Highnote and Lowe's described how virtual cards can connect business funding to store purchases in a company account published on April 28, 2026. Highnote CEO John MacIlwaine and Lowe's financial-services executive Jay Waters discussed their collaboration at an industry panel. [S01]

Their concrete example starts with money received by wire transfer. Highnote's ledger and virtual issuance make the funds available for spending within Lowe's retail environment, according to the account. The description concerns an existing operational relationship; it does not announce a new gift card or establish the partnership's launch date. [S01]

A payment journey with several separate jobs

Highnote's developer documentation describes a shared ledger supporting issuing, acquiring and money movement. Its issuing capabilities include prepaid and virtual card programmes, spending controls and real-time authorisation. These are platform capabilities, not confirmation that every option is deployed by Lowe's. [S02]

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A payment journey with several separate jobs

Layer

What it contributes

Question for a retailer

Funding

Money reaches the programme before the purchase.

When are incoming funds available to spend?

Ledger

Balances and transactions share a record.

Can the retailer reconcile funding and purchases?

Card issuance

A payment credential connects the balance to purchasing.

Who can use the credential, and under which controls?

Acceptance

The customer completes the retail transaction.

Does the spending route work where the customer shops?

The table separates the operational concepts behind the example. It is an editorial checklist, not a specification of the companies’ implementation or a list of newly launched features.

Why the discussion matters to gift card operators

Waters' responsibilities include gift cards alongside other retail payment programmes. He described payment friction as a threat to the customer experience. MacIlwaine stressed understanding the retailer's existing workflows before deciding how the technology should fit. The discussion also addressed customers ranging from large businesses to individual contractors. [S01]

For gift card teams, the useful question is how value becomes spendable. Selling or funding a balance is only one part of that journey. The person administering a business budget and the person making a purchase may need different information and controls. A smooth checkout cannot, by itself, answer questions about funding status or reconciliation.

The account supplies no transaction volumes, commercial terms or measured improvement in loyalty or conversion. Its contribution is a practical example of payment design, with performance claims still needing separate evidence. [S01]