Centralized Trading Benefits Everyone.
MSOs: Vertical integration can be incredibly capital intensive. MSOs can buy certified flower from licensed producers along their entire supply chain up to a year in advance. Investors in MSOs will want to know expansion is done as capital efficiently as possible and opening up the supply chain to more 3rd parties is a net-net win.
Regulators: States new to adult use cannabis will want a central point of pricing, regulation, and taxation. With centralized trading, regulators can link cannabis licenses to the platform, collect taxes at the point of execution, and observe 100% of the supply chain in their state via a transparent and trade-able market place. The problem before now has been how to centrally price. That has now been solved.
Independent Farmers: The learning curve is steep for new entrants but with a centralized platform, farmers can use the market to inform exactly what cultivars to grow. Having an observable market where all buyers trade can inform the growing decisions as well as form the basis of asset based lending to underserved and minority communities.