HIGHNOTE
The Unified Platform for Embedded Finance
About HIGHNOTE
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