An effective currency needs to be widely accepted, easy to use, and stable in value. By now most of us have recognized that cryptocurrencies fail at all three things, despite lofty ideals revolving around decentralization, transparency, and trust. But that doesn’t mean that all digital currencies or payment systems are doomed to failure. [Roni] has been working on an off-grid digital payment node called Meshtbank, which works on a much smaller scale and could be a way to let a much smaller community set up a basic banking system.
The node uses Meshtastic as its backbone, letting the payment system use the same long-range low-power system that has gotten popular in recent years for enabling simple but reliable off-grid communications for a local area. With Meshtbank running on one of the nodes in the network, accounts can be created, balances reported, and digital currency exchanged using the Meshtastic messaging protocols. The ledger is also recorded, allowing transaction histories to be viewed as well.
A system like this could have great value anywhere barter-style systems exist, or could be used for community credits, festival credits, or any place that needs to track off-grid local transactions. As a thought experiment or proof of concept it shows that this is at least possible. It does have a few weaknesses though — Meshtastic isn’t as secure as modern banking might require, and the system also requires trust in an administrator. But it is one of the more unique uses we’ve seen for this communications protocol, right up there with a Meshtastic-enabled possum trap.
A new player has emerged in the world of cryptocurrency banking, with a team of former executives from the collapsed Signature Bank at the helm. The establishment of N3XT comes nearly three years after Signature Bank’s downfall in March 2023, which significantly impacted the crypto industry.
Former Signature Bank Leaders Establish N3XT
According to a report by Reuters, the newly founded blockchain-based bank aims to facilitate instant US dollar payments around the clock, led by Scott Shay, who served as the founder and chairman of the Signature Bank. Jeffrey Wallis, the former director of digital assets at Signature, will take on the role of CEO at N3XT.
Per the report, N3XT will operate under a special-purpose bank charter in Wyoming and has decided to avoid typical lending activities, which were at the heart of the collapsed Signature Bank.
“Every dollar of deposits will be backed by cash or short-term U.S. Treasuries,” Wallis explained, noting that the bank will publish its reserve holdings daily.
This sets N3XT apart from its predecessor, Signature Bank, especially given that its reserves will be held with custodial partners, though Wallis did not disclose their names.
Importantly, N3XT will not be insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) since Wyoming special-purpose banks are not required to obtain such insurance.
The collapse of Signature Bank, along with the failures of Silvergate Bank and Silicon Valley Bank, pointed to a troubling trend among banks with significant uninsured deposits and ties to the cryptocurrency sector. Rising interest rates and a loss of depositor confidence culminated in bank runs that led to their downfall.
Solutions For Crypto Clients
Addressing concerns about the safety of client assets, Wallis reassured potential customers in the crypto industry, stating, “We do not lend against our balance sheet, so clients always have confidence that their capital is available to them and is never at risk.”
He emphasized that the newly established bank is designed to offer a new and “unique banking structure,” ensuring that clients’ liquidity is readily accessible according to their economic needs.
Wallis further distinguished N3XT’s approach to risk management from that of Signature Bank, which was criticized for “poor management” and a focus on “rapid, unrestrained growth” with little attention to risk.
“We are not making any lending decisions with the balance sheet,” Wallis reiterated. “We are keeping our clients’ assets in full liquid form.” N3XT will reportedly focus on catering to crypto clients, many of whom Wallis mentioned are already in the onboarding process.
As of this writing, Bitcoin (BTC), the market’s leading crypto, is trading at $92,834. It has consolidated above the key $90,000 support level for the past few days, sparking new hopes for a potential recovery above $100,000 by the end of the year.
Featured image from DALL-E, chart from TradingView.com
Former leaders of the shuttered crypto-friendly Signature Bank have returned with a new venture built around always-on settlement.
Key Takeaways:
N3XT is a Wyoming-chartered, fully reserved blockchain bank built for institutional clients.
The bank uses a private blockchain with programmable smart-contract payments and will not offer lending.
N3XT has secured backing from major crypto investors including Winklevoss Capital, Paradigm and HACK VC.
Their new institution, N3XT, is a state-chartered, blockchain-based bank designed to move money at any hour, with near-instant finality.
N3XT Unveils 24/7 Payments Platform Built on Private Blockchain
Announced on Thursday, N3XT says it will operate on a private blockchain that allows transactions to clear around the clock.
The platform supports programmable payments through smart contracts and is built to work alongside stablecoins, utility tokens and other digital assets.
The institution will run under Wyoming’s Special Purpose Depository Institution framework, a charter that allows fully reserved, non-lending banks designed to custody digital assets.
