COMPANY detail

HIGHNOTE
The Unified Platform for Embedded Finance

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HIGHNOTE
Company Overview.
Year Founded 2020
Status Private
Specialties VCards Issuance, Payments
Company Size 51-200 Employees
Industry Software Development
Location San Francisco, USA
Description.

Highnote is the unified platform for modern embedded finance, offering issuing, acquiring, credit, ledger, and money movement capabilities through a single integrated platform. Founded in 2020 by John MacIlwaine (CEO) and Kin Kee (CTO), the company provides B2B infrastructure enabling businesses to launch card programs, payment acceptance, and financial products without building from scratch. Highnote has raised $157M+ in total funding, including a $90M Series B in January 2025 led by Adams Street Partners, valuing the company at $750M+. The company was named to Forbes Fintech 50 for the second consecutive year in February 2026.

Highnote is the world's most modern card platform, purpose-built to reduce costs, boost revenue, and optimize businesses for success. They built Highnote on the belief that the future of fintech is flexible, intuitive, and designed for developers.

Key Infrastructure.
Card Issuing Platform Create virtual and physical cards with flexible funding models, real-time controls, and comprehensive program management, all in one unified platform.
Unified Ledger Financial account management with real-time transaction tracking, automatic reconciliation, and comprehensive audit trail capabilities.
Merchant Acquiring Accept payments with direct network integration, transparent pricing, and seamless reconciliation powered by the unified ledger system.
Real-Time Authorization Transaction controls enabling businesses to set spending limits, merchant category controls, and granular authorization rules per card.
Credit Issuing Create revolving credit plans, add BNPL installment offers, simulate underwriting decisions, and generate billing statements programmatically.
Tokenization Provision tokenized cards to digital wallets including Apple Pay and Google Pay with proper network certifications and approvals.
Additional Features.
Fraud Detection
Built-in fraud checks during account onboarding to prevent fraudulent activity and protect platform integrity across all transaction types.
Multi-Factor Authentication
Platform-wide support for SAML, SCIM, and MFA integration through Auth0 for secure single sign-on and identity management.
Return Management
Automated handling of payment returns with detailed tracking, notification systems, and reconciliation workflows for failed or returned transactions.
Webhook Signatures
Cryptographically signed webhook payloads using digital signatures to verify sender identity and detect tampering during message transit.
Audit Logs
Detailed audit logs for all platform actions, traceable to individual users and API keys, exportable to SIEM systems for enterprise security monitoring.
IP Allowlisting
Per-API-key IP allowlisting configuration and traffic rate limiting to prevent API misuse, unauthorized access, and DDoS attacks.

GENERAL Questions.

What does this company do?
Highnote provides a unified embedded finance platform that enables businesses to issue cards, accept payments, manage credit, and move money through a single API. Their platform combines issuing, acquiring, credit, and ledger capabilities, making it a comprehensive infrastructure provider for fintechs, banks, and brands looking to launch financial products.
Who are their main clients?
Highnote serves fintechs, neobanks, and established financial institutions looking to embed card issuing and payment capabilities. Specific client names are kept confidential. The platform targets digital-first organizations that want to launch card programs in weeks rather than months.
Are they licensed?
Highnote operates as a technology platform working with bank partners who hold the necessary licenses. They are a certified Visa card issuer processor and appear to have similar relationships with Mastercard. The platform handles compliance and KYC/AML through partner bank relationships.
What blockchains/stablecoins supported?
Highnote is primarily a fiat payments platform. While they support instant payments and money movement, there is no public information about cryptocurrency or stablecoin support. They focus on traditional card networks (Visa, Mastercard) and bank rails.