Safe Harbor Institutional to Highlight Scalable Cannabis Banking Infrastructure at PBC Conference

DENVER, Aug. 27, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- SHF Holdings, Inc., d/b/a Safe Harbor (the “Company” or “Safe Harbor”) (NASDAQ: SHFS), a leading provider of cannabis banking infrastructure and compliance solutions for financial institutions, announced that Chief Executive Officer Terry Mendez will moderate a panel of banking leaders at the PBC Conference examining how financial institutions can structure and scale cannabis banking programs. The conference will take place Sept. 9–10, 2026, at the Capital Hilton in Washington, D.C.

The panel comes during a period of significant federal activity on cannabis policy, while federal cannabis rescheduling proceedings remain pending. Recent developments may affect portions of the industry’s economic and risk profile, but financial institutions must still manage the specialized operational and compliance demands associated with serving cannabis-related businesses.

At the conference, Safe Harbor will also highlight Safe Harbor Institutional, its infrastructure and operating support platform for banks and credit unions. Mendez will briefly address attendees during the opening keynote to introduce Safe Harbor and preview the panel.

“Cannabis banking is entering a new phase,” said Terry Mendez, CEO and CFO of Safe Harbor. “Policy changes may cause more financial institutions to reevaluate the market, but the operational and compliance work remains complex. Banks and credit unions need a program structure that fits their risk appetite, resources and strategy. Safe Harbor gives institutions access to proven infrastructure and specialized expertise without requiring them to build every capability internally.”

Scaling Cannabis Banking Programs: Operational Models That Work
Mendez will moderate the 30-minute PBC Conference banking track session, “Scaling Cannabis Banking Programs: Operational Models That Work,” at 1 p.m. ET on Sept. 9.

The panel will feature Robert Goebel, president and chief executive officer of Greenbax Marketplace; Scott Miller, president and chief executive officer of United Prairie Bank; Chris Chick, chief operating officer and chief lending officer of CFG Bank; and Jim Shepard, senior vice president and cannabis banking manager at First Fidelity Bank.

The discussion will examine how financial institutions are structuring cannabis banking programs to align with their risk appetite, operational resources and profitability goals. Panelists will share practical perspectives on staffing, compliance oversight, technology, workflows, scalability and program economics.

Safe Harbor Institutional supports financial institutions through modular, co-managed and comprehensive engagement models. Depending on the institution’s needs, that support can include program design, onboarding, customer due diligence, ongoing compliance administration, transaction monitoring, technology and workflows, and audit and examination readiness.

This flexible structure allows institutions to add specialized capacity while retaining ownership of their customer relationships, deposits, policies and governance.

As the conference’s official cannabis banking solutions sponsor, Safe Harbor representatives will be available throughout the event to meet with financial institutions evaluating cannabis banking or seeking to improve the efficiency and scalability of an existing program.

For more information about Safe Harbor’s solutions for financial institutions, visit shfinancial.org/institutional.

About Safe Harbor
Safe Harbor is a cannabis-exclusive financial platform delivering smarter banking, lending, payments and business services, and institutional solutions tailored to how the cannabis industry actually operates. As one of the original pioneers of compliant financial operations support and cannabis banking consulting in the U.S., Safe Harbor has assisted in the processing of more than $36 billion in cannabis-related depository funds across 41 states and territories. Through its proprietary technology, platform and network of regulated financial institution partners, Safe Harbor empowers cannabis operators to gain clarity, control and confidence in their financial operations. From daily banking and compliance infrastructure to long-term growth, Safe Harbor provides real solutions and personal support, built exclusively for cannabis. Safe Harbor is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking services are provided by our partner financial institutions. For more information, visit shfinancial.org.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
Certain information contained in this press release may contain “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Statements other than statements of historical facts included herein may constitute forward-looking statements and are not guarantees of future performance or results and involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements may include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to trends in the cannabis industry, including proposed changes in U.S. and state laws, rules, regulations and guidance relating to Safe Harbor’s services; Safe Harbor’s growth prospects and Safe Harbor’s market size; Safe Harbor’s projected financial and operational performance, including relative to its competitors and historical performance; success or viability of new product and service offerings Safe Harbor may introduce in the future; the impact of volatility in the capital markets, which may adversely affect the price of Safe Harbor’s securities; the outcome of any legal proceedings that have been or may be brought by or against Safe Harbor; and other statements regarding Safe Harbor’s expectations, hopes, beliefs, intentions or strategies regarding the future. In addition, any statements that refer to projections, forecasts or other characterizations of future events or circumstances, including any underlying assumptions, are forward-looking statements. The words “anticipate,” “believe,” “continue,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intends,” “outlook,” “may,” “might,” “plan,” “possible,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” “should,” “would,” and similar expressions may identify forward-looking statements, but the absence of these words does not mean that a statement is not forward-looking. Forward-looking statements are predictions, projections and other statements about future events that are based on current expectations and assumptions and, as a result, are subject to risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements as a result of a number of factors, including those described from time to time in Safe Harbor’s filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Safe Harbor undertakes no duty to update any forward-looking statement made herein. All forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release.

Safe Harbor Investor Relations Contact:
ir@SHFinancial.org

Safe Harbor Media Relations Contact:
safeharbor@kcsa.com