Highnote (platform)
Highnote Platform, Inc. is an American financial technology company that develops cloud-based payments infrastructure for card issuing, embedded finance, and payment acquiring.[1][2] The company is based in San Francisco, California.[3][4]
History
Highnote was founded in 2020 in San Francisco by John MacIlwaine and Kin Kee, both former executives at Braintree.[2][4] The company emerged from stealth in 2021 with $54 million in combined seed and Series A funding from investors including Oak HC/FT, Costanoa Ventures, WestCap, XYZ Venture Capital, and SVB Capital.[5]
In 2023, Highnote expanded its payments platform to support consumer credit card programs, adding credit-related capabilities such as underwriting, repayment, and loan servicing tools.[6] In 2024, Forbes included Highnote on its annual Fintech 50 list.[7] A year later, in January 2025, Highnote raised $90 million in Series B funding led by Adams Street Partners and launched a merchant acquiring product, bringing its total disclosed funding to about $145 million.[8][9]
In 2025 and 2026, Highnote appeared on the Forbes Fintech 50 list.[10][11]
Platform
Highnote's platform is designed for businesses that issue cards, move funds, and embed payment capabilities into their products.[1][12] It initially focused on card issuing and program management, and later expanded into payment acquiring, consumer credit, and broader money movement tools.[2][8]
The platform is a unified, API-driven system that combines card issuing, ledgering, credit features, and acquiring functions for enterprise customers and business-to-business platforms.[8][12] Its offerings have been used in products such as small-business credit cards, payroll cards, and fleet payment programs.[13][14][15]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Highnote Platform Inc - Company Profile and News". https://www.bloomberg.com/profile/company/1922417D:US.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Pugh, Alex (September 29, 2021). "Payments fintech Highnote emerges from stealth with $54m funding". https://www.fintechfutures.com/m-a/payments-fintech-highnote-emerges-from-stealth-with-54m-funding.
- ↑ "Highnote". https://www.forbes.com/companies/highnote/.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 "About". https://highnote.com/about.
- ↑ Pugh, Alex (September 29, 2021). "Payments fintech Highnote emerges from stealth with $54m funding". https://www.fintechfutures.com/m-a/payments-fintech-highnote-emerges-from-stealth-with-54m-funding.
- ↑ "Fintech Highnote Expands Payment Platform to Support Consumer Credit Programs". https://www.crowdfundinsider.com/2023/10/214807-fintech-highnote-expands-payment-platform-to-support-consumer-credit-programs/.
- ↑ "The Future Of Wall Street And Enterprise: Fintech 50 2024". https://www.forbes.com/sites/hanktucker/2024/02/13/the-future-of-wall-street-and-enterprise-fintech-50-2024/.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 "Highnote raises $90M for expansion". January 21, 2025. https://www.paymentsdive.com/news/highnote-embedded-payments-card-issuing-acquiring-capital-expansion/738325/.
- ↑ "Highnote secures $90m Series B to expand into U.S. merchant acquiring". January 22, 2025. https://fintech.global/2025/01/22/highnote-secures-90m-series-b-to-expand-into-u-s-merchant-acquiring/.
- ↑ "The Future Of Payments: Fintech 50 2025". https://www.forbes.com/sites/martinacastellanos/2025/02/18/the-future-of-payments-fintech-50-2025/.
- ↑ "Forbes 2026 Fintech 50". https://www.forbes.com/lists/fintech50/.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 "Highnote". https://highnote.com/.
- ↑ "Mastercard teams with fintechs on small business card". February 10, 2022. https://www.paymentsdive.com/news/mastercard-teams-with-fintechs-on-small-business-card/618549/.
- ↑ "Ferry and BJ's Restaurants launch payroll card powered by Highnote". https://thepaypers.com/payments/news/ferry-and-bjs-restaurants-launch-payroll-card-powered-by-highnote.
- ↑ "Highnote receives certification as a Visa card issuer processor". https://thepaypers.com/payments/news/highnote-receives-certification-as-a-visa-card-issuer-processor.