How do I install Bitcoin MCP?

Copy the stdio config for Cursor, Claude Desktop, Claude Code, or VS Code on this page. It uses the publisher's install, not a PlugMCP proxy.

Does Bitcoin MCP need an API key?

The publisher lists these environment variables: BITCOIN_RPC_HOST, BITCOIN_RPC_PORT, BITCOIN_NETWORK, SATOSHI_API_URL, SATOSHI_API_KEY.

What transport does Bitcoin MCP use?

Bitcoin MCP runs locally over stdio.

When was Bitcoin MCP last checked?

Last checked 2026-11-08. 49 Bitcoin tools for AI agents: fees, mempool, blocks, mining, price. Zero config.

Bitcoin MCP server

Power your agent

Add this server

The publisher's own command. Not a PlugMCP endpoint.

Add to Cursor Add to VS Code Run on PlugMCP

Host a copy with our keys and logs.

Local command

uvx bitcoin-mcp==0.5.1

Credentials from the publisher

BITCOIN_RPC_HOST — Bitcoin Core RPC host (default: 127.0.0.1)
BITCOIN_RPC_PORT — Bitcoin Core RPC port (default: auto-selected by network)
BITCOIN_NETWORK — Bitcoin network: mainnet, testnet, signet, or regtest (default: mainnet). Sets default RPC port if BITCOIN_RPC_PORT is not set.
SATOSHI_API_URL — Override the default hosted API URL (default: https://bitcoinsapi.com). The hosted API is used automatically when no local node is detected.
SATOSHI_API_KEY — API key for authenticated access to the hosted Satoshi API (get one free at POST /api/v1/register)

Claude Code has no install link for a local command. Copy the command below and run it in a terminal.

shClaude Code

1BITCOIN_RPC_HOST=<value> BITCOIN_RPC_PORT=<value> BITCOIN_NETWORK=<value> SATOSHI_API_URL=<value> SATOSHI_API_KEY=<secret> claude mcp add io.github.bortlesboat-bitcoin-mcp -- uvx bitcoin-mcp==0.5.1

Run in a terminal.

jsonClaude Desktop

1{2  "mcpServers": {3    "io.github.bortlesboat-bitcoin-mcp": {4      "command": "uvx",5      "args": [6        "bitcoin-mcp==0.5.1"7      ],8      "env": {9        "BITCOIN_RPC_HOST": "<value>",10        "BITCOIN_RPC_PORT": "<value>",11        "BITCOIN_NETWORK": "<value>",12        "SATOSHI_API_URL": "<value>",13        "SATOSHI_API_KEY": "<secret>"14      }15    }16  }17}

claude_desktop_config.json

Local · pypiPublisher installStep-by-step: add this in Claude

Remote URL or a command on your machine? How the two installs differ

Run on PlugMCP

Host a copy with our keys and logs.

A new server you create. It is not this listing's official endpoint. Use the publisher install when you want their URL and their credentials.

Launch

Server facts

Local

Transport: stdio
Version

Tools

No tool list yet. Remote servers get one after the first health check.

FAQ

Questions

bitcoin-mcp

Give any AI agent Bitcoin superpowers — fee intelligence, mempool analysis, and 50 tools backed by your Bitcoin node or compatible API.

50 standard tools · 6 prompts · 8 resources · Bitcoin Core or compatible API backend · MIT licensed

If bitcoin-mcp is useful to you, consider giving it a star — it helps others discover the project.

pip install "bitcoin-mcp>=0.5.2"

bitcoin-mcp needs a Bitcoin data backend. It auto-detects a local Bitcoin Core/Knots node from its cookie or RPC settings. Without a local node, set SATOSHI_API_URL to a compatible deployment.

Service status: the public Satoshi API previously hosted at bitcoinsapi.com is paused and should not be treated as a working default. Use a local node or an explicitly configured compatible API.

Install status

Version 0.5.2 includes the MCP SDK 1.x compatibility constraint and explicit backend selection. Upgrade older installations to receive these fixes.

