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MCP Server Getting Started

Get your Moralis MCP Server running in minutes. This guide covers installation, configuration, and making your first blockchain queries through AI models.

Prerequisites​

Installation​

Option 1: Global Install​

npm install -g @moralisweb3/api-mcp-server
# No installation needed - run directly
npx @moralisweb3/api-mcp-server --version

Option 3: Auto-install for Claude Desktop​

npx -y @smithery/cli install @MoralisWeb3/moralis-mcp-server --client claude

Get Your API Key​

  1. Go to Moralis Admin Panel
  2. Sign up and log in
  3. Navigate to API Keys
  4. Copy your API key
  5. Set it in your environment:
export MORALIS_API_KEY=<your_api_key>

⚠️ Note: Some features require a Moralis paid plan for full access and production performance.

Basic Usage​

Run with Default Settings​

# Using global install
moralis-api-mcp --transport stdio

# Using npx
npx @moralisweb3/api-mcp-server --transport stdio

Transport Options​

# Standard input/output (default - for AI clients)
moralis-api-mcp --transport stdio

# HTTP server (for web apps)
moralis-api-mcp --transport web

# HTTP with streaming (for real-time apps)
moralis-api-mcp --transport streamable-http

Connect to AI Clients​

Claude Desktop Setup​

Create or edit your Claude Desktop config file:

macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json Windows: %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "moralis": {
      "command": "npx @moralisweb3/api-mcp-server",
      "args": [],
      "env": {
        "MORALIS_API_KEY": "your_api_key_here"
      }
    }
  }
}

Restart Claude Desktop after saving.

Generic MCP Client Config​

For other MCP-compatible clients:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "serverName": {
      "command": "npx @moralisweb3/api-mcp-server",
      "args": [],
      "env": {
        "MORALIS_API_KEY": "your_api_key"
      }
    }
  }
}

Test Your Setup​

Once connected to an AI client, try these queries:

Basic Price Check​

What's the current price of PEPE and Ethereum?

Wallet Analysis​

What tokens does wallet 0xd8dA6BF26964aF9D7eEd9e03E53415D37aA96045 hold?

NFT Query​

Show me the NFTs owned by vitalik.eth on Base

You should see the AI model using Moralis tools to fetch real blockchain data and provide intelligent responses.

Development Setup​

Clone and Build​

git clone https://github.com/MoralisWeb3/moralis-mcp-server.git
cd moralis-mcp-server

# Install dependencies
npm install

# Build the server
npm run build

Development with Auto-rebuild​

npm run watch

Debug with MCP Inspector​

npm run inspector

The Inspector provides a browser-based debugging interface at the URL shown in the output.

Environment Variables​

VariableRequiredDescription
MORALIS_API_KEYYesYour Moralis API key

Verification​

Check Installation​

npx @moralisweb3/api-mcp-server --version

Test API Key​

# Set your key
export MORALIS_API_KEY=your_key_here

# Run server (should start without errors)
npx @moralisweb3/api-mcp-server --transport stdio

Verify AI Client Connection​

In your AI client (Claude Desktop, etc.), you should see:

  • MCP tools available in conversations
  • Ability to query blockchain data
  • Structured responses with real-time data

Common Issues​

Command Not Found​

# Use npx instead of global install
npx @moralisweb3/api-mcp-server --transport stdio

API Key Not Set​

# Check if set
echo $MORALIS_API_KEY

# Set if missing
export MORALIS_API_KEY=your_api_key

Claude Desktop Not Showing Tools​

  1. Check config file syntax
  2. Verify file path is correct
  3. Restart Claude Desktop completely
  4. Check for config file typos

Resources​