The effort is led by Signature Bank founder Scott Shay, whose former institution was one of three crypto-linked banks that collapsed during the 2023 banking turmoil.
Signature, alongside Silicon Valley Bank and Silvergate, fell after deposit outflows accelerated and market confidence evaporated.
The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation seized Signature in March 2023, citing liquidity pressure, concentration risks and a rapid run by large uninsured depositors.
N3XT’s leadership includes another Signature veteran, Jeffrey Wallis, previously the bank’s director of digital asset and Web3 strategy. Wallis will serve as CEO and president. He said the new institution is built around the idea that financial transfers should be as frictionless as sending digital information.
“We’re applying crypto innovations to banking to deliver instant, programmable payments for institutional clients,” Wallis said.
To avoid the vulnerabilities that contributed to Signature’s downfall, N3XT will not offer lending. The bank says all deposits will be backed one-to-one by cash or short-term U.S. Treasurys, with daily disclosures of reserve holdings.
It’s been a long time coming. Today, I am extremely excited to announce the launch of N3XT.
As CEO, I could not be prouder of the team that brought this vision to life. Together, we've built a safer, faster, more modern foundation for how businesses move money. https://t.co/TrDpVJYIo5
That structure mirrors elements of stablecoin issuers, while keeping the institution within the contours of a regulated bank charter.
The firm is currently onboarding businesses from several industries, including crypto, foreign exchange, shipping, logistics and other sectors that depend on continuous settlement.
N3XT has drawn notable support from the venture community. The company completed three funding rounds with backing from Winklevoss Capital, Paradigm, and HACK VC.
HACK co-founder Alexander Pack wrote on X that the firm is backing N3XT as it emerges from stealth, praising its founders for returning to the industry after Signature’s closure.
European Banking Giants Unite to Launch Euro Stablecoin
As reported, ten of Europe’s largest banks have formed a consortium to issue a euro-backed stablecoin by mid-2026, marking the region’s strongest attempt yet to push back against U.S. dollar dominance in digital finance.
The group, which includes BNP Paribas, ING, UniCredit, CaixaBank, Danske Bank and others, has created an Amsterdam-based entity, Qivalis, to develop a MiCA-compliant digital payment instrument.
Euro-denominated stablecoins remain negligible today, representing just $649 million compared to a market almost entirely controlled by dollar-pegged tokens.
Qivalis has put together a heavyweight leadership team as it moves through regulatory approvals. Former Coinbase Germany chief Jan-Oliver Sell will serve as CEO, with ING veteran Floris Lugt as CFO.
The group has already applied for an electronic money institution license with the Dutch Central Bank, and says more European lenders may still join the initiative.
Power banks are the easiest gadget to neglect. You charge them, stick them in a drawer and then only pull them out when you need to travel or when the power's out. Which is why it's easy to miss when your power banks are outdated or no longer suitable to have your back when you need them most.
Crypto firm Ripple has revealed how it is capturing the projected $16 trillion tokenization industry by onboarding several institutions onto the XRP Ledger (XRPL). The firm alluded to security and how its custody service is helping solve this issue.
Ripple Comments On How It Is Capturing The Tokenization Industry Using XRP Ledger
In an X post, Ripple indicated that it has managed to capture some of the projected $16 trillion industry onto the XRP Ledger through the adequate security it provides institutions. The crypto firm stated that it provides a security environment that mirrors the rigor of the banks it serves, combining HSM with FIPS-certified hardware to deliver security that scales. That way, they can protect assets without sacrificing operational speed.
Ripple further noted that legitimate integration with the global financial system requires verification. That is why they adhere to SOC 2 Type II and ISO 27001 standards, ensuring that the infrastructure of these institutions that tokenize on the XRP Ledger is compliant with necessary regulations.
Commenting on this, Ripple’s Head of Information Security, Akshay Wattal, said that in crypto, security isn’t a feature but the foundation of institutional trust. He added that effective custody requires in-depth architecture, battle-tested cryptography, and the governance rigor of a global financial institution.
Notably, Ripple provides custody solutions to global banks, including BBVA, SG Fogre, DBS Bank, and DZ Bank. However, these banks are yet to tokenize on the XRP Ledger even as institutions move to tap into this $16 trillion industry. The crypto firm continues to propose several ways to onboard these institutions onto the network.
One of Ripple’s proposals is the introduction of Confidential Multi-Purpose Tokens (MPTs) on the XRP Ledger in order to provide privacy for these institutions. The company’s developer, Ayo Akinyele, also recently proposed native XRP staking on the network, which could compel these institutions to build on XRPL, as they can earn yields while doing so.