Quick Start

Claude Desktop

Add to your claude_desktop_config.json:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "bitcoin": {
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": ["--from", "bitcoin-mcp>=0.5.2", "bitcoin-mcp"]
    }
  }
}

Claude Code

claude mcp add bitcoin -- uvx --from "bitcoin-mcp>=0.5.2" bitcoin-mcp

Cursor

Add to .cursor/mcp.json:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "bitcoin": {
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": ["--from", "bitcoin-mcp>=0.5.2", "bitcoin-mcp"]
    }
  }
}

VS Code

Add to .vscode/mcp.json:

{
  "servers": {
    "bitcoin": {
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": ["--from", "bitcoin-mcp>=0.5.2", "bitcoin-mcp"]
    }
  }
}

Zed

Add to your Zed settings.json under context_servers:

{
  "context_servers": {
    "bitcoin": {
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": ["--from", "bitcoin-mcp>=0.5.2", "bitcoin-mcp"]
    }
  }
}

See the Zed MCP docs for the current settings location and custom server flow.

Docker

docker build -t bitcoin-mcp .
docker run -i bitcoin-mcp

Or with docker compose:

docker compose up

Pass environment variables to connect to a local Bitcoin Core node or a compatible API:

docker run -i -e BITCOIN_RPC_HOST=host.docker.internal -e BITCOIN_RPC_PORT=8332 bitcoin-mcp
# or
docker run -i -e SATOSHI_API_URL=https://your-api.example bitcoin-mcp

Ask whether to send Bitcoin now

Use this as the first useful activation path after install:

"I need to send a Bitcoin transaction today. Use bitcoin-mcp to decide whether to send now or wait, and show the fee rate you used."

Expected path:

The agent calls get_fee_recommendation.
The answer gives a clear send now or wait recommendation with fee rates in sat/vB.
If the backend is unavailable, configure a local node or set SATOSHI_API_URL before retrying.

After it works, Star this repo and share a short showcase with the prompt, tool call, and outcome so other Bitcoin agent builders can see the path.

Agent Integration

For repos that need Bitcoin tools, add bitcoin-mcp to the agent's MCP config and configure one of its supported backends:

Local Bitcoin Core/Knots RPC settings: BITCOIN_RPC_HOST, BITCOIN_RPC_PORT, and optional credentials or datadir
Compatible remote API: SATOSHI_API_URL and, when required, SATOSHI_API_KEY
Satoshi API source and integration reference: https://github.com/Bortlesboat/bitcoin-api/blob/master/docs/AGENT_INTEGRATION.md

Generated HTTP examples should use canonical Satoshi API /api/v1 paths.

Why bitcoin-mcp?

Fee intelligence that saves real money — know the cheapest time to send, compare fee tiers, estimate exact costs before broadcasting
Backend choice — use your own Bitcoin Core/Knots node or an explicitly configured compatible API
Open source MCP tooling — tool definitions, tests, and client configuration examples are available in this repository

Top Use Cases

Ask your AI agent:

Prompt	What it does
"What's the cheapest time to send Bitcoin today?"	Fee recommendation with savings breakdown
"Analyze the current mempool congestion"	Real-time mempool depth, fee tiers, pending tx count
"How much would I save waiting 6 blocks vs next block?"	Side-by-side fee comparison across confirmation targets
"Search for this transaction: abc123..."	Full transaction decode with inscription detection
"Give me a situation summary of Bitcoin right now"	Price, fees, mempool, mining, difficulty — one call

Full Tool Reference

Fee Intelligence

Tool	Description
`get_fee_recommendation`	Optimal fee rate with urgency tiers and savings tips
`get_fee_estimates`	Fee estimates across all confirmation targets
`estimate_smart_fee`	Fee estimate for a specific confirmation target
`compare_fee_estimates`	Side-by-side comparison of fee sources
`estimate_transaction_cost`	Exact cost estimate for a transaction before sending

Blocks & Transactions

Tool	Description
`analyze_block`	Deep analysis of any block by height or hash
`get_block_stats`	Statistical breakdown of a block
`get_block_count`	Current chain height
`compare_blocks`	Compare two blocks side by side
`search_blocks`	Search a range of blocks
`analyze_transaction`	Full transaction analysis with inscription detection
`decode_raw_transaction`	Decode a raw transaction hex
`send_raw_transaction`	Broadcast a signed transaction
`check_utxo`	Check if a UTXO is spent or unspent

Mempool

Tool	Description
`analyze_mempool`	Full mempool analysis — depth, fees, congestion
`get_mempool_info`	Mempool size, bytes, fee floor
`get_mempool_entry`	Details for a specific unconfirmed transaction
`get_mempool_ancestors`	Ancestor chain for a mempool transaction

Mining

Tool	Description
`get_mining_info`	Current mining difficulty, hashrate, block reward
`analyze_next_block`	Preview of the next block template
`get_mining_pool_rankings`	Top mining pools by recent blocks
`get_difficulty_adjustment`	Time and percentage of next difficulty change
`get_halving_countdown`	Blocks and estimated time until next halving

