# Show HN: Agent payments by social handles (not Stripe-based, not on bank rails) > Source: > Published: 2026-09-09 09:31:15+00:00 Open payments for multiplayer agents, powered by social reputation. Resolve a social handle to a wallet, check reputation, and send tokens — from Cursor, Claude Desktop, Claude Code, or any MCP-compatible client. Multiplayer means parties who don't already know each other — an agent paying a person, or another agent, with no prior relationship and no account to fall back on. Connect is how it verifies who it's dealing with before sending anything. Public repository: [github.com/Quidli/connect-mcp](https://github.com/Quidli/connect-mcp) No API key required. **Claude Code:** ``` claude mcp add --transport http quidli https://mcp.connect.quid.li/ ``` **Cursor:** Add to Cursor (or paste that link into **Settings → MCP → Add new MCP server**) **Claude Desktop:** **Settings → Connectors → Add custom connector**, URL `https://mcp.connect.quid.li` **Local (any client)** — runs on your machine instead of the hosted endpoint: ``` npx -y @quidli/connect-mcp ``` See [Choose how to connect](#choose-how-to-connect) below for API keys, x402 wallet pay-per-call, and full config snippets. Then ask your agent: Resolve the Farcaster handle `ahn.eth` to a wallet. ``` { "status": "completed", "results": [ { "type": "farcaster", "value": "ahn.eth", "ethWalletAddress": "0x07De92Ce6474D718c80e696516bf0bE53290fF5E", "solWalletAddress": "9DD2CqPKZJoo7ZRgCXxJNMjhzfgVihSKtkZpn8qnEWK9" } ] } ``` Resolves across Telegram, Discord, Farcaster, X, GitHub, LinkedIn, email and phone — and generates a wallet for people who have never used Quidli. Lookup, scores, and price run without a key under a shared anonymous quota. Add a [Connect API key](https://connect.quid.li) for higher limits, your own profile (`connect_me`), and Smart Send. | | **Hosted** (`mcp.connect.quid.li` ) | **Local** (`npx @quidli/connect-mcp` ) | |---|---|---| | **Setup** | Add a URL in MCP settings | Run a local process via `npx` | | **Auth** | Optional API key. Without a key: lookup/scores under a shared anonymous quota; price/chains are public | API key, x402 pay-per-call, or none for lookup/scores | | **Pros** | No install; try without a key; always on Quidli infrastructure | Wallet private key never leaves your machine; pay per call with USDC instead of an API key | | **Cons** | Anonymous traffic shares a global rate limit; no pay-per-call billing | Requires Node.js 20+; `npx` may download the package on first run | | **Limitations** | Cannot use x402 / wallet auth — do **not** send a private key to the hosted endpoint | x402 mode needs USDC on Base (mainnet `8453` );`connect_drop` requires an API key | Get a Connect API key at [connect.quid.li](https://connect.quid.li) → **Enable API access** for higher limits, `connect_me`, and Smart Send. Zero local setup. Lookup, scores, agent, and price work without an API key (shared anonymous quota). Add a key for higher limits, your profile (`connect_me`), and Smart Send. **If you already have other MCP servers:** skip the deeplink and [add manually](#cursor-manual) — the one-click install can overwrite your entire `mcp.json` in some Cursor versions. Add to Cursor Or paste into **Cursor Settings → MCP → Add new MCP server**: ``` cursor://anysphere.cursor-deeplink/mcp/install?name=quidli-connect&config=eyJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL21jcC5jb25uZWN0LnF1aWQubGkifQ== ``` Merge this into `~/.cursor/mcp.json` (global) or `.cursor/mcp.json` (project) under `mcpServers` — do not replace your existing entries: ``` "quidli-connect": { "url": "https://mcp.connect.quid.li" } ``` Optional — higher limits and Smart Send: ``` "quidli-connect": { "url": "https://mcp.connect.quid.li", "headers": { "x-api-key": "" } } ``` 1. Open **Claude → Settings → Connectors** (or**Settings → Developer → Edit Config** on older versions). 2. Add a custom MCP connector with URL `https://mcp.connect.quid.li` . Optionally set header`x-api-key: ` . Or merge this into your config file and restart Claude: - **macOS:**`~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json` - **Windows:**`%APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json` ``` { "mcpServers": { "quidli-connect": { "url": "https://mcp.connect.quid.li" } } } ``` If your Claude version does not support remote `url` connectors, use the local bridge instead (still hosted API, runs a small local helper): ``` { "mcpServers": { "quidli-connect": { "command": "npx", "args": [ "-y", "mcp-remote@latest", "--http", "https://mcp.connect.quid.li" ] } } } ``` Requires **Node.js 20+** for the bridge. Restart Claude Desktop after saving. You should see a hammer icon in the chat input when tools are available. Without a key, `initialize` / `tools/list` always succeed. Anonymous `tools/call` share a global quota (HTTP **429** when exceeded — get a key for higher limits). Placeholder keys still return **401**. 1. Go to [grok.com/connectors](https://grok.com/connectors) and select**Custom** . 