Invest in Cannabis: Not Just for Recreation
Investing in financial assets related to Cannabis implies subscribing to one of the newer industries of the economy (in terms of a market that went from being 100% illegal to legal and fully extended in some countries). Many analysts agree that the Cannabis market has enormous potential as medical marijuana becomes more accepted among the population.
With Canada leading the pack and other recent legalisations worldwide, Cannabis has become one of the most talked-about investments since companies in this market have been among the fastest-growing in recent years. Key indicators include that 7% of Americans use Cannabis for medicinal or recreational use, based on different market consumer research. Also, it is projected that by 2025, the cannabidiol market will reach USD 16 billion and USD 130 billion by 2030. In other words, exponential growth is expected.
Several European countries will most likely legalise recreational and medical marijuana in the upcoming years (if they have not already done so). Furthermore, in March 2021, stocks related to Cannabis experienced robust growth since the State of New York passed a bill that legalises the recreational use of marijuana (So, not only the medicinal component plays its part in this market).
As mentioned previously, the demand for the production of Cannabis plants, their processes, and other derivatives will probably increase enormously in the upcoming years. This translates into potential profits for the companies operating in this market and, therefore, their shareholders.
How to Invest in Cannabis in the Netherlands in 6 Steps
So, how do you jump in if the market grows and generates profits for the shareholders? Below we detail a simplified process.
Learn about the Cannabis Market and choose the Financial Instrument where you will operate. Then, if you buy shares of a company, select the one you think has the most significant growth potential.
Choose the Online Broker with which you will buy the financial asset. The Broker will be the intermediary. Find one regulated in the Netherlands or, at least, within the EU.
Open a Trading Account with the Broker. The account opening process with a Trading platform is online, with the account opening completed in a few days. However, using a Demo account to test its use is recommended. Try eToro's Demo for FREE.
Deposit Money. Many brokers do not have minimum deposit amounts; you can start investing in Cannabis Assets with a few Euros. In turn, many platforms allow deposits with credit cards.
Buy the asset with exposure to the Medicinal Cannabis market. Except for Trading platforms designed for professionals, most allow buying assets straightforwardly and intuitively.
Review your investments. Periodically check your investments' status, review the investment strategy, and make adjustments when you see fit.
For investors looking to invest in Cannabis stocks, it is essential to do their due diligence and carefully research the companies and trends in the industry before making any investment decisions. This includes looking at the financials, competitive landscape, and growth prospects of companies, as well as considering factors such as regulatory risk, market trends, and the broader economic environment.
Financial Instruments to invest in the Cannabis Market.
Assuming that the Cannabis market will experience exponential growth over the next few years, the profit potential with investments in this area will also do so. So, the next step should be to choose the specific asset you'd like to invest in. Here are some options to gain exposure to the medical marijuana marketing market:
Cannabis Stocks: By introduction and without making any investment recommendations, the most prominent companies related to Cannabis that operate on the stock market are: Canopy Growth, Aurora Cannabis, Cronos Group, Hexo and Canntrust Holdings. Jefferies' financial analysts consider Canopy Growth and Aurora Cannabis the companies "best positioned to dominate globally" in the upcoming years.
Cannabis Indices: Several trading platforms will provide an index describing the trajectory of the cannabis market. They are built with different assets that trade in this market. This is one of the simplest options to get well-diversified exposure to this market.
Cannabis ETFs: This option is more complicated because not many ETFs invest exclusively in Cannabis stocks. However, the biggest ones (in terms of assets under management) are ETFMG Alternative Harvest ETF, AdvisorShares Pure Cannabis ETF, and The Cannabis ETF.
Where Specifically Can I Invest in Cannabis Assets?
In line with the above, investment platforms, such as eToro, offer most of the financial instruments detailed above.
A diversified asset with easy access is eToro's CannabisCare portfolio, which works as an Investment Fund (more precisely, like an ETF). The individual investor invests in this index and is effectively investing in a complete portfolio of Cannabis Stocks. This option can be handy for those investors who prefer to diversify and do not intend to learn about each particular Cannabis stock but rather invest in a good portion of all the companies that make up this market. eToro's portfolio uses Shares listed on the US and Canadian Stock Exchanges and includes the following companies:
AbbVie: This pharmaceutical company makes a Cannabis-based drug called Marinol, which treats appetite and weight loss associated with HIV and cancer.
Aphria: Global leader in the cultivation and production of cannabis products for medicinal use, such as Cannabis oil, capsules, vaporisers, etc.
Aurora Cannabis: Canadian company that produces Cannabis flowers, oils, and ground Cannabis, among other related products.
Cara Therapeutics: A biotechnology firm in the clinical phase produces several products for pain relief for chronic patients based on Cannabis.
Corbus Pharmaceuticals: This company develops Lenabasum, a Cannabis-based drug for treating systemic sclerosis, cystic fibrosis, dermatomyositis and systemic lupus erythematosus.
Cronos Group: Canadian organisation dedicated to promoting new companies that use Cannabis in various fields.
GW Pharmaceuticals: British firm that received the first market authorisation in 2010 to produce a drug to treat multiple sclerosis based on Cannabis called Sativex.
Insys Therapeutics: Pharmaceutical company that developed synthetic THC products and obtained different authorisations to produce other cannabis derivatives for medicinal use.
Scotts Miracle-Gro Company: New York-listed firm, a leader in producing and supplying seeds of several varieties for over 150 years. The company has invested millions of dollars in acquiring companies for its Cannabis division in recent years.
Zynerba Pharmaceuticals: Develops cannabis-based drugs to treat rare diseases and syndromes such as Tourette's and epilepsy.
eToro: Online Broker to invest in Cannabis Assets
eToro's platform is a quick alternative to start investing in Cannabis stocks. On the one hand, it offers a free demo account that allows you to practice with 100,000 virtual US dollars. eToro is one of many options, but it provides an appealing graphic quality and is very easy to use.
Cannabis is a substance treated in many different ways: Illegal, medicine, recreational, and even as a significant part of some cultures. As a result, several financial analysts minted this market as "The Green Gold". This guide explains how to invest in the Cannabis global markets from the Netherlands. For obvious reasons, the country is years ahead of other EU countries in this matter.