR codes. A counter card with a QR that takes shoppers directly to enrollment removes the "I'll do it later" objection. Place them at the register, in waiting areas, and inside bags at checkout.
Loyalty & deal stacking. If you run an existing loyalty program, let shoppers know Jane Gold is an added bonus on top of what they already get from you. They can earn points and redeem deals from your store and earn cash back from brands.
Email and SMS to your existing list. The most engaged customers are the easiest converts. A light notice explaining what Jane Gold is, how it stacks with current benefits, and how to enroll typically outperforms cold acquisition by a wide margin.
ACH (Pay by Bank) is the digital payment rail with the clearest path forward in cannabis: compliant, mature, and scalable without requiring a federal status change.
Digital payments reshape online shopping behavior, lifting AOV, conversion, and repeat-purchase rates.
Jane Gold turns ACH (like Jane Pay) from a payment option into a loyalty loop, giving shoppers a tangible reason to choose digital and return to your store.
Businesses who build the digital payment + loyalty muscle now will be best positioned as consumer expectations continue to shift towards smooth end-to-end ecommerce experiences.
Harry Kainen
Sr. Director, Commerce Product
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