Instant Payments

Highnote's Unified Platform uses **Unified Funds Transfers** (UFTs) to initiate **Instant Payments**, of which, **Instant Network Transfers** are one payment rail, enabled through _Visa Direct_ and _Mastercard Move_.

Unified Funds Transfers (UFTs) enable your cardholders to make near real-time domestic money movements between cards, whether personal or business.





Overview

The Highnote platform supports domestic card-to-card transfers.


Card to card transfers

To maintain [PCI SAQ-A compliance](/docs/basics/get-started/pci-dss), we recommend using Highnote's [Checkout SDK](/docs/sdks/acquiring-sdks/checkout-sdk) to exchange PCI card data for a `PaymentMethodToken`: 

1. Create a `PaymentMethodToken`.
2. Send the token to your backend server as input for `createReusablePaymentMethodToken`. 
3. Use the resulting reusable `PaymentMethodToken.token`  as the `UnifiedFundsTransferQuote.destination.id`.


~~~graphql
mutation CreateReusablePaymentMethodToken(
  $input: CreateReusablePaymentMethodTokenInput!
) {
  createReusablePaymentMethodToken(input: $input) {
    __typename
    ... on PaymentMethodToken {
      instrument {
        __typename
        ... on PaymentCardInstrument {
          brand
          last4
          capabilities {
            __typename
            ... on InstantNetworkTransferDestinationPaymentInstrumentCapability {
              createdAt
              status
              updatedAt
            }
          }
        }
      }
      checkoutToken: token(scope: ECOMMERCE) {
        ... on ScopedPaymentMethodToken {
          token
        }
      }
    }
  }
}
~~~

~~~json
{
  "data": {
    "createReusablePaymentMethodToken": {
      "__typename": "PaymentMethodToken",
      "instrument": {
        "__typename": "PaymentCardInstrument",
        "brand": "VISA",
        "last4": "4242",
        "capabilities": [{
          "__typename": "InstantNetworkTransferDestinationPaymentInstrumentCapability",
          "createdAt": "2025-07-11T23:28:18.977Z",
          "status": "ENABLED",
          "updatedAt": "2025-07-11T23:28:18.977Z"
        }]
      },
      "checkoutToken": {
        "token": "tkpmc_1"
      }
    }
  }
}
~~~

CreateReusablePaymentMethodToken

Create payment method token

To start a card-to-card Unified Funds Transfer, you must request a quote for the fees to present to the user. 

Use the following mutation to create a `UnifiedFundsTransferQuote` in a quote state. 
You may get back multiple quotes depending on the fee and time estimate. 

- The **source ID** can be the ID of a Highnote `FinancialAccount` owned by user.
- The **destination ID** can be the reusable `PaymentMethodToken.token` generated by the user that represents the non-Highnote issued card.
- The **amount** can be defined under `source.amount` or `destination.amount`. The unspecified amount will be calculated based on the defined amount plus the fee.

To send a defined amount, use `source.amount` and the fees will come off the `destination.amount`. For example, if the `source.amount` is defined as $100 USD, and the fee is $1 USD, the resulting `destination.amount` will be defined as $99 USD.

To set the destination as a defined amount, use `destination.amount` and the fees will come off the `source.amount`. For example, if the `destination.amount` is defined as $100 USD, and the fee is $1 USD, the resulting `source.amount` will be defined as $101 USD.

Each `UnifiedFundsTransferQuote` has an `expiresAt` value for how long the quote is valid for. 
Reference that timestamp to ensure the quote is still valid when offering it to the user.


~~~graphql
mutation CreateTransferQuote($input: CreateUnifiedFundsTransferQuoteInput!) {
  createUnifiedFundsTransferQuote(input: $input) {
    __typename
    ... on CreateUnifiedFundsTransferQuoteResult {
      quotes {
        id
        source {
          node {
            ... on FinancialAccount {
              id
            }
          }
          amount {
            currencyCode
            value
            decimalPlaces
          }
        }
        destination {
          node {
            ... on PaymentMethodToken {
              id
            }
          }
          amount {
            currencyCode
            value
            decimalPlaces
          }
        }
        transferDetail {
          timeEstimate
          feeTotal {
            value
            decimalPlaces
          }
        }
        idempotencyKey
        expiresAt
      }
    }
  }
}
~~~

~~~json
{
  "data": {
    "createUnifiedFundsTransferQuote": {
      "__typename": "CreateUnifiedFundsTransferQuoteResult",
      "quotes": [
        {
          "quoteIdentifier": "woquo_1",
          "source": {
            "node": {
              "id": "ac_1"
            },
            "amount": {
              "currencyCode": "USD",
              "value": 15000,
              "decimalPlaces": 2
            }
          },
          "destination": {
            "node": {
              "id": "tkpmc_1"
            },
            "amount": {
              "currencyCode": "USD",
              "value": 14737,
              "decimalPlaces": 2
            }
          },
          "transferDetails": {
            "timeEstimate": "3 seconds",
            "feeTotal": {
              "value": 263,
              "decimalPlaces": 2
            }
          },
          "idempotencyKey": "idempotencyKey",
          "expiresAt": "2022-01-01T00:00:00Z"
        },
        {
          "quoteIdentifier": "woquo_2",
          "source": {
            "node": {
              "id": "ac_1"
            },
            "amount": {
              "currencyCode": "USD",
              "value": 15000,
              "decimalPlaces": 2
            }
          },
          "destination": {
            "node": {
              "id": "tkpmc_1"
            },
            "amount": {
              "currencyCode": "USD",
              "value": 15000,
              "decimalPlaces": 2
            }
          },
          "transferDetails": {
            "timeEstimate": "2-5 days",
            "feeTotal": {
              "value": 0,
              "decimalPlaces": 2
            }
          },
          "idempotencyKey": "idempotencyKey",
          "expiresAt": "2022-01-01T00:00:00Z"
        }
      ]
    }
  }
}
~~~


