Lüt, the modern closed-loop payment platform built for high- risk industries, today announced a strategic partnership with First Federal Bank (FFB). This partnership includes a financial investment and a long-term collaboration designed to deliver more secure, compliant, and accessible payment solutions for industries often underserved by traditional financial institutions.

FFB, a $4 billion mutual savings bank with a strong reputation for innovation and community support, is not just investing in Lüt, it is aligning operationally and strategically to help scale a joint vision.

Together, Lüt and FFB are partnering to deliver real financial infrastructure tailored for high-risk sectors like state-legal cannabis, gaming, and others, where compliant, efficient digital payments are often hard to access.

“FFB is honored to invest in Lüt to provide competitively priced solutions. Being one of the first banks to support specialty industries, this relationship will offer a secure, payment ecosystem that aligns with our purpose of serving diverse customers.” - John Medina, President & CEO of First Federal Bank

This partnership strengthens Lüt’s ability to accelerate product development, expand its market reach, and serve merchants with confidence and continuity. By working together, FFB and Lüt aim to set a new standard for trustworthy, forward-thinking payment systems that operate outside traditional payment rails.

Lüt’s payment system offers a full-stack alternative: it serves as issuer, acquirer, and wallet provider, ensuring guaranteed funds, faster settlements, and integrated loyalty features. Merchants benefit from RTP, no NSF fees, reduced risk, and an intuitive, hardware-optional onboarding experience.

“Lüt and FFB are building more than infrastructure—we’re building confidence. With next- day settlement, strong regulatory alignment, and loyalty-driven rewards, we’re giving high-risk merchants a reliable, growth-ready path forward. And we’re doing it with purpose, compassion, and precision.” — Mike Andrud, CEO of Lüt

This partnership represents a shared commitment to empowering underserved markets with resilient financial tools and a scalable path to growth.

About Lüt

Lüt is a next-generation payments platform purpose-built for high-risk and underserved industries. Through its closed-loop ecosystem, Lüt delivers secure transactions, no shutdowns, no NSF fees, and real cashback every Friday. With PCI DSS and SOC 2 Type 1 & Type 2 certifications, Lüt combines compliance, innovation, and loyalty in one modern platform. Visit mylut.com to learn more.

About First Federal Bank (FFB)

First Federal Bank is a community-owned mutual savings bank with more than $4 billion in assets and a presence throughout Florida and beyond. Known for its integrity and commitment to innovation, FFB partners with fintech companies and underserved industries to deliver secure, scalable banking solutions. The bank is consistently recognized with an “Excellent” rating from BauerFinancial, Inc. for over 20 years. Furthermore, Newsweek named First Federal the "Best Small Bank in Florida" for four consecutive years from 2020 to 2023 and “Best Regional Bank” for 2024 and 2025. Visit ffbf.com for more information.

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Leafwire Media, the leading B2B networking platform for the cannabis, hemp, and psychedelics industries, and CannaSpyglass, a premier cannabis data and market intelligence provider, today announced a strategic partnership. This collaboration aims to provide cannabis businesses and professionals with enhanced access to critical industry information and market trends.

The partnership will integrate CannaSpyglass's in-depth market research and data analysis into Leafwire Media's extensive network, empowering its users to expand their reach with valuable insights to make informed business decisions. This synergy will strengthen Leafwire's position as a central hub for industry professionals and broaden CannaSpyglass's reach within the cannabis market. The Leafwire Media Group of partners now includes CannaSpyglass, Newsworthy.ai, Citizen Green TV, Vanguard Media, Cannabis & Tech Today and ICBC.

“We were really impressed by CannaSpyglass.” said Leafwire CEO Mike Ballard. “Nobody else in the industry offers the level of Data-as-a-Service they do. We feel like we’re with the right partner to offer the best data services available in the cannabis industry.”

"Through this partnership, we aim to increase our impact in the industry and enhance the information available to cannabis businesses,” says Warren Bunch, Co-Founder of CannaSpyglass. “I anticipate this collaboration will benefit Leafwire users and lead to a more knowledgeable network of members."

In addition to its variety of email and thought leadership services, Leafwire Media's business platform offers a dynamic space for professionals to connect, share news, promote events, and seek business opportunities. By incorporating CannaSpyglass's data, Leafwire will further solidify its role as a vital resource for navigating the evolving cannabis landscape.

