Unlocking the Power of Premium: Visa Signature with Highnote

Highnote + Visa: Premium, Proven, and Live

Over the past year, Highnote and Visa have worked together to make Visa Signature® a reality for our customers. With programs already live in-market, we have transformed what was once a complex undertaking into a turnkey premium experience. Enterprises no longer need to stitch together benefits, certifications, and integrations on their own. Premium is now built in.

The Premiumization of Payments

For decades, the payments industry has centered around utility: enabling customers to swipe, tap, or enter a card number to complete a purchase. But as digital experiences have reshaped expectations, “just payments” are no longer enough.

Younger consumers are increasingly drawn to financial products that offer value, experiences, and protection integrated into their everyday lives. This shift has fueled the rise of premium card programs that do more than facilitate spending. They create loyalty, deliver memorable experiences, and elevate brand relationships.

Enter Visa Signature: a globally recognized premium card program that offers elevated benefits and experiences designed to enhance everyday spending. For issuers, offering Visa Signature can be the difference between being one card in a wallet or becoming the card of choice.

Why Visa Signature Matters

Visa Signature is more than a logo on a card. It is a comprehensive value proposition that combines travel, lifestyle, shopping, and protection benefits into a single offering.

What Cardholders Receive

• Travel and Lifestyle Benefits: Exclusive perks through the Visa Luxury Hotel Collection, including upgrades, complimentary breakfast, late checkout, and VIP recognition. Plus, access to a 24/7 concierge for travel bookings, dining reservations, and experiences.
• Everyday Value: Discounts and savings on car rentals, dining experiences, live entertainment, and live entertainment.
• Peace of Mind: Roadside assistance, travel and emergency services, and Visa’s Zero Liability Policy.

Why It Matters for Issuers

• Elevated Brand Perception: Visa Signature positions a product as premium, signaling status and quality to customers.
• Revenue Upside: Signature cards are eligible for higher interchange rates compared to standard credit products.
• Proven Engagement: 83% of consumers select credit cards based on available benefits like the Visa Luxury Hotel Collection.

Visa Signature turns everyday spending into lasting relationships.

Mesa: Rewarding Homeowners on Mortgage Payments, Refinance, Home Improvements, and Everyday Purchases

Mesa is helping homeowners engage with their finances in new ways by pairing the prestige of Visa Signature with a credit card designed specifically for homeowners. The Mesa Homeowners Card* includes homeowner-focused rewards and benefits intended to make homeownership rewarding.

Available on both Android and iOS, the Mesa app provides a streamlined hub for managing everyday spending, tracking home equity growth, and accessing premium Visa Signature perks.

Here is how Mesa delivers a differentiated experience:

• Seamless Application and Verification: Prospective cardholders apply directly through the Mesa app, completing a Know Your Customer (KYC) process to verify eligibility and identity.
• Smart Underwriting: Using Alloy’s underwriting capabilities and workflows defined in a bank-approved credit policy, Mesa ensures applicants meet the financial criteria to qualify for credit responsibly.
• Instant Access: If approved, customers receive a digital credit card available for immediate use inside the app.
• Homeowner-Centric Rewards: Unlike generic cashback programs, the Mesa Homeowners Card allows customers to earn rewards (1) on everyday purchases that can be applied directly toward mortgage payments or home improvement expenses.

By embedding Visa Signature benefits (2) into a homeowner-focused rewards model, Mesa transforms a financial utility into a premium lifestyle product. It is a compelling example of how enterprises can use Highnote’s Visa integration to tailor Signature programs to their unique audiences.

The Bigger Trend: Why Premium Programs Are Rising

Visa Signature is part of a larger movement shaping payments:

• Commoditization of Basic Cards: With most credit and debit cards offering some version of cashback or points, the market is saturated. Premium tiers stand out by layering experiential value on top of transactional utility.
• Lifestyle-Linked Loyalty: Consumers are increasingly loyal when rewards align with personal passions such as travel, food, or entertainment. Visa Signature was designed around exactly these passion areas.
• Competitive Differentiation for Enterprises: Platforms, marketplaces, and fintechs outside of traditional banking are launching financial products to expand their ecosystems. Offering Visa Signature provides instant credibility and differentiation in crowded markets.

Premium card programs now account for a growing share of issuer portfolios worldwide, with cardholders demonstrating significantly higher lifetime value compared to standard credit users.

What This Means for Other Businesses

For enterprises considering their next card program, Visa Signature offers a pathway to:

• Acquisition: Premium benefits act as a powerful hook in competitive markets.
• Engagement: Cardholders who take advantage of perks are more likely to use the card for everyday spend.
• Loyalty: Lifestyle experiences create emotional stickiness that is difficult to replicate.

The Highnote Advantage

Launching a Visa Signature program requires more than checking a box. It demands certification, compliance with Visa’s guidelines, integration with benefits providers, and seamless cardholder delivery. Highnote simplifies this process with:

• Unified Platform: Partnering with banks to issue cards, as well as rewards, ledgering, and benefits integration in one place.
• Speed to Market: Pre-built integrations and certification pathways accelerate program launch.
• Flexibility: Enterprises can tailor rewards and experiences while meeting Visa’s core requirements.

With Highnote, businesses can focus on designing experiences, not navigating complexity.

By the Numbers: The Impact of Premium Programs

The results speak for themselves: Visa Signature programs consistently drive higher spend, loyalty, and profitability.

• 83% of consumers select credit cards based on available benefits like the Visa Luxury Hotel Collection (3).
• 50,000 USD: Minimum annual spend threshold for Visa Signature Preferred qualification.
• 25 USD: Food and beverage credits offered per stay through Visa’s Luxury Hotel Collection.

These figures show why Visa Signature programs are more than marketing. They are measurable revenue drivers.

The Future of Premium Programs

As embedded finance expands, programs like Visa Signature will play an increasingly important role. What was once the domain of big banks is now accessible to fintechs, platforms, and enterprises of all sizes.

Mesa is proof, already live today and demonstrating how a new generation of enterprises can elevate cardholder experiences with Visa Signature. Looking ahead, premium benefits will evolve alongside digital wallets, mobile-first experiences, and next-generation loyalty models. The core principle will remain the same: consumers want value beyond transactions, and enterprises that deliver it will win.

Premium, Proven, and Possible

Visa Signature represents more than card benefits. It is a strategy for differentiation, engagement, and growth. Highnote is proud to be the partner bringing this to market, not in theory, but in reality with live subscribers.

For enterprises considering how to elevate their card programs, the path is clear:

• Premium experiences are the new standard.
• Highnote makes them possible.
• The future of cardholder loyalty starts with Visa Signature.

👉 Interested in exploring how Visa Signature could enhance your next card program? Contact the Highnote team or visit www.highnote.com.

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*The Mesa Homeowners Visa® Signature Preferred Credit Card is powered by Highnote and issued by Celtic Bank, pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A. Visa is a registered trademark of Visa Inc. All cards subject to credit approval.

1. Rewards Terms & Conditions Apply → https://www.mesamember.com/legal/mesa-membership-terms-and-conditions

2. Benefit Terms & Conditions Apply → https://www.mesamember.com/legal/mesa-homeowners-card-benefit-terms-of-use

3. Information obtained from Cardrates.com - Consumer Desire Credit Card Perks November 2024.