Highnote
Highnote is an API-first embedded finance platform providing card issuing, merchant acquiring, instant payments, stablecoin settlement, and agentic commerce capabilities to SMBs, enterprises, travel platforms, and AI-driven businesses, with flagship partnerships including Visa, Cross River Bank, BVNK, and enterprise customer Netevia.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2021
- HeadquartersSan Francisco, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What Highnote does
Highnote is an embedded finance company that provides a unified, API-first platform enabling businesses to launch card programs, process payments, accept card transactions, move money in real time, and settle in stablecoins without building financial infrastructure from scratch. The company serves SMBs, enterprises, online travel agencies and marketplaces, transportation and labor platforms, and AI-driven businesses across the United States, with customers reporting program launches in weeks rather than quarters.
The platform integrates issuing, controls, ledger, and reconciliation into a single system and offers Digital Debit and Prepaid Card Issuing, Credit Card Issuance, specialized Commercial Card Issuing for online travel (with single-use virtual cards tied to bookings, staged supplier capture, and granular spend controls), U.S. Merchant Acquiring with full pay-in and pay-out, Instant Payments supporting real-time money movement via major networks, Stablecoin Settlement using USDC over the Solana blockchain through Cross River Bank as part of Visa's stablecoin settlement pilot, and Agentic Commerce capabilities built on Visa Intelligent Commerce that allow AI agents to initiate and execute transactions under programmable controls and tokenized credentials.
Revenue derives from transaction fees on card issuing, payment processing, and merchant acquiring, alongside subscription and recurring revenue from API platform licensing. Distribution is API-first with direct enterprise sales for large volume partnerships; flagship customers include Netevia (six-year agreement with billions in annual acquiring volume), Splitit (virtual card issuing and payment processing), Ferry (first to launch instant payments on the platform), and WorkWhile (instant payouts for hourly workers). Highnote is venture-backed with approximately $210+ million disclosed across seed, Series A, and Series B rounds — the latter a $125 million raise in January 2025 led by Adams Street Partners and Omega Venture Partners, later extended by $25 million. The company was named to the Forbes Fintech 50 in 2025 and again in 2026.
Highnote firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Highnote
- Legal name
- Highnote Platform, Inc.
- Website
- https://highnote.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2021
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Highnote is an API-first embedded finance platform providing card issuing, merchant acquiring, instant payments, stablecoin settlement, and agentic commerce capabilities to SMBs, enterprises, travel platforms, and AI-driven businesses, with flagship partnerships including Visa, Cross River Bank, BVNK, and enterprise customer Netevia.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Highnote industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Embedded Finance / Payment Infrastructure
- NAICS
- Credit Card Issuing (52221), Credit Card Issuing (522210), Credit Intermediation and Related Activities (522)
- SIC
- Finance Services (6199)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Card Issuing Platforms (Issuer Processing) (FSAGABAD)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Card Issuing & Program Management Platforms (BPAMAFAH), Cards & Issuing Management (Debit/Prepaid/Credit, Program Management) (FSAGAAAE), Embedded Payments (Pay-ins, Pay-outs, Wallets) (FSAGALAB), A2A Checkout & Merchant Acceptance Solutions (FSAMAFAF)
Keywords
Where Highnote is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- San Francisco
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Highnote business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Card Issuing Infrastructure: Platform fees and transaction-based revenue from providing card issuance infrastructure to businesses, including virtual card programs for travel, commercial cards, and merchant acquiring services.
- Payment Processing: Revenue from payment processing and settlement services, including merchant acquiring capabilities with full pay-in and pay-out functionalities integrated with major payment networks.
- API Platform Licensing: Revenue from providing API access to the unified embedded finance platform, enabling businesses to launch card programs and payment capabilities without building infrastructure from scratch.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels2 records
Highnote product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Highnote provides an API-first embedded finance platform that enables businesses to launch card programs, process payments, and access financial infrastructure without building it from scratch. The platform unifies card issuing (debit, prepaid, credit, and commercial travel cards), merchant acquiring, instant payments, stablecoin settlement, and agentic commerce capabilities into a single system. Customers can deploy programs in weeks rather than quarters.
Product overview
Highnote is a unified embedded finance platform that provides a comprehensive suite of financial infrastructure services. The core platform includes Digital Debit and Prepaid Card Issuing and Credit Card Issuance capabilities, complemented by U.S. Merchant Acquiring for payment acceptance, Instant Payments for real-time money movement, and Stablecoin Settlement for blockchain-based enterprise payments. The platform also offers Agentic Commerce for AI-initiated payments and specialized Commercial Card Issuing for online travel. These products integrate issuing, controls, ledger, and reconciliation into a single system, allowing customers to launch programs in weeks rather than quarters.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Embedded Finance Platform
- Digital Debit and Prepaid Card Issuing
- Credit Card Issuance
- U.S. Merchant Acquiring
- Instant Payments
- Stablecoin Settlement
- Agentic Commerce
- Commercial Card Issuing for Online Travel
Quantifiable outcome
- Customers can launch card programs in weeks rather than quarters
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Highnote
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Highnote technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration4 records
AI capability3 records
Feature5 records
Highnote partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.
