Basics of Cannabis ETFs

By Rebecca Lake. January 27, 2025 · 9 minute read

This content may include information about products, features, and/or services that SoFi does not provide and is intended to be educational in nature.

Basics of Cannabis ETFs

Cannabis ETFs are funds that concentrate their holdings in the cannabis or marijuana industry. Investing in a single weed ETF could allow you to gain exposure to dozens of cannabis-related companies, without having to buy individual stocks. As such, you might consider adding a cannabis ETF to your portfolio if you’re looking for diversification, as exchange-traded funds or ETFs may offer exposure to a collection of investments in a single basket.

Investors should learn more about ETFs as investments, and the specifics of the marijuana industry, however, before investing.

Key Points

•   Cannabis ETFs offer diversification and potential returns in a growing industry.

•   Higher volatility and legal, regulatory challenges in the cannabis sector can pose significant investment risks.

•   Cannabis ETF selection factors may include expense ratio, holdings, trading volume, liquidity, and regulatory compliance.

•   A handful of issuing companies provide some of the more popular U.S. cannabis ETFs.

•   Investors should also consider minimum investment, share price, and custodian availability.

What Are Cannabis ETFs?

Cannabis ETFs are exchange-traded funds that invest in companies that are connected to the cannabis industry. A marijuana ETF works the same way as any other type of ETF, in terms of how it’s traded, as they can be bought and sold on the stock market. As for how they work, ETFs pool money from multiple investors and trade on an exchange. All that sets a cannabis ETF apart from other ETFs is what it invests in — in this case, the cannabis industry.

There are only a handful of cannabis ETFs that trade in the U.S. which suggests that there may be room in the market for newcomers. The world’s first marijuana ETF, Global X Marijuana Life Sciences Index (HMMJ) was launched in Canada in 2017. The first U.S.-focused cannabis ETF landed in 2020, with the introduction of AdvisorShares’ Pure US Cannabis ETF (MSOS).

Marijuana legalization efforts have spurred interest in cannabis investments. At the time of writing, 24 states and the District of Columbia have legalized marijuana for recreational use. Another 14 states have legalized cannabis for medical use. Under federal law, marijuana remains illegal.

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Understanding the Cannabis Industry

The cannabis industry is multilayered and diverse. Cannabis products are typically categorized according to their purpose and use.

Medical Cannabis

Medical marijuana is used to treat pain and symptoms of illness. It’s derived from the Cannabis sativa plant, which contains chemicals and active compounds. These chemicals, which include delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD), produce reactions in the brain and body that may help to ease pain or create psychoactive effects.

Doctors may prescribe medical marijuana for a variety of conditions, including:

•   Glaucoma

•   Crohn’s disease

•   Epilepsy/seizures

•   Multiple sclerosis

•   HIV/AIDs

•   Alzheimer’s disease

•   Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)6

It can also be used as a form of pain management for people suffering from other chronic or terminal conditions.

Recreational Cannabis

Recreational or adult-use cannabis is cultivated for non-medical purposes.7 In terms of its composition, the underlying chemicals are the same but the strength of each one can vary. With recreational marijuana, there may be higher amounts of THC present. THC is the chemical that produces a “high” when using marijuana.

There’s also a difference in how recreational vs. medical marijuana is sold. Both can be sold at dispensaries but you may need a state-issued cannabis card to purchase the medical version. With recreational marijuana, you may just need a state-issued ID card proving that you’re old enough to make the purchase. Note that the laws regulating how, when, to whom, and even if any type of cannabis is sold varies from state to state.

Hemp and CBD Products

Hemp is any part of the Cannabis sativa plant that has a THC concentration of no more than 0.3%. CBD is derived from hemp products and is the second most active ingredient in marijuana.

The legality of hemp and CBD products varies from state to state. Legality typically ties into the concentration of THC present. Again, some states are more stringent than others. In Idaho, for instance, CBD must be derived from one of five acceptable parts of the Cannabis sativa plant and have 0% THC.

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Types of Companies in Cannabis ETFs

Cannabis ETFs vary in the underlying investments they hold. Some marijuana ETFs invest in a range of companies across different segments of the industry. Others choose to target a specific niche.

Typically, cannabis investing extends to companies that:

•   Grow, distribute, or sell marijuana (medical or recreational)

•   Conduct research into the chemical composition of marijuana and its range of uses

•   Have an ancillary connection to the industry or have substantial exposure to marijuana stocks

•   Marijuana ETFs may have many underlying holdings or few; reading the ETF’s prospectus can give you a better idea of how investments are concentrated.

For example, Cambria Cannabis ETF (TOKE) offers broad exposure that includes cannabis growers, cannabis retailers, and cigarette manufacturers. Amplify Alternative Harvest ETF (MJ), meanwhile, is largely focused on cannabis pharmaceutical companies.

Advantages of Investing in Cannabis ETFs

Since this is a relatively new asset class, there are some risks, but if your ETF picks perform well you could realize solid returns with marijuana investments.

Cannabis is a growing industry and investors have the opportunity to get in on the ground floor of new companies as they emerge. As legalization efforts expand, there may be more demand for growers, distributors, sellers, and pharmaceutical companies.

In terms of how much of your portfolio to invest in cannabis ETFs, it depends on your risk tolerance and diversification needs. You may start with a smaller allocation and increase it over time as you get comfortable with the cannabis ETF market and its risks.

