Marijuana Co. of America Inc. upgraded its trading tier on the OTC Markets to the OTCQB Venture Marketplace.

The upgraded tier removes some of the limitations put on pinksheet companies, giving the Escondido, Calif.-based cannabis company expanded shareholder and liquidity access. The uplisting also makes way for the S-1 registration statement that the company expects to file with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission before year-end to fund its high growth objectives in 2019.

Marijuana Co. of America will continue its U.S. expansion and launch its hempSMART brand — hemp-based consumer products that target general health and well-being — globally in 2019, CEO Donald Steinberg said.