2. Enter the server URL: `https://mcp.connect.quid.li` This gives Grok access to the anonymous-tier tools -- lookup, scores, agent, and price -- under the shared quota. **Current limitation:** Grok's custom connector UI does not currently support attaching an API key or custom header. That means `connect_me`, `connect_drop`, and `connect_drop_balance` (all **API key only**) are not usable through Grok yet -- calls to them will return an unauthorized error. This isn't a `connect-mcp` limitation; it's Grok's custom-connector setup not exposing an auth field at this time. If you already use [Smithery](https://smithery.ai/servers/quidli/connect), it will handle auth and sessions for you. Requires a Smithery account. ``` npx smithery login npx smithery mcp add quidli/connect ``` Best if you want pay-per-call with a wallet, or prefer credentials in a local env file. Requires **Node.js 20+**. Add one of the following to `.cursor/mcp.json` (project) or your global MCP settings. Same billing model as hosted; credentials stay on your machine. ``` { "mcpServers": { "quidli-connect": { "command": "npx", "args": ["-y", "@quidli/connect-mcp"], "env": { "CONNECT_API_KEY": "", "CONNECT_API_BASE_URL": "https://api.connect.quid.li" } } } } ``` No API key. Authenticated calls pay automatically when the API returns HTTP 402. Your wallet private key is only read by the local process. ``` { "mcpServers": { "quidli-connect": { "command": "npx", "args": ["-y", "@quidli/connect-mcp"], "env": { "EVM_PRIVATE_KEY": "0x", "CONNECT_API_BASE_URL": "https://api.connect.quid.li", "CONNECT_X402_EVM_NETWORK": "8453" } } } } ``` Use `84532` for Base Sepolia when pointing at a staging API. The MCP process starts without `CONNECT_API_KEY` or `EVM_PRIVATE_KEY`. `connect_lookup`, `connect_scores_*`, `connect_get_price`, and `connect_get_chains` call the API without auth. That succeeds when x402 is disabled (price `0`, typical for local). On production with x402 enabled, those tools return HTTP 402 until you set a key or wallet. `connect_me`, `connect_drop`, and `connect_drop_balance` still require `CONNECT_API_KEY`. ``` { "mcpServers": { "quidli-connect": { "command": "npx", "args": ["-y", "@quidli/connect-mcp"], "env": { "CONNECT_API_BASE_URL": "http://127.0.0.1:3011" } } } } ``` 1. Open **Claude → Settings → Developer → Edit Config** (enable Developer mode first if you do not see it). 2. Merge one of the blocks below into `mcpServers` in: - **macOS:**`~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json` - **Windows:**`%APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json` 1. Restart Claude Desktop. ``` { "mcpServers": { "quidli-connect": { "command": "npx", "args": ["-y", "@quidli/connect-mcp"], "env": { "CONNECT_API_KEY": "", "CONNECT_API_BASE_URL": "https://api.connect.quid.li" } } } } { "mcpServers": { "quidli-connect": { "command": "npx", "args": ["-y", "@quidli/connect-mcp"], "env": { "EVM_PRIVATE_KEY": "0x", "CONNECT_API_BASE_URL": "https://api.connect.quid.li", "CONNECT_X402_EVM_NETWORK": "8453" } } } } ``` If both `CONNECT_API_KEY` and `EVM_PRIVATE_KEY` are set, the API key is used. Credentials are optional in local mode. Without either variable, lookup/scores still work when the API does not charge x402. `connect_me` and Smart Send tools require `CONNECT_API_KEY`. If you're launching `@quidli/connect-mcp` via `npx` from inside a background process manager -- a macOS `launchd` agent, a systemd unit, a supervisor, or any client config running without a normal interactive shell -- it can hang **indefinitely with zero output and no error**. This isn't a crash; `npx` is stuck resolving `PATH` in an environment that doesn't provide the same shell initialization an interactive terminal gets. **Workaround:** if you have [Bun](https://bun.sh) installed, use `bunx` instead of `npx`. It performs the same job -- running the package without a local install -- but doesn't hit this hang in restricted-`PATH` environments. ``` { "mcpServers": { "quidli-connect": { "command": "bunx", "args": ["-y", "@quidli/connect-mcp"], "env": { "CONNECT_API_KEY": "your-api-key" } } } } ``` If you're spawning the process yourself (rather than through a client's MCP config) and want to be resilient to `bunx` not being on `PATH` either, resolve it by absolute path first: ``` js import { spawn } from "node:child_process"; import { existsSync } from "node:fs"; import { homedir } from "node:os"; import { join } from "node:path"; const BUNX_PATH = (() => { const candidate = join(homedir(), ".bun", "bin", "bunx"); return existsSync(candidate) ? candidate : "bunx"; })(); const proc = spawn(BUNX_PATH, ["-y", "@quidli/connect-mcp"], { stdio: ["pipe", "pipe", "pipe"], }); ``` This isn't a general claim that Bun is better than npm -- it's a targeted fix for one specific, reproducible failure mode when `npx` is spawned outside an interactive shell. Double-check you're setting `CONNECT_API_KEY`, not `API_KEY` -- the server only reads `CONNECT_API_KEY`, and a mismatch here fails silently: your calls will run in anonymous/unauthenticated mode instead of erroring, which can look like a working-but-oddly-limited connection rather than a config mistake. | Tool | What it does | |---|---| | `connect_get_price` | List reference prices (no auth) | | `connect_get_chains` | List supported chains and feature compatibility (no auth) | | `connect_lookup` | Resolve social identities to EVM and SOL wallet addresses | | `connect_lookup_exposed` | List platforms a recipient has exposed on Connect | | `connect_scores_batch` | Batch scores for accounts or usernames | | `connect_scores_by_account` | Scores for one linked account | | `connect_scores_by_username` | Scores by Connect username | | `connect_me` | API key owner profile, scores, and linked accounts — **API key only** | | `connect_drop` | Smart Send (EVM batch or Solana SOL/SPL) — **API key only** | | `connect_drop_balance` | Smart Send wallet balances on a chain — **API key only** | Ask your client to use these tools when you need Connect data or actions.