Investors have compiled a laundry list of reasons to be cautious about cryptocurrency from its volatility to its lack of regulation. A stigma that crypto is the currency of criminals has lingered.

A new study from the US Drug Enforcement Agency may shift some perspectives.

Illegal activity was once behind 90% of crypto transactions, but that number has shrunk to around 10%, according to a Bloomberg report.

So, who’s behind the majority of cryptocurrency transactions? Bitcoin speculators.

“The volume has grown tremendously, the amount of transactions and the dollar value has grown tremendously over the years in criminal activity, but the ratio has decreased,’’ said DEA agent Lilita Infante in an interview with Bloomberg. “The majority of transactions are used for price speculation.’’

However, Infante noted that the total transaction volume associated with illegal uses has been on the rise since 2013, so crypto is not in the clear just yet.

In blockchain news, West Virginia is offering its overseas residents the option to vote in the midterm elections via their phones, according to a CNN report.

US troops serving overseas can cast their votes via Voatz, a blockchain-based mobile voting app.

The app uses facial recognition software to match a current selfie to the voter’s government-issued identification card.

Not everyone was on board with the idea, questing the security of mobile voting.

"Mobile voting is a horrific idea," said Joseph Lorenzo Hall, the chief technologist at the Center for Democracy and Technology, in an email to CNN. "It's internet voting on people's horribly secured devices, over our horrible networks, to servers that are very difficult to secure without a physical paper record of the vote."

The technology was tested in two counties during the primary elections and a review found no issues. However, state officials will let each country have the final say on using the app.

The Cann Report

Aurora Cannabis Inc (TSX:ACB, OTCQB:ACBFF) is expanding its greenhouse operations.

The Canadian cannabis giant has signed a letter of intent to acquire the cannabis business of HotHouse Consulting Inc, an advanced greenhouse consulting service.

"Developing efficient and technologically advanced greenhouses allows Aurora to produce and harvest the highest quality cannabis at incredible scale while maintaining unmatched, ultra-low costs per gram, per square foot,  per year" said Thomas Larssen, president of greenhouse subsidiary Aurora Larssen Projects, in a press release.

The Alberta-based company is capable of producing as much as 570,000 kg of marijuana annually.

Canopy Growth Corporation (NYSE:CGC, TSX:WEED) has completed its own acquisition of Canopy Health Innovations Inc in its latest move into the medical cannabis space.

"With the acquisition complete, we're excited to further accelerate Canopy Health's vision to create evidence based cannabis formulations and delivery mechanisms that will serve patients worldwide,” said President Mark Zekulin in a press release.

CHI’s portfolio includes 39 patent applications for cannabis-based therapeutics to treat humans and animals.

The Canadian company operates 10 cannabis production sites with over 2.4 million square feet of production capacity.

In other Canadian cannabis news, Friday Night Inc (CSE:TGIF, OTCQB:TGIFF) announced its sales results from its Nevada subsidiaries.

Subsidiaries Alternative Medicine Association and Infused MFG reported combined sales in July of C$1.6mln, more than four-times the sales reported last July.

The Nevada market continues to demand high quality, well-branded products like ours, and we are working diligently to increase our footprint and expand our product line over the coming months," said Chris Rebentisch, the head of US operations, in a press release.

Its subsidiaries offer medical and recreational cannabis as well as CBD-infused products like lip balms and pain relief creams and cannabidiol nutritional supplements for pets.