Progress On Other Sides Of Its Business
In addition to its custody service, Ripple is also making progress in other areas of its operations, which also drives value to the XRP Ledger. The company announced yesterday that it had partnered with fintech company RedotPay, which has integrated Ripple Payments to launch a crypto conversion feature for Nigerian users.
The development also provides a huge boost for XRP, which will be one of the supported assets on RedotPay’s “Send Crypto, Receive NGN” feature. Ripple revealed that there are plans to support its RLSUD stablecoin in the future. Meanwhile, Bitcoinist reported that the crypto firm had scored a major win after the Monetary Authority of Singapore approved an expanded scope of payment activities for the company. This enables Ripple to broaden the range of regulated payment services it offers in the country.
Sony Bank is planning a US stablecoin launch as early as fiscal year 2026, aiming to power low-fee payments for Sony games and anime.
Sony Bank To Issue Stablecoin As New Payment Method For Games & Anime
As reported by Nikkei Asia, Sony Bank could issue a stablecoin pegged to the US Dollar as early as fiscal year 2026. Sony Bank, a subsidiary of Sony Financial Holdings, is one of the largest online banks in Japan. It applied for a banking license in the US back in October.
The bank’s parent company went public in September and spun off into its own entity separate from Sony Group. The firm, however, is continuing to support the group’s business developments. The stablecoin project is one such avenue, as Sony Group envisions that the USD-pegged token will be used by customers to pay for content like games and anime in its ecosystem.
Sony Group is a well-known name around the world, controlling multiple large media-related businesses like Sony Interactive Entertainment, the company behind the PlayStation, and Sony Pictures Entertainment, a filmmaker.
In the fiscal year that ended in March 2025, US customers made up 30% of the group’s overall sales to external customers. With Sony Bank’s stablecoin, the multinational conglomerate is now hoping these users can start paying in the ecosystem with digital assets, cutting back on the transaction fees paid to credit card companies.
The bank has formed a partnership with Bastion, an American stablecoin infrastructure solutions provider, to help with the project. “The bank plans to establish a subsidiary to handle its stablecoin business,” noted Nikkei.
The move from Sony comes a few months after President Donald Trump signed the GENIUS Act, establishing a regulatory framework for stablecoins in the US. These cryptocurrencies have also been gaining momentum in other parts of the world recently. Hong Kong launched its stablecoin legislation in August and plans on handing out issuer licenses next year. Japan saw the launch of its first yen-backed coin in October.
Major European banks have come together to form a consortium to launch a euro-pegged stablecoin, aiming a rollout in the second half of 2026 in a bid to challenge the currently USD-dominated market. Over the past year, the fiat-tied cryptocurrencies have enjoyed some sharp growth, but in the last month, they have suffered a slowdown as part of the downturn in the digital assets sector as a whole.
Below is a chart from DeFiLlama that shows how the market cap of the stablecoins has changed over the last several years.
The stablecoin market cap set a new record of $309 billion in late-October. Since then, the metric has seen a small decline to $306 billion. USDT and USDC, the two largest tokens in the space, alone account for about $261 billion of this figure.
Bitcoin Price
At the time of writing, Bitcoin is trading around $86,700, down nearly 6% over the last 24 hours.
A new teardown shows the viral Haribo power bank is poorly engineered and it may actually pose a fire risk. Misaligned battery layers and weak internal construction raise serious safety concerns for anyone relying on it during travel or daily use.
Kazakhstan’s central bank has signaled plans to place up to $300 million into crypto and crypto-linked assets, a move that would mark one of the clearest examples yet of a sovereign institution putting reserve money into this market. Based on reports, the funds would come from the country’s gold and foreign-exchange reserves rather than its social or oil wealth funds.
Central Bank Moves Cautiously
According to central bank briefings and market reporting, the investment will not be made all at once. Initial tranches could be modest — figures discussed publicly include amounts like $50 million and $100 million as possible early steps, with larger allocations of $250 million also on the table if conditions allow. The plan appears to be phased, with the bank watching price swings and market signals before committing major sums.
The assets under consideration may include direct holdings of crypto tokens or instruments linked to the crypto sector, such as exchange-traded products and equity stakes in companies that serve the industry. Based on reports, the central bank’s alternative investments arm, which already holds high-tech and financial assets, would manage the placement.
Investment Targets And Broader Plans
Reports have disclosed that this move sits alongside a wider push to create a national digital-asset reserve fund. Officials and informed sources have mentioned target sizes in the range of $500 million to $1 billion for that reserve. That proposed fund would focus more on ETFs and corporate equity than on simply holding tokens in wallets.
