Dan Bilzerian’s Ignite has been preparing to launch the first of their newly developed and highly anticipated spirits line, Ignite Spirits. With nationwide distribution on their sights, the company has introduced a its flagship product in the heart of Omaha, Nebraska at mega liquor retailer Wine, Beer & Spirits.

The imposing superstore that extends over 25,000 square feet, claiming the title of largest public liquor retailer in all of Nebraska, is known as the place where clientele can not only shop, but also sip on a cocktail from the in-house bar as they browse the store’s colossal selection.

As the first retailer in the country to sell Ignite’s vodka, the mega store was thrilled to offer its clients the semi-exclusive opportunity to enjoy the premium quality spirit before the rest of the U.S. Despite having randomly met Bilzerian years ago over a casual game of poker in Las Vegas, Wine Beer, & Spirits’ General Manager, Jake Heiliger, was eager to order his first round of inventory of Ignite’s new vodka after hearing of the company’s new launch. Following some research on Ignite, the vodka’s level of quality immediately stood out to Heieliger with bonuses like it being gluten-free and derived from corn. The retailer’s general manager additionally foresees significant sales of Ignite vodka within his store as its sleek, edgy branding is sure to align with that of a premium brand vodka.


With a store that’s nearly half the size of a football field, Heiliger says that clientele choose Wine, Beer, & Spirits because of their vast and diverse, superior selection. Having opened earlier this year in May, at the height of the pandemic, Heiliger has seen first-hand how patrons have been more likely to purchase alcoholic beverages for at-home consumption, often purchasing new and different products along with mixers, and liqueurs to re-create their favorite bar cocktail.

“With everyone staying home a lot more as a result of the pandemic, consumers have been more inclined to buy new products to drink at home,” says Heiliger. “When I heard about Ignite’s vodka, I knew we had to have it at Wine, Beer, & Spirits. Our clientele are eager to try new, high-quality products.”

After a 30-day period of exclusivity, Ignite looks forward to an expansion, sharing the vodka to the rest of the country. Committed to a mark of excellence that emulates the very meaning of supremacy, Ignite has only one standard… to be the best.

Be sure to check the Ignite website for updates on the launch of Ignite Spirits.

Big banks have long held precious objects on behalf of their customers—from jewels in safe-deposit boxes to shares of stock. Now, thanks to a new policy by a federal banking regulator, they will be able to hold cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin too.

The new policy is set out in a letter published on Wednesday by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC). The letter, addressed to an unnamed bank, stated that national banks and savings associations can engage in so-called custody services for their clients.

The news is significant because regulatory uncertainty has until now led major banks to avoid Bitcoin. What’s more, the bylaws of many big investment funds, including pension funds, oblige them to park clients’ money only with federally chartered banks. As the research group Coin Center notes, this amounts to a de facto ban on cryptocurrency.

The upshot is that big banks now have a green light to open crypto operations. If they do, they will likely begin by focusing on custody services, which until now have been the purview of crypto-focused companies like Coinbase and BitGo.

Custody is important in the world of crypto since currencies like Bitcoin are entirely digital, making them easy to steal. Being a custodian entails storing the so-called private key that provides access to a given digital wallet.

As the OCC notes in its letter, banks already offer to safeguard other digital items on behalf of their clients. This includes offering “secure web-based document storage, retrieval, and collaboration of documents and files containing personal information.”

Custody of cryptocurrency also has the potential to be a lucrative line of business, given that the market cap of Bitcoin is around $170 billion, and that custodians typically charge fees of around 0.25% to keep it safe.

The OCC letter also opens the door for banks to offer more exotic services such as “staking”—a form of proxy voting for certain cryptocurrencies—and crypto lending. Such activity is tiny in the context of the broader financial system, but has become increasingly important in the crypto industry.

All of this raises the question of whether banks will seek to build their own cryptocurrency divisions or seek to acquire some of the numerous crypto startups in the U.S.

In the meantime, one influential crypto entrepreneur, Barry Silbert—who runs the large conglomerate called Digital Currency Group—took to Twitter to express his pleasure with Wednesday’s development.

