Highnote (platform)
| Type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Financial technology |
| Founded | 2020 in San Francisco, California, United States |
| Founders | John MacIlwaine Kin Kee |
| Headquarters | , |
Area served | Worldwide |
Key people | John MacIlwaine (CEO) |
| Products | Highnote platform |
| Services | Card issuing Payment acquiring Credit program management Money movement infrastructure |
| Website | highnote |
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 2 "Highnote Platform Inc - Company Profile and News". Bloomberg.
- 1 2 3 Pugh, Alex (September 29, 2021). "Payments fintech Highnote emerges from stealth with $54m funding". FinTech Futures.
- ↑ "Highnote". Forbes.
- 1 2 "About". Highnote.
- ↑ Pugh, Alex (September 29, 2021). "Payments fintech Highnote emerges from stealth with $54m funding". FinTech Futures.
- ↑ "Fintech Highnote Expands Payment Platform to Support Consumer Credit Programs". Crowdfund Insider.
- ↑ "The Future Of Wall Street And Enterprise: Fintech 50 2024". Forbes.
- 1 2 3 "Highnote raises $90M for expansion". Payments Dive. January 21, 2025.
- ↑ "Highnote secures $90m Series B to expand into U.S. merchant acquiring". FinTech Global. January 22, 2025.
- ↑ "The Future Of Payments: Fintech 50 2025". Forbes.
- ↑ "Forbes 2026 Fintech 50". Forbes.
- 1 2 "Highnote". Highnote.
- ↑ "Mastercard teams with fintechs on small business card". Payments Dive. February 10, 2022.
- ↑ "Ferry and BJ's Restaurants launch payroll card powered by Highnote". The Paypers.
- ↑ "Highnote receives certification as a Visa card issuer processor". The Paypers.