CreateTransferQuote

Quotes are valid for 30 minutes. Once a quote has expired, you must generate a new one.

Create Unified Funds Transfer quote

Once the user has chosen a quote, you can initiate the transfer. Use a `UnifiedFundsTransferQuote.quoteIdentifier` that has not expired to start the transfer.


~~~graphql
mutation InitiateUnifiedFundsTransfer($input: InitiateUnifiedFundsTransferInput!) {
  initiateUnifiedFundsTransfer(input: $input) {
    __typename
    ... on UnifiedFundsTransfer {
      id
      source {
        node {
          ... on FinancialAccount {
            id
          }
        }
        amount {
          currencyCode
          value
          decimalPlaces
        }
      }
      destination {
        node {
          ... on PaymentMethodToken {
            id
          }
        }
        amount {
          currencyCode
          value
          decimalPlaces
        }
      }
      externalIdentifier
      idempotencyKey
      steps {
        ... on UnifiedFundsTransferInitiateRequestStep {
          status
          createdAt
        }
        ... on UnifiedFundsTransferInstantNetworkTransferStep {
          status
          createdAt
          transfer {
            ... on InstantNetworkTransfer {
              id
              createdAt
              updatedAt
              status
              failureReason
            }
          }
        }
      }
    }
  }
}
~~~

~~~json
{
  "data": {
    "initiateUnifiedFundsTransfer": {
      "__typename": "UnifiedFundsTransfer",
      "id": "wouft_1",
      "source": {
        "node": {
          "id": "ac_1"
        }
      },
      "destination": {
        "node": {
          "id": "tkpmc_1"
        }
      },
      "externalIdentifier": "externalIdentifier",
      "idempotencyKey": "idempotencyKey",
      "steps": [
        {
          "status": "COMPLETED",
          "createdAt": "2025-07-11T19:22:37.510Z"
        },
        {
          "status": "PROCESSING",
          "createdAt": "2025-07-11T19:22:37.510Z",
          "transfer": {
            "id": "eftip_1",
            "createdAt": "2025-07-11T19:22:37.223Z",
            "updatedAt": "2025-07-11T19:22:37.229Z",
            "status": "PENDING",
            "failureReason": null
          }
        }
      ]
    }
  }
}
~~~

InitiateUnifiedFundsTransfer

Initiate Unified Funds Transfer

To look up an existing Instant Network Transfer, use the following query:


~~~graphql
query GetInstantNetworkTransfer($id: ID!) {
  node(id: $id) {
    __typename
    id
    ... on UnifiedFundsTransfer {
      status
      steps {
        __typename
        ... on UnifiedFundsTransferInstantNetworkTransferStep {
          __typename
          transfer {
            ... on InstantNetworkTransfer {
              createdAt
              destination {
                node {
                  __typename
                  ... on PaymentMethodToken {
                    id
                  }
                }
              }
              status
              events {
                __typename
                type
              }
              externalIdentifier
              failureReason
              id
              idempotencyKey
              updatedAt
            }
          }
        }
      }
    }
  }
}
~~~

~~~json
{
  "data": {
    "node": {
      "__typename": "UnifiedFundsTransfer",
      "id": "wouft_1",
      "status": "PROCESSING",
      "steps": [
        {
          "__typename": "UnifiedFundsTransferInitiateRequestStep"
        },
        {
          "__typename": "UnifiedFundsTransferInstantNetworkTransferStep",
          "transfer": {
            "createdAt": "2025-07-10T22:30:59.749Z",
            "destination": {
              "node": {
                "__typename": "PaymentMethodToken",
                "id": "pm_1"
              }
            },
            "status": "COMPLETED",
            "events": [
              {
                "__typename": "InstantNetworkTransferEvent",
                "type": "PUSH_PAYMENT"
              },
              {
                "__typename": "InstantNetworkTransferEvent",
                "type": "CLEAR_PUSH_PAYMENT_FUND"
              },
              {
                "__typename": "InstantNetworkTransferEvent",
                "type": "AUTHORIZED_PUSH_PAYMENT_FUND"
              }
            ],
            "externalIdentifier": "",
            "failureReason": null
            "id": "eftip_1",
            "idempotencyKey": "idempotencyKey",
            "updatedAt": "2025-07-10T22:31:09.876Z"
          }
        }
      ]
    }
  }
}
~~~

GetInstantNetworkTransfer

Query existing Unified Funds Transfer

Instant Network Transfers

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