I'm looking forward to getting my ass kissed by all the banks now

— Barry Silbert (@barrysilbert) July 22, 2020

Ignite International is excited to debut ZRO performance drinks throughout the Vitamin Shoppe’s over 780 stores and online via vitaminshoppe.com. With its high quality, cutting edge functional beverages that fuel a healthy lifestyle, Ignite ZRO is the perfect complement to Vitamin Shoppe’s healthy living offerings.

Designed for consumers who want to live life to the fullest, without sacrificing quality or performance, Ignite ZRO products were crafted with the most demanding standards. They feature nootropic ingredients, that are proven to provide long lasting improvement in mood, clarity, and cognitive performance. They’re available in four popular flavors, such as TartBreaker, BlueRasp Bilz, Purely Passion and Peach Crisp, to cater to every taste. The line of performance drinks are consistent with Ignite International’s mission of providing the best products at affordable prices.


Ignite’s newest line up of products are backed by a huge and loyal following, and are beloved by major celebrities and influencers around the globe, all of whom know to expect only the best form Ignite International.

For more information on both the ZRO as well as Ignite's forthcoming product launches, please visit www.ignite.co

This Internet sensation knows how to pull the heartstrings of mainstream America

A new consensus—backed by an overwhelming degree of leading authorities—is forming around the marketing genius of Internet tycoon Dan Bilzerian’s brainchild Ignite International.

From Maxim to Men’s Book to Daily Front Row to Yahoo, the underlying mechanics of Ignite’s blistering rise to success—as evidenced by its IPO (within just one year of inception) and the $100 million raise it’s currently accruing—have recently come to light.

As these publications have mutually observed (which previously had been drowned by noise made by the tabloids), Bilzerian’s larger than life shock-value persona was wittingly created, shaped and refined to consistently pull the triggers of the American populace, leaving both Bilzerian’s name as well as the brands he was synonymous with (Ignite) trending in the news on a recurring basis.

So as mainstream media stays obsessed gawking at Bilzerian’s latest jaw-dropping revelations—such as a potential 2024 presidential bid and plans to give up everything from social media to drinking—the brands he’s attached to earn billions of impressions and become symbolic of what makes Bilzerian so alluring.

When you look at this phenomenon through a marketing lens, it is clear that Bilzerian knows how to pull the heartstrings of mainstream America. Perhaps second only to President Donald Trump himself, Bilzerian’s given the public a non-stop saga of entertainment through which consuming Bilzerian’s message (and by extension his products) becomes downright addictive.

When it comes to overcoming obstacles and accomplishing seemingly impossible goals, die hard entrepreneurs will stop at nothing.

Dan Bilzerian´s company Ignite is accomplishing goals to ensure the trust of customers globally. Being a horizontally integrated company, Ignite has solidified partnerships with exceptional growers and manufacturers in Canada, while thanks to unquestionable brand penetration and awareness, the company seems poised to capture a large share of the market.

Dan Bilzerian and his team are known to be product oriented, which accounts for Ignite´s cult-like social media following and the brand´s meteoric rise in the legal cannabis space.

Ignite's Global Head of Cannabis, Gene Bernaudo, discussed some of the challenges the brand has faced and how they are overcoming each, to show how consistent Ignite is in all aspects of the business.

Q: What was the process and timeline for CX Industries to sign the exclusive agreement with Ignite International Brands to supply premium cannabis & CBD products?

Bernaudo: As some may have heard, we are no longer doing business with CX Industries. I can’t really discuss the circumstances of the split. What I can tell you is, we have since partnered with CannMart a leading processor and distributor of cannabis in Canada. This was very strategic in nature. One of the reason we chose CannMart as a partner is because they do not have a grow. I bet you a bunch readers are scratching their heads right now. Yes, you read that right, we did not want to partner with a large commercial Licensed Producer, producing the same mediocre product as everyone else in the industry. A partnership with CannMart solidified processing and distribution channels which allowed my team and I to focus on sourcing product from craft growers who are producing small batch, high-end cannabis. With this strategy we were able to move very quickly. We finalized our partnership with CannMart in Dec 2019 and are launching Canada with 10 skus on March 13, 2020. We chose to start with the infamous BC market and scale our way across Canada.

