Square’s exit from the hemp and CBD market is putting retailers on the clock. With some hemp-focused businesses being told their accounts will close on November 5, 2026, retailers already navigating major federal regulatory changes now face another urgent challenge: finding POS and payment partners they can count on to keep their businesses running.
Cova Software, a cannabis retail technology platform, remains committed to compliant hemp, CBD, and cannabis retailers as other providers step away. Purpose-built for regulated retail, Cova helps businesses navigate evolving federal and state rules, stay operational, and adapt with confidence.
A Broader Signal for the Industry
Square’s exit is not necessarily a sign that other processors will follow. But it highlights a structural risk for retailers who rely on general-purpose technology and payment providers: those companies were not built for regulated retail, and they can choose to step back from a category when the regulatory picture shifts.
For hemp and CBD retailers, that risk is now immediate. For cannabis retailers more broadly, it’s a familiar pattern. Regulated categories require providers that are willing to stay and adapt as rules change, not just process transactions while the rules align with their current model.
Built for Regulated Retail,