Network & Status

Tool	Description
`get_blockchain_info`	Chain state, verification progress, softfork status
`get_network_info`	Node version, connections, relay info
`get_node_status`	Connection status and node health
`get_peer_info`	Connected peer details
`get_chain_tips`	Active and stale chain tips
`get_chain_tx_stats`	Transaction throughput over N blocks
`get_utxo_set_info`	UTXO set size and total supply
`get_supply_info`	Circulating supply, inflation rate, percent mined
`get_situation_summary`	Aggregated overview — price, fees, mempool, mining
`get_btc_price`	Current BTC/USD price
`get_market_sentiment`	Fear/greed index and market indicators

Address & UTXO

Tool	Description
`get_address_utxos`	UTXOs for an address
`validate_address`	Validate and classify a Bitcoin address

Indexed Address (requires blockchain indexer)

Tool	Description
`get_address_balance`	Total received/sent/balance, tx count, first/last seen
`get_address_history`	Paginated transaction history with net value change
`get_address_transactions`	Transaction history with per-transaction value details
`get_indexed_transaction`	Enriched tx with resolved input addresses + spent status
`get_indexer_status`	Sync progress, ETA, blocks/sec

Security

Tool	Description
`analyze_psbt_security`	Security analysis of a Partially Signed Bitcoin Transaction
`explain_inscription_listing_security`	Security guide for ordinal inscription listings

Utility

Tool	Description
`search_blockchain`	Universal search — address, txid, block hash, or height
`generate_keypair`	Generate a new Bitcoin keypair
`explain_script`	Decode and explain a Bitcoin script
`decode_bolt11_invoice`	Decode a Lightning Network BOLT11 invoice
`describe_rpc_command`	Help text for any Bitcoin Core RPC command
`list_rpc_commands`	List all available RPC commands
`decode_xpub`	Decode and inspect an extended public key

Optional Remote API Tool

query_remote_api is registered only when SATOSHI_API_URL is set and the l402 extra is installed. It queries canonical /api/v1 routes on that explicitly configured endpoint.

Configuration

Configure either a local Bitcoin Core/Knots node or a compatible remote API. If neither is available, bitcoin-mcp exits its connection check with a setup error instead of silently selecting an unavailable public service.

CLI Flags

bitcoin-mcp supports the following runtime flags:

Flag	Values	Default	Description
`--transport`	`stdio`, `sse`, `streamable-http`	`stdio`	MCP transport to run
`--host`	hostname / IP	`127.0.0.1` for HTTP transports	Bind host for `sse` and `streamable-http`
`--port`	integer	`8000` for HTTP transports	Bind port for `sse` and `streamable-http`
`--log-level`	`DEBUG`, `INFO`, `WARNING`, `ERROR`	`INFO`	Server log verbosity

Example:

bitcoin-mcp --transport sse --host 127.0.0.1 --port 8000 --log-level DEBUG

Variable	Description	Default
`BITCOIN_RPC_HOST`	Bitcoin Core RPC host	`127.0.0.1`
`BITCOIN_RPC_PORT`	Bitcoin Core RPC port	Auto by network
`BITCOIN_NETWORK`	`mainnet`, `testnet`, `signet`, or `regtest`	`mainnet`
`SATOSHI_API_URL`	Compatible Satoshi API base URL	None
`SATOSHI_API_KEY`	API key for authenticated access	None

To connect to a local Bitcoin Core node:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "bitcoin": {
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": ["--from", "bitcoin-mcp>=0.5.2", "bitcoin-mcp"],
      "env": {
        "BITCOIN_RPC_HOST": "127.0.0.1",
        "BITCOIN_RPC_PORT": "8332"
      }
    }
  }
}

Prompts & Resources

6 built-in prompts for common workflows: analyze_fee_environment, investigate_transaction, monitor_mempool_fees, taproot_adoption_report, network_health_report, track_transaction

8 resources for context injection: bitcoin://connection/status, bitcoin://node/status, bitcoin://fees/current, bitcoin://fees/history, bitcoin://mempool/snapshot, bitcoin://protocol/script-opcodes, bitcoin://protocol/address-types, bitcoin://protocol/sighash-types

Examples

See the examples/ folder for documented usage patterns:

Fee Analysis — find optimal send timing
Mempool Monitor — track congestion
Transaction Investigation — decode and analyze transactions
Block Analysis — inspect and compare blocks

Support This