Q: Canada’s ad industry has strict laws against celebrity endorsements for pot products. Did this play a factor in the naming of the company? Has Dan Bilzerian had to make any sacrifices to get Ignite into Canada?

Bernaudo: Dan is the CEO of Ignite International Brands, Ltd. This allows us some leeway in how he can speak about the products. I would say our approach is similar to the approach Bruce Linton took back in the early days when he was out doing roadshows and promoting Tweed. As far as sacrifices go, I wouldn’t call them sacrifices I would call them strategic adjustments. We have had to adjust the type of content we post and ensure we are compliant in all markets we do business in. To me this is a great sign, it means we continue to grow as a global brand and evolve as a business. At the end of the day, we are a cannabis company but we are also an International FMCG company (Fast moving Consumer Goods) which means we have to be able to pivot and adjust strategies based on regulations in jurisdictions we are doing business in. When you have one of the best marketing teams in the world backed by a social media genius it’s easier to get the job done.

Q: Ignite has plenty of celebrity endorsements posts on social platforms such as Nikita Dragun, Cardi B, and Jake Paul. Is this the most effective marketing strategy for Ignite? If so, how has Canada’s Cannabis Act been an issue?

Bernaudo: The celebrity endorsements you are referring to are not for our cannabis products. Most, if not all of your references endorse our CBD line and in the U.S. there is no rule against that. It’s a pretty level playing field up here, the only real issue the Cannabis Act has imposed on us is we cannot use our iconic Goat Head logo as it depicts an animal or fictional character and can be deemed to appeal to children. Rules are rules and we have been happy to abide by them.

Q: Dan Bilzerian highlighted having one proprietary device that holds THC, CBD, and Nicotine all in one so, he decided to attack the Juul market. How will this translate in Canada, knowing they have a temporary halt on the production of flavored e-cigarette pods?

Bernaudo: Great question, the vape market in Canada from a nicotine perspective has been a disaster from the start. I 100% agree with Health Canada’s stance here. Nicotine use amongst young people is the highest it’s ever been and its largely due to flavored e-liquid in all its forms. I don’t agree with a ban, but what I can tell you is Health Canada is consistent in how they regulate. Similar regulations will apply to nicotine. E-liquid flavors and or packaging/logos cannot “evoke a positive or negative emotion or ‘way of life’ such as one that includes glamour, recreation, excitement, vitality, risk or daring.” We do have a nicotine strategy for Canada, its largely based on waiting for regulations to be implemented, waiting for trade to open up again in China (due to Coronavirus) and of course, for the ban to be lifted. We have made major headway with the device in question and it will most likely be introduced first in Canada with THC and CBD pods as regulations permit its use.

Q: Dan Bilzerian markets Ignite Cannabis as an active lifestyle to sway from the original stigma of laziness. Canada’s Cannabis Act prohibits pot companies to “evoke a positive or negative emotion or ‘way of life’ such as one that includes glamour, recreation, excitement, vitality, risk or daring.” Luckily, Ignite is still able to conduct this kind of promotion in the US. Do you believe this was a loophole that helped the brand’s message reach Canadians?

Bernaudo: I think having a social reach of 43 million followers definitely helps get our message out there in any form we want to deliver it. I wouldn’t call it a loophole as we are not using it as such. We are an International company and post content and product placement ads on social channels conforming to regulatory requirements where the particular product we are advertising is being sold.

Q: What other obstacles have Ignite faced in expanding into Canada?

Bernaudo: The only obstacle we have faced in Canada is product procurement. The biggest challenge has been securing products out here that meet our team, including Dan’s, criteria. We are happy to recently have forged some solid partnerships with amazing craft growers that will ensure we are able to distribute quality, consistent cannabis products across Canada. All the retailers and Provincial boards have been very supportive, and we look forward to working closely with them to bring our products to consumers.

Q: What are Ignite’s launch plans for this week in Canada? Will Dan Bilzerian be in attendance?

Bernaudo: Our BC launch event will be held this Friday, March 13th, at Bar None in Downtown Vancouver. Dan will be on the ground the day prior to meet with partners and industry leaders as we continue to grow relationships north of the border. He will also attend the launch event alongside hundreds of partygoers eager to celebrate Ignite’s Canadian Launch.