Your First Tool
This guide walks you through using your first Universal Crypto MCP tool.
Prerequisites
- Installation complete
- Claude Desktop, Cursor, or another MCP-compatible client
Step 1: Start the Server
Make sure the MCP server is configured in your client. For Claude Desktop:
{
"mcpServers": {
"universal-crypto": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["@nirholas/universal-crypto-mcp"]
}
}
}
Restart Claude Desktop after updating the config.
Step 2: Check Available Tools
Ask Claude to list available tools:
"What crypto tools do you have available?"
Claude will show you the 380+ tools organized by category: - Market Data - Trading - DeFi - Wallets - Payments - And more...
Step 3: Get a Price
Let's start with a simple price check:
"What's the current price of Bitcoin?"
Claude will use the get_price tool to fetch real-time data:
Step 4: Check Trending Coins
"What coins are trending right now?"
Claude will use the get_trending tool:
🔥 Trending Coins
1. PEPE - $0.00001234 (+45%)
2. WIF - $2.34 (+23%)
3. BONK - $0.00003456 (+18%)
...
Step 5: Portfolio Check (with wallet)
If you've configured a wallet, check your portfolio:
"Show my portfolio across all chains"
Claude will scan your wallet across supported chains:
📊 Portfolio Summary
Ethereum:
• 0.5 ETH ($1,234.56)
• 1,000 USDC ($1,000.00)
Arbitrum:
• 0.1 ETH ($246.91)
• 500 USDC ($500.00)
Total: $2,981.47
Step 6: Token Security Check
Before buying any token, check its safety:
"Is this token safe: 0x1234...?"
Claude will use security tools:
🛡️ Token Security Report
✅ Not a honeypot
✅ Liquidity locked
✅ Contract verified
⚠️ Top 10 holders own 45%
Risk Score: MEDIUM
Common Use Cases
Price Alerts
"Set an alert when Bitcoin goes above $70,000"
DEX Swaps
"Swap 0.1 ETH for USDC on Uniswap"
Lending Positions
"Check my Aave position on Ethereum"
Gas Prices
"What's the current gas price on Ethereum?"
Bridge Quotes
"Get a quote to bridge 100 USDC from Ethereum to Arbitrum"
Tools by Category
Market Data Tools
| Tool | Description |
|---|---|
get_price |
Get current price |
get_trending |
Get trending coins |
get_market_cap |
Get market cap data |
get_ohlcv |
Get OHLCV candles |
get_news |
Get crypto news |
Wallet Tools
| Tool | Description |
|---|---|
get_balance |
Get wallet balance |
get_portfolio |
Multi-chain portfolio |
get_nfts |
Get NFT holdings |
get_history |
Transaction history |
DeFi Tools
| Tool | Description |
|---|---|
get_swap_quote |
Get swap quote |
execute_swap |
Execute a swap |
get_lending_position |
Check lending |
deposit_lending |
Deposit to lending |
Security Tools
| Tool | Description |
|---|---|
check_token |
Token security |
check_honeypot |
Honeypot detection |
check_contract |
Contract analysis |
check_rug_pull |
Rug pull detection |
Tips
Be Specific
The more specific your request, the better:
✅ "Get the price of PEPE on Ethereum"
❌ "What's pepe worth"
Use Chain Names
Specify the chain when relevant:
"Check my balance on Arbitrum" "Swap USDC for ETH on Base"
Confirm Transactions
For any transaction, Claude will ask for confirmation:
⚠️ Confirm Transaction
Action: Swap 100 USDC → ETH
Expected Output: 0.0412 ETH
Gas Estimate: $2.34
Slippage: 0.5%
Proceed? (yes/no)
Troubleshooting
"Tool not found"
Restart your MCP client after configuration changes.
"API key required"
Some tools require API keys. See Configuration.
"Wallet not connected"
Set up your wallet with PRIVATE_KEY or MNEMONIC environment variable.
Next Steps
- Deployment - Deploy to production
- Package Overview - Explore all packages
- x402 Payments - Set up AI payments