Risks Associated with Cannabis ETFs

All investments have some risk, but cannabis ETFs tend to be more volatile. The market’s relative newness makes it more susceptible to pricing and trading fluctuations. Beyond that, there are legal and regulatory considerations to keep in mind.

Here are some things to weigh before investing in a marijuana ETF.

Regulatory and Legal Risks

Cannabis ETFs are subject to greater scrutiny from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) due to the nature of the underlying investments and the overall legality of marijuana. Weed ETFs must adhere to regulatory guidelines regarding the use of a custodian to hold assets, which can sometimes spell trouble if a fund is unable to find a willing custodian.

Aside from that, the legality of marijuana, hemp, and CBB products is not uniform across all 50 states and the various territories held by the U.S. For that reason, it’s important to do your due diligence to understand what you’re really investing in when you buy a cannabis ETF.

If a fund holds investments in cannabis companies that are operating illegally, that could put the entire ETF in jeopardy. Aside from that risk, certain jobs, including government jobs, may revoke your security clearance if you invest in marijuana stocks or ETFs.

Popular Cannabis ETFs in the Market

There are a handful of cannabis ETFs available for trade in the U.S., and those include:

•   AdvisorShares Pure US Cannabis ETF (MSOS)

•   Amplify Alternative Harvest ETF (MJ)

•   Cambria Cannabis ETF (TOKE)

•   Roundhill Cannabis ETF (WEED)

•   AdvisorShares MSOS Daily Leveraged ETF (MSOX)

Some of these ETFs have more than a dozen holdings while others have less than ten. They also vary with regard to dividends, returns, and expense ratios.

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Factors to Consider When Choosing a Cannabis ETF

Choosing a cannabis ETF typically starts with researching and evaluating what type of cannabis companies you’d like exposure to. Once you narrow that down, you can then compare specific metrics for different funds, including:

•   Expense ratio. An expense ratio represents how much you’ll pay to own the fund annually. Typically, the lower this number is, the better.

•   Holdings. Holdings are what an ETF invests in. You’ll want to look at what a cannabis ETF owns and how much of the fund’s money is concentrated in each investment.

•   Trading volume and liquidity. Trading volume and liquidity can give you an idea of how in-demand a marijuana ETF is and how easy (or difficult) it will be to sell it when you’re ready to unload it.

It’s also helpful to consider the minimum investment required, if any, and the share price of the fund. If you have a limited budget for cannabis investing you’ll have to decide whether you want to spread your money across multiple funds or concentrate all of it in a single fund.

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How to Invest in Cannabis ETFs

The simplest way to invest in cannabis ETFs is through a brokerage. If you don’t have a brokerage account, you can open one and start investing online. Before you do, take time to review the brokerage’s investment options to make sure you’ll have access to marijuana ETFs. Then consider the minimum account deposit required, if any, and the fees you’ll pay to trade.

Once your account is open and funded, you can begin buying cannabis ETF shares. If you skipped the previous step and haven’t researched any funds yet, you’ll want to backtrack and do that before you get started with trading.

Recommended: Shares vs. Stocks: What’s the Difference?

Tax Implications

ETFs held in a brokerage account are subject to capital gains tax if you sell them at a profit. There are two capital gains tax rates:

•   Short-term capital gains apply when you hold an investment for less than one year. The rate is equivalent to your ordinary income tax rate.

•   Long-term capital gains apply when you hold an investment for longer than one year. Capital gains tax rates range from 0% to 20%, with some exceptions.14

If you’re trading cannabis ETFs it’s to your advantage to consider how selling them at a profit might affect your tax situation. You might consider holding them in a Roth IRA vs. a traditional brokerage account, which allows for tax-free distributions in retirement. Note, however, that you may incur a tax liability in some circumstances.

The Takeaway

Cannabis ETFs can help you mix things up with your investment portfolio but it’s important to know the pros and cons. Specifically, there may be some legal and ethical concerns related to cannabis ETFs that investors should be aware of. It is also a relatively new industry, too, which means it could grow in the years ahead, but may be more volatile than other investments.

And if you’re brand new to the market, learn how to invest in stock and build a portfolio from the ground up. You can explore different types of stocks, including marijuana stocks, to decide which investments align with your needs and goals.

Ready to invest in your goals? It’s easy to get started when you open an investment account with SoFi Invest. You can invest in stocks, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), mutual funds, alternative funds, and more. SoFi doesn’t charge commissions, but other fees apply (full fee disclosure here).

For a limited time, opening and funding an Active Invest account gives you the opportunity to get up to $1,000 in the stock of your choice.

FAQ

What sectors of the cannabis industry do these ETFs typically cover?

Cannabis ETFs can cover all sectors of the industry, including growers and distributors, pharmaceutical companies and researchers, and related businesses, such as tobacco manufacturers. Marijuana ETFs may offer exposure to companies that deal in recreational marijuana, medical marijuana, and/or hemp and CBD products.

How do regulatory changes affect cannabis ETFs?

Regulatory changes can affect demand for cannabis ETFs if legal changes make marijuana more accessible. On the other hand, regulators could add hurdles to marijuana investing by implementing changes that require cannabis ETFs to meet more stringent guidelines.

Are cannabis ETFs more volatile than traditional ETFs?

Cannabis ETFs may be more volatile than traditional ETFs since the industry is so new and there are still plenty of questions about legality and regulatory requirements. Knowing that going in can help you decide how much of your portfolio to commit to marijuana ETFs if you want to diversify while still managing your risk exposure.


Photo credit: iStock/panida wijitpanya

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