This partnership will enable:

• Enhanced Market Intelligence: Leafwire users will gain access to CannaSpyglass's comprehensive market data and analysis.

• Informed Decision-Making: Professionals will be equipped with the insights needed to make strategic business choices.

• Expanded Industry Reach: CannaSpyglass's data will reach a broader audience through Leafwire's extensive network.

About Leafwire Media:

Leafwire Media is the home of Leafwire.com - the largest B2B networking platform in the cannabis, hemp, and psychedelics industries. The social media platform provides a space for professionals to connect, share information, and collaborate, while Leafwire Media offers a variety of digital marketing services, including sponsored email and newsletter campaigns, lead generation, and thought leadership. The Leafwire Media Group of partners now includes CannaSpyglass, Newsworthy.ai, Citizen Green TV, Vanguard Media, Cannabis & Tech Today and ICBC.

About CannaSpyglass:

CannaSpyglass offers cannabis data subscription services that provide dependable, on-demand, and exclusive industry analytics. Our insights cover vital data on cannabis cultivation, business statistics, and enterprise information within the rapidly growing cannabis sector. Whether you are an established industry leader seeking business expansion or a lawmaker requiring essential research to inform policy, our up-to-date, cloud-based data can be tailored to your specific interests and regions.

Contact Information:

Mike Ballard

CEO, Leafwire Media

Email Contact

720.641.5919

Warren Bunch

Founding Member, CannaSpyglass

Email Contact

405.361.1856

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Leafwire, the largest business network in the cannabis industry, has partnered with Newsworthy.ai, an AI-driven press release newswire platform, to offer enhanced press release distribution and visibility for LeafWire members. This collaboration enables news announcements posted on LeafWire.com to benefit from additional amplification via Newsworthy.ai’s press release newswire distribution network of 400+ media sites, which includes hundreds of websites and newsrooms.

Moreover, these announcements gain further reach through NewsRamp.com, a proprietary content curation and distribution platform that transforms press releases into multiple content formats—including articles, blog posts, TLDRs, video, and Zero-Click Marketing formats. NewsRamp also translates press releases into up to 12 languages and syndicates them across social media, forums, newsletters, podcasts, and news sites, significantly boosting online visibility and engagement.

"We are thrilled at the opportunity to help LeafWire and their customers maximize the visibility of their news announcements," said Mark M. Willaman, founder of Newsworthy.ai. "Most internet activity happens outside of search, so it is essential for press releases to be present on alternative platforms. Newsworthy.ai and NewsRamp ensure that their news surfaces organically across media sites, search engines, social, and other platforms where audiences spend their time."

Mike Ballard, Vice President of Sales & Marketing at LeafWire Media said of the new partnership: “The cannabis industry presents certain problems, limitations and biases when it comes to advertising and promotion. We are constantly searching for new, efficient ways to help our advertisers expand their reach, and Newsworthy.ai provided a technically sophisticated, affordable option to achieve a significant bump in media coverage.”

The landscape of press release distribution is facing unprecedented challenges. From evolving SEO algorithms to penalties for duplicate content, AI-driven search trends, and the rise of “Search and Answer,” traditional methods of reaching target audiences are shifting dramatically. This partnership between LeafWire and Newsworthy.ai ensures that cannabis industry businesses can maximize the visibility of their news where their target audiences are actively engaging.

About Leafwire Media - Leafwire Media is a digital marketing agency specializing in the cannabis, hemp and psychedelics industries, and the home of Leafwire.com - known as the LinkedIn of cannabis. Leafwire.com provides a stigma-free, safe space for cannabis, hemp and psychedelic businesses to access industry news, promote their businesses, and seek out partners, investors and ancillary service providers. On-line since 2018, Leafwire.com has over 54,000 members and over 85,000 subscribers to its “Daily Buzz” newsletters.

About Newsworthy.ai - From the creators of PRWeb, Newsworthy.ai is a news distribution platform that prioritizes engagement and visibility in an evolving media landscape. Our syndication and news marketing services help businesses maximize the impact of their press releases by getting the news in front of the right audiences in multiple curated formats, driving meaningful connections and engagement.

For more information, visit www.newsworthy.ai and www.leafwiremedia.com.

Media Contact:

Mike Ballard

Vice President of Sales & Marketing

Email Contact

This press release is distributed by the Newsworthy.ai™ Press Release Newswire - News Marketing Platform™. Reference URL for this press release is here.