An existing state initiative, the Alem Crypto Fund, has already taken public steps into the market. In September 2025 the fund made an investment in the cryptocurrency BNB, signaling that parts of the state apparatus are experimenting with exposure to digital assets. That action is being watched closely by both domestic policymakers and foreign observers.
Risks And Safeguards
The central bank has stressed caution. Large price swings in major tokens have been noted as a reason to phase investments slowly. The proposed $300 million allocation, according to briefings, would be drawn from non-essential reserves — explicitly kept separate from Kazakhstan’s National Fund that pays for public programs — which is meant to protect social spending from market losses.
Some of the purchases, reports suggest, could be executed through regulated financial products rather than raw token buys, lowering custody and liquidity risks. The decision to structure the program in stages is intended to reduce the chance of a sudden, large loss if markets move against the holdings.
Featured image from kursiv.media, chart from TradingView
South Africa does not have a “strong immediate need” for a central bank digital currency (CBDC) for the time being, according to the country’s central bank. The South African Reserve Bank has published a position paper on the viability of…
The deal was led by Coatue, Greenoaks, Dragoneer, and Fidelity. Investors including Nvidia's NVentures, Andreessen Horowitz, Franklin Templeton, and other backers advised by T. Rowe Price Associates also participated.
The Czech National Bank (CNB) has bought bitcoin for the first time in its history. The $1 million purchase marks a cautious but symbolic step by a European central bank into the world of digital assets.
The Czech National Bank said the small portfolio, made outside of its international reserves, is part of an experiment to gain hands-on experience with blockchain-based assets.
Alongside bitcoin, the portfolio includes a U.S. dollar-based stablecoin and a tokenised deposit. Governor Aleš Michl said the goal isn’t to speculate or diversify reserves, but to learn.
“The aim was to test decentralised bitcoin from the central bank’s perspective and to evaluate its potential role in diversifying our reserves,” he said. “We’ll inform the public about our experience on an ongoing basis and present an assessment in two to three years.”
BREAKING: Czech National Bank just purchased $1 million worth of #Bitcoin and crypto for the first time in its history.
This echoes a move by Taiwan, whose central bank said they will study adding Bitcoin to national reserves and draft supportive regulations, starting with a pilot using seized BTC.
Bitcoin as a cautious step, not a policy shift
The Czech National Bank stressed this is not a change to its reserve management strategy. The experiment sits entirely outside the bank’s foreign reserves and won’t affect its ability to intervene in currency markets or conduct monetary policy.
“The koruna is our legal tender. The Czech National Bank will continue to keep inflation low and the koruna strong,” Michl said. “But new ways of paying and investing will emerge rapidly in the years ahead. As a central bank, we want to test this path.”
The test portfolio will allow the Czech National Bank to explore the operational side of holding digital assets — from custody and key management to accounting, auditing, and anti–money laundering procedures.
It will also simulate potential crisis scenarios and evaluate the security of multi-level approval processes. These are details that can’t be fully understood through theory or simulation alone, the bank said.
Testing the future of money
The project reflects a broader curiosity among countries and central banks about how blockchain might reshape finance. Most research so far has focused on central bank digital currencies (CBDCs). The CNB’s initiative, however, looks at public and private digital assets — including bitcoin — as real, investable instruments.
“The purpose is to gain practical experience with technologies that may fundamentally affect the operation of the financial and payment system in the future,” the CNB said in its statement.
In effect, the Czech central bank is running a small, real-world experiment: what does it mean for a traditional financial institution to own, store, and account for assets that live on open blockchains?
The portfolio’s composition — bitcoin, a dollar stablecoin, and a tokenised deposit — lets the bank compare three distinct categories of digital assets.
Bitcoin represents the decentralised side; stablecoins are private-sector digital cash; and tokenised deposits hint at the future of regulated finance, the bank said.
JPMorgan disclosed a sharp increase in its holdings of the Bitcoin ETF IBIT, signaling rising institutional interest in cryptocurrency exposure.
According to 13F filings, the bank reported holding 5,284,190 shares of IBIT, valued at $343 million as of September 30.
This marks a 64% increase from its previous disclosure of 3,217,056 shares as of June.
The filing also revealed that JPMorgan holds IBIT options, including $68 million in call options and $133 million in puts. 13F filings aggregate holdings across all bank divisions, including high-net-worth clients, meaning these positions may not be limited to the bank’s own balance sheet.
