Connect an MCP client

The PowaAgent connector is an MCP server. Once your assistant or agent is connected, it can buy from the catalog, across Premium, Standard and Open Ecosystem endpoints, with every payment checked against your source policy.

Before your agent can pay, you need a PowaAgent account with a wallet, and some funds in it. If you don't have an account yet, create one at portal.powaagent.ai and set up your wallet first. See Create your account.

Connection details#

Use the full address, including https:// and /mcp. If your client reports a redirect error, use it with a trailing slash: https://mcp.powaagent.ai/mcp/.

The Claude, ChatGPT and Grok options on the Works with your AI page of powaagent.ai open these same steps.

Claude, ChatGPT and Grok: sign in with OAuth#

Add the connector once on the web and sign in to PowaAgent. You don't need an API key.

Claude

1. Copy the server address: https://mcp.powaagent.ai/mcp.
2. Make sure you're signed in to Claude in your browser, then open this link: add the PowaAgent connector in Claude. The connector arrives pre-filled, so just choose Add.
3. If the pre-filled window doesn't appear, add it yourself: go to Customize → Connectors, choose Add custom connector, set the name to "PowaAgent" and paste the server address.
4. Choose Connect next to the new PowaAgent connector and sign in to link your PowaAgent account.

Claude Desktop and Claude Code use the same connector. Once you've added it in Claude on the web, it's available in Claude Desktop and Claude Code when you're signed in with the same Claude account. There's nothing else to set up.

ChatGPT (set it up on chatgpt.com in a browser)

1. Copy the server address: https://mcp.powaagent.ai/mcp.
2. Open Plugins. You can reach it from the sidebar, or from Settings → Plugins → Browse directory.
3. Choose Add, then Create custom MCP server.
4. Set Name to "PowaAgent". Under Connection, keep Server URL selected and paste the server address.
5. Set Authentication to OAuth. Don't choose "No authentication".
6. Tick I understand and want to continue, then choose Create as a plugin.
7. Complete the PowaAgent sign-in when ChatGPT asks.

Once added on chatgpt.com, the plugin is available in ChatGPT's apps where you're signed in to the same account.

If you don't see Create custom MCP server, custom MCP servers may not be available on your ChatGPT plan, or your workspace admin may have turned them off.

Grok

1. Copy the server address: https://mcp.powaagent.ai/mcp.
2. Open Skills and Connectors, choose New Connector, then Custom.
3. Set the name to "PowaAgent", paste the server address as the Server URL, then choose Add Connector.
4. Complete the PowaAgent sign-in and the authorization Grok opens.

The sign-in. You sign in with your PowaAgent email, password and authenticator code on PowaAgent's sign-in page (auth.powaagent.ai), then return to your assistant. To disconnect, remove the connector in your assistant.

Other MCP clients: use an API key#

Other MCP-capable agents and clients authenticate with a PowaAgent API key. Send the key on every request:

Authorization: Bearer <your PowaAgent API key>

Create a key under API key in the portal. Keys expire on the date you choose, up to 365 days. See API keys.

Anyone holding your key can spend from your wallet, within your source policy. Keep it out of shared files and source control.

OAuth sign-in needs a client that receives the result at an https:// web address, so clients that expect a localhost address should use an API key instead.

Any client that supports Streamable HTTP and lets you set an Authorization header can connect. Point it at the server address and send your key as a bearer token.

Claude Code or Claude Desktop with an API key (optional)

You don't need this if you've added the connector in Claude on the web. If you'd rather use an API key:

Claude Code:

claude mcp add --transport http powaagent https://mcp.powaagent.ai/mcp \
  --header "Authorization: Bearer <your PowaAgent API key>"

Check that it was added with claude mcp list.

Claude Desktop: bridge the remote server with mcp-remote. Open Settings → Developer → Edit Config and add:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "powaagent": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "mcp-remote",
        "https://mcp.powaagent.ai/mcp",
        "--header",
        "Authorization:${POWAAGENT_AUTH}"
      ],
      "env": {
        "POWAAGENT_AUTH": "Bearer <your PowaAgent API key>"
      }
    }
  }
}

Restart Claude Desktop. The key sits in this config file, so keep the file private.

The tools your agent gets#

The listing tools come from GET https://api.powahub.ai/catalog, which lists the Premium and Standard listings only. They change when those listings change. If your agent reports an unknown tool, ask it to refresh its tool list. Open Ecosystem endpoints are found with search_bazaar and paid with pay_x402.

Listing tools that support it also accept environment: "sandbox", which runs the call on Base Sepolia with test USDC. See Sandbox testing.

What a result looks like#

Every paid call returns the seller's data, where it came from, and a payment receipt. The example below is illustrative: the seller, ids, amount and hash are placeholders.

{
  "data": { "...": "the seller's response" },
  "provenance": {
    "service_id": "00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000",
    "endpoint": "https://api.example.com/v1/lookup",
    "requested_at": "2026-01-01T12:00:00.000000Z",
    "completed_at": "2026-01-01T12:00:01.000000Z",
    "request_id": null
  },
  "receipt": {
    "payment_required": true,
    "amount_usdc": "0.01",
    "amount_atomic": 10000,
    "pay_to": "0x<seller address>",
    "network": "eip155:8453",
    "tx_hash": "0x<transaction hash>",
    "sandbox": false
  }
}

• provenance.service_id is set for Premium and Standard listings and is null for Open Ecosystem endpoints.
• receipt.tx_hash is the on-chain payment. Look it up on basescan.org.

Things to know#

• The server doesn't ask before paying. It pays whenever the call passes your source policy. Use your assistant's tool-approval settings if you want to confirm each call, and set spend caps in your source policy.
• Blocked calls tell you why. For example, if your allow list is on and the seller isn't on it, the call returns "Seller approval pending" and the seller appears under Pending approvals.
• Health check. GET https://mcp.powaagent.ai/healthz returns {"status":"ok"}, and needs no sign-in.