- WorkWhilecoreWorkWhile Money launch powered by partnership with Highnote, enabling instant payout capabilities after approved shifts for 80 million+ hourly workers in the US workforce. The platform uses proprietary labor prediction models and Highnote provides instant payout infrastructure.
- VisaflagshipHighnote unveiled Agentic Commerce capabilities built using Visa Intelligent Commerce in partnership with Visa. The new offering enables businesses to securely power AI-initiated payments featuring programmable controls, tokenized credentials, and dynamic authorization, allowing software to initiate and execute transactions with predefined rules, spend controls, and approval structures.
- BVNKcoreLaunched 24/7 stablecoin funding with BVNK as part of Highnote's expanded product offerings including instant payments supporting real-time money movement via major payment networks.
- Cross River BankcoreCross River Bank and Highnote launched stablecoin settlement capability as part of Visa's stablecoin settlement pilot program, introducing USDC settlement over the Solana blockchain into production for enterprise payment flows. Enables near-instant funds movement and seven-day settlement availability.
- SplititcoreSplitit expanded partnership with Highnote to include issuing virtual cards and processing payments, streamlining payment flow and improving transparency for customers through faster settlement, simplified compliance, and unified data management.
- FerrycoreFerry expanded partnership with Highnote, becoming the first to launch instant payments through the Highnote platform partnership.
- NeteviaflagshipNetevia committed billions in annual acquiring volume through a 6-year expanded agreement with Highnote, representing significant adoption of Highnote's U.S. merchant acquiring service.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Highnote competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Marqeta: Public card-issuing processor offering an API-first platform for debit, prepaid, and credit card programs. Most direct competitor to Highnote's core issuing infrastructure, serving similar fintechs, enterprises, and embedded-finance customers.
- Lithic: API-based card issuing platform focused on debit, prepaid, and credit programs with developer-first tooling. Directly competes with Highnote for fintech and embedded-finance card programs.
- Stripe Issuing: Stripe's card-issuing API enabling platforms to create and manage virtual and physical cards. Directly overlaps with Highnote's issuing product and benefits from Stripe's broader payments distribution.
- Galileo Financial Technologies: SoFi-owned payment processing platform offering card issuing, digital banking, and fraud tools via APIs. Directly comparable to Highnote's unified embedded finance stack with strong bank-partner positioning.
- Unit: Embedded finance platform offering bank accounts, card issuing, and lending infrastructure through APIs. Targets similar fintech and enterprise customers building embedded financial products.
- Synctera: Banking-as-a-Service platform pairing fintechs with sponsor banks for card issuing, deposit accounts, and lending. Directly competes in the embedded finance space with bank-partner model similar to Highnote.
Broad incumbents
- Adyen: Global payments platform offering unified online, in-person, and platform-based payment processing. Overlaps with Highnote's merchant acquiring ambitions while operating at significantly greater scale across geographies.
- Plaid: Data network connecting consumer bank accounts to fintech applications via APIs. Adjacent infrastructure used by many of the same platforms Highnote serves for embedded finance and payment flows.
- Block (Square): Diversified fintech offering merchant acquiring, banking, and card issuing products for SMBs and platforms. Competes with Highnote in merchant acquiring and embedded finance through Square and Cash App ecosystems.
Emerging players
- Modern Treasury: Payment operations platform enabling businesses to move money via ACH, wires, RTP, and stablecoins through APIs. Adjacent to Highnote's instant payments and stablecoin settlement capabilities.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Highnote social profiles
Digital presenceHighnote financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Highnote leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Highnote funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds5 records
Investors9 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Highnote M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Highnote
What does Highnote do?
Highnote provides an API-first embedded finance platform that enables businesses to launch card programs, process payments, and access financial infrastructure without building it from scratch. The platform unifies card issuing (debit, prepaid, credit, and commercial travel cards), merchant acquiring, instant payments, stablecoin settlement, and agentic commerce capabilities into a single system. Customers can deploy programs in weeks rather than quarters.
Is Highnote a public or private company?
Highnote is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Highnote founded?
Highnote was founded in 2021. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Highnote based?
Highnote is headquartered in San Francisco, United States, in the North America region.
How does Highnote make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Card Issuing Infrastructure is the primary driver. The others are payment Processing and API Platform Licensing.
Who are Highnote's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Marqeta, Lithic, Stripe Issuing, Galileo Financial Technologies, Unit and Synctera. Broad incumbents are Adyen, Plaid and Block (Square). Modern Treasury is listed as an emerging player.
Does Highnote have an API?
No public API is recorded for Highnote.
What industry is Highnote in?
Highnote's product category is Embedded Finance / Payment Infrastructure. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSAGABAD, Card Issuing Platforms (Issuer Processing), with a secondary code of BPAMAFAH, Card Issuing & Program Management Platforms. Its NAICS code is 52221 and its SIC code is 6199.