JUST IN: JP Morgan reported holding 5,284,190 shares of #Bitcoin ETF IBIT worth $343 million, a 64% increase from the previous disclosure. pic.twitter.com/nccPXk0krX
Bitcoin itself has remained volatile in recent months, hovering just above $100,000, but institutional flows like JPMorgan’s ETF holdings underscore confidence in its long-term prospects.
JPMorgan analysts recently said that Bitcoin now appears undervalued relative to gold after a sharp October sell-off pushed its price down more than 20% from its recent record high of $126,000.
The decline was driven by leveraged liquidations in the futures market and market anxiety following a $128 million Balancer hack.
According to analyst Nikolaos Panigirtzoglou of JPMorgan, the ratio of open interest in perpetual futures to Bitcoin’s market cap has since normalized, signaling that most excess leverage has been flushed out.
The bank’s analysis also shows Bitcoin is trading at a discount to gold when adjusting for volatility. As gold prices climbed above $4,000 per ounce, its volatility rose, while Bitcoin’s has eased.
To reach parity with gold’s private-sector investment value on a risk-adjusted basis, analysts estimate Bitcoin would need to rise toward $170,000 — roughly two-thirds higher than recent levels.
JPMorgan forecasts “significant upside” over the next six to twelve months if current conditions persist, reinforcing the case for Bitcoin as an alternative or accomplice to gold as a risk-averse asset.
At the same time, JPMorgan is preparing to let institutional clients use Bitcoin as collateral for loans by the end of 2025, expanding beyond its current acceptance of crypto-linked ETFs.
At the time of writing, Bitcoin is price near $100,000 at $101,290 per Bitcoin Magazine Pro data. Earlier this quarter in October, Bitcoin hit an all-time high above $126,000. The price is down roughly 20% from all-time highs.
Nordea Bank Abp (Nordea) has announced that it will offer its customers access, from December 2025, to a synthetic exchange-traded product (ETP) whose underlying asset is Bitcoin (BTC).
According to Nordea’s official announcement, the product will be manufactured externally by CoinShares International Limited and made available through Nordea’s execution-only platform.
Under this model, customers may trade the product, but Nordea will not offer advisory services on it.
The bank cites two primary drivers for the move: the maturation of the European regulatory environment for crypto-assets, especially following the implementation of the Markets in Crypto‑Assets Regulation (MiCa) regime across the European Union in December 2024; and growing demand for virtual currencies among retail and institutional investors in the Nordic region.
The ETP in question is described as a “synthetic” product, meaning it provides exposure to Bitcoin via a traditional financial instrument rather than requiring direct custody of BTC.
Nordea emphasises that the offering is aimed at “experienced investors seeking alternative asset exposure.”
Here’s the broader context: ETPs and exchange-traded vehicles tied to cryptocurrencies have been proliferating across European venues, enabling both retail and institutional investors to access digital-asset exposure through familiar channels.
JUST IN: €648 billion Nordea to allow customers to trade #Bitcoin-linked ETP on its platforms.
With Nordea’s move, one of the largest Nordic financial institutions is signalling its readiness to integrate crypto-exposure into its product suite.
At the same time, Nordea remains cautious. In its release, the bank underscores its historic “cautious stance” toward crypto — driven by the absence of investor-protection frameworks, regulatory clarity and supervision in the early days of the digital-asset markets.
What does this mean for Bitcoin?
For Bitcoin, this development may carry several implications: access broadened into the Nordic regulated-bank channel; increased legitimacy of ETP wrappers as a gateway to exposure; and potentially stronger competition among product issuers aiming to service bank-platform clients under regulated frameworks.
The product’s December launch means it aligns with the current regulatory momentum across Europe.
Still, caveats abound. A synthetic ETP structure carries its own risk profile (as investors are exposed via an issuer product rather than holding the underlying asset directly). Also, the “execution-only” nature means that retail customers may buy without advisory support.
Nordea Bank Abp is the leading financial-services group in the Nordic region. The group offers universal-banking services including personal banking, business banking, large-corporate and institutional banking, and asset & wealth management.
There are more cannabis cultivars available now than ever before through seed banks and nurseries in Europe and North America.
Growing from seed has its advantages, but also some issues. Seeds are easier to transport and store than cuttings (clones) from a nursery. Unlike clones, cannabis grown from seed is not genetically identical. The degree of homogeneity varies from breeder to breeder. Although plants of the same variety will be closely related, only skilled breeders can create a uniform crop. Starting plants from seed results in decreased uniformity in the canopy, which is undesirable because it can reduce yield in larger operations. Home growers and those with smaller farms may not mind the decreased uniformity in the crop.
Large-scale farmers are more likely to prefer uniformity, so choosing varieties from a nursery that takes cuttings from mother plants or from tissue culture will help provide those identical genetics that drive uniformity in the canopy.
Whether growing from seeds or from clones, choosing the right cultivar is paramount because they differ not only in their effects but also in how they grow.
Cultivar vs. Strain
The word “cultivar” is derived from “cultivated variety.” Although in popular culture cannabis cultivars are referred to as “strains,” the term “strain” is more appropriately used when referencing viruses, bacteria, or fungi. The use of “strains” in the cannabis industry is widely accepted and understood, however. This book uses “varieties” to refer to groups of related plants and the term “cultivar” to refer to specific varieties that are named landraces or the result of a dedicated breeding program.
Cultivars that do best in outdoor gardens tend to need more light than cultivars that grow better indoors. Some cultivars have very little branching, while others prefer to spread their branches and leaves horizontally. Some are heavy yielders with large colas that will need support as the flowers approach final maturity.
While some varieties may finish in 50 days, it can take as long as 12 weeks before the plant can be harvested. Choosing the variety of cannabis best suited to the grower’s goals can be a daunting task; however, it almost always is a pleasurable one. The right variety is the variety of cannabis that meets those goals, whether they are the plants’ medicinal properties, style of growing, taste, aroma, or any other trait desired by the breeder. There is no single perfect variety of cannabis other than the variety that works perfectly for the grower.
Choosing Cultivars
Choosing which cultivar to grow is one of the most important decisions to make when designing a garden. The two most important factors are the quality of the effects and suitability for the growing environment.
Strain: Blueberry Muffin bred by Humboldt Seeds
Find cultivars that produce desired flavors, aromas, highs, or medicinal qualities. Each cultivar has a genetic blueprint that determines how the plant will react to its environment, and therefore each cultivar will respond differently to different climates and garden setups.
New cultivars are the result of the intense competition among seed breeders hoping to find the next big thing.
How cannabis has been bred and for which traits has changed over the years as well. In 1964, THC was isolated and its molecular structure was described. It was understood that THC was driving all of the plant’s effects, which drove breeders to narrowly focus on THC content.
New cultivars were also bred for many other characteristics such as yield, flavor, aroma, medicinal effects, size, and maturation length, but no other aspect of the cannabis flower has been selected for more than THC potency. Popular varieties from the ’60s and ’70s usually had a THC potency that ranged between 6 and 12%, but ordinary Mexican tested in the range of 2 to 4%.
Breeders selected for a wide variety of desirable traits in new varieties. At first they concentrated on increasing potency, decreasing ripening time, and decreasing the growth-to-yield ratio. Later they developed more of an interest in terpenes, which provide the odor as well as “personality” of the high, as well as for cannabinoids other than THC, such as CBD and CBG. Outdoor environments have come into favor due to legalization, as well as a proliferation of autoflowering varieties, homogeneity, and a more scientific approach to obtaining intentional results and micro-adaptation to specific outdoor environments.
Cannabis is particularly easy to breed because it is dioecious, meaning unlike almost all other annual plants, plants are either male or female. This makes it easy to control pollination; separate all males from the females and only use pollen from selected males to pollinate females. Cannabis is wind-pollinated, so a male in proximity to a female plant will pollinate it. Flowers can also be hand pollinated. For this reason, it is relatively easy for a grower to experiment with breeding.
Compare cannabis breeding to tomatoes. Not only does each tomato plant carry both sexes, but tomatoes have “perfect” flowers, meaning each flower carries both sexes. To breed them, the stamen from the designated female must be removed before it matures, which requires tweezers and a sharp eye. Then pollen must be collected from the candidate male, which is painstaking.
As a result of the ease of breeding there are literally thousands of companies producing cannabis seed for commercial sales, so obtaining seeds has never been easier. They are available over the internet as well as in dispensaries. Many of these companies advertise in magazines that feature cultivation articles.
Clones are also available. Just as many people prefer to use tomato starts rather than germinate seed, clones provide a head start and save 10–15 days of cultivation. Another advantage of clones is that they have identical genetics and respond to the environment in a uniform way.
The “ideal” environment for one variety may not be optimal for another. Having cultivars that are genetically identical optimizes large-scale production, since all the plants will thrive under the conditions that the cultivator provides. Creating many microclimates to accommodate the different varieties is expensive and difficult to do if the commercial grower’s goal is to increase yield without compromising quality.
Home gardeners’ preferences tend to be more varied, and their cultivar selections reflect that diversity. Home gardeners have different goals in mind, which is why growing from seed or having many different varieties in the same garden is perfectly acceptable. Home gardeners may be less interested in crop yields than they are with crop quality. They tend to grow different varieties so they can harvest at different times and choose from a selection of cannabinoid potencies, qualities of the high, tastes, and aromas.
It is true that the heterogeneity of maturation times and types of cannabis grown in the same garden often result in smaller yields than from a homogeneous garden. Heterogeneous gardens require more individualized attention to the different cultivars, resulting in more individual care. Most home gardeners don’t mind, especially when they see the fruits (or flowers) of their labor.
Plant Size
The height and spread of the canopy are two varietal characteristics to consider when choosing which cultivar works best in the garden. This is particularly important whether the garden is indoors or outdoors. Sativa-dominant cultivars tend to grow taller and stretch farther than indicas. An outdoor garden with abundant sun and plenty of room for plants to spread out works well with strong sativa varieties such as Sour Diesel, Lemon Skunk, Vanilla Frosting, Lemon Tree, Runtz, Orange Creamsicle, or Lemongrass. These tall cultivars thrive in outdoor gardens with no height restrictions, and the extra intensity of direct sunlight keeps the plants from stretching too much. If they are pruned early in vegetative growth, they will bush out more rather than grow tall. The higher light intensity promotes shorter branching and thus denser buds.
Strain: Ayahuasca Purple bred by Barney’s Farm
Indoor gardens typically have size restrictions. Tall varieties can potentially grow close to or into the lights, causing damage to the plants and undesirable flowers that are light and airy. Shorter varieties such as those associated with most indica-dominant and many hybrid varieties are ideal for smaller indoor grows. Cultivars such as Do-Si-Dos, Wedding Cake, Grease Monkey, Lava Cake, Northern Lights, or Super Skunk have indica characteristics and thrive in indoor climates. However, an indoor garden does not mean it has to be relegated to only growing indicas. There are plenty of sativas and hybrids such as Sour Diesel and OG Kush that thrive in even the smallest of indoor settings if they can be grown with either the SOG or ScrOG method.
Maturation Speed
Cannabis varieties have different rates of maturation once they are set to flower. Typically, this ranges from seven to 11 weeks. The time it takes to reach maturity affects the choice of variety in a couple of significant ways. First and foremost, quicker-maturing varieties allow for more harvests per year. If a grower is looking to maximize yield, and streamline production, quicker plants are a big plus. The other significant reason is that late-season varieties are inappropriate to grow in areas with short growing seasons.
Outdoor growers consider maturation speed depending on the weather in autumn, which can be cold and moist, but varies regionally. Gardens in climates that remain warm through the fall may work best with varieties that have longer flowering times. Finishing the flowering cycle while temperatures are still hot outside can cause the flowers to be less dense and lose a lot of their terpenes (aroma and flavor). Flowering later when temperatures are cool will delay ripening. Conversely, outdoor growers in climates that experience early frosts should plant cultivars that are ready to harvest early in the fall. A lot of the autoflowering varieties flower quickly and still have a lot of the original qualities that make them so great.
Yield
Once the size and maturation speed of the varieties have been decided, maximizing yields is often the next decision that needs to be considered when choosing which cultivar works best for a garden. High-yielding crops provide more medicine after harvest. These varieties are vigorous growers and will usually have higher cannabinoid potencies as well.
Maturation speed has a negative correlation with crop yield. In other words, the faster the maturation time, the lower the yield tends to be, and vice versa. Slower maturing varieties have more time to develop flowers, and thus the yields tend to be larger. However, a quick maturation time and low yield are not mutually exclusive. If it is a necessity to have a quick maturation time, the resulting smaller plants can be more densely planted to fill out the given canopy with more buds.
Examples of heavy yielders are Blue Dream, Sour Diesel, Big Bud, Critical Kush, Super Silver Haze, and White Widow.
Flavor, Aroma & High
The quality of the flower is more important than the yield for many growers. The flavor and aroma of cannabis comes exclusively from the terpene profiles of the varieties. Some cultivars have very distinct noses. The decision to grow a specific variety based on flavor and aroma is a personal decision that is best decided by the end user.
Some people prefer fruity cultivars such as Strawberry Cough or Blackberry Kush. Others prefer a sweet flavor from varieties such as Durban Poison, GSC, or some of the “cake” varieties such as Wedding Cake or Ice Cream Cake. Sour Diesel, Chemdawg 4, and Hindu Kush all have gassy noses due to a relatively high concentration of limonene. Flavor and aroma preferences are personal, but they are also very closely related to the high that comes from smoking/vaping these varieties as well.
The high from cannabis comes from the interplay of the different cannabinoids and terpenes found in the plant. With hundreds of active ingredients, there are practically endless terpene and cannabinoid combinations. Finding the high that works best for different situations is part of the fun of exploring cannabis. Terpenes such as a-pinene and limonene are bronchodilators and tend to give an uplifting energetic high. B-caryophyllene and linalool are smooth muscle relaxers and are generally found in varieties that provide a relaxing, calming high. Cannabinol (CBN) is the only cannabinoid that is regularly mentioned in lab testing that is also a smooth muscle relaxer and can cause that calming high. Many consumers use cannabis to ease anxiety and will look to cultivars with higher than average cannabidiol (CBD) content, such as AC/DC, Cannatonic, Sour Tsunami, Harlequin, and Ringo’s Gift.
Mold Resistance
Cannabis is susceptible to gray mold (Botrytis cinerea) and powdery mildew, which is caused by a number of fungal species. Both of these fungal infections thrive in stagnant, high-humidity environments. Gardens with humidity controls or naturally low humidity and substantial air movement around the plants are less susceptible to mold and fungi. However, cannabis is grown all over the world, and there are a number of regions where high-quality cannabis is grown in high-humidity environments. Cultivars that are grown in high humidity gardens need to have some level of mold resistance.
Cultivars derived from varieties and hybrids from Thailand, Vietnam, and other countries in Southeast Asian where it is humid have a higher resistance to mold. Varieties such as Pineapple Thai, Super Lemon Haze, Voodoo, and Juicy Fruit have Thai ancestry and are less prone to fungal infection.
Earlier this summer, Zamnesia and TICAL joined forces to release an ultra-limited line of cannabis strains designed specifically for the OGs who’ve built the culture from the ground up. The first release featured eight hip-hop-inspired strains from Method Man such as Shaolin Spritzer and 24K Gold Fangs. Now, the lineup expands with the release of a fresh new seed drop: Nectar Drip.
Launched just last week, the Nectar Drip strain didn’t take long to make waves—selling out almost immediately across Europe, where Zamnesia, the continent’s leading online cannabis retailer and smartshop and a growing force in the US market, is headquartered.
Zamnesia General Manager Nick Avé says the response has been incredible: “When we dropped 750 boxes of Nectar Drip on July 22, they sold out in under 48 hours in Europe. Home growers know good genetics and seeds when they see them, and this drop clearly hit the mark.”
Nectar Drip is a hybrid 50/50 Indica Sativa blend of Apple Fritter and Early Orange, coming from the breeder FreeWorld Genetics. The strain boasts up to 26% THC and is reported to offer balanced effects that stimulate your mind while grounding your body. Consumers describe it as a mouth-watering profile of funky fruit and dank skunk.
Whether you’re a seasoned cultivator or just getting into the home grow scene, Nectar Drip promises an effortless growing experience. With a lightning-fast flowering time of just 7–8 weeks, this hybrid delivers lush, resin-laden buds on medium-sized cannabis plants that thrive indoors and out.
The Full Line Up
Nectar Drip is the ninth strain from the Zamnesia x TICAL collab. Other strains in the series include:
Method MAC: Lineage: MAC 1 x Free World Chem
Shaolin Spritzer: Lineage: Angry Peaches x Runtz
Rugged Runtz: Lineage: (Apple fritter x Runtz) x Peaceful Puppy
Sweet Morning Mimosa: Lineage: Clementine Kush x Early Orange
La-La-La Log Cabin: Lineage: Icebox Pie x Early Orange
Grape Gorilla Gas: Lineage: (Orange Cookie x GG4) x (Raspberry Kush)
Spazzola Garlotti: Lineage: (G.M.O x Freeworld Chem) x Gelato
24K Gold Fangs: Lineage: (Sherbet x Clementine Kush) x (Wedding cake x Chemdog)
Seeds That Celebrate The Underground
TICAL, a cannabis brand founded by hip-hop legend Method Man, offers premium cannabis products that reflect his decades of experience and passion for the plant. The partnership with Zamnesia spotlights Method Man’s iconic ‘Killa Bee’ symbolism by embracing a lifestyle that spurs creativity, inclusivity and a deep connection to the natural world.
“I don’t put my name on just anything,” Method Man said in a June 12 press release. “These TICAL seeds? Handpicked, perfected and ready to rep real flavor across borders. Big love to Zamnesia…for showing up and showing love.”
Avé explains that the collab isn’t just about seeds: “It’s about celebrating the counterculture that’s always linked cannabis and underground music. Method Man is an OG in this space, and teaming up with him means bringing real legacy and real love to a global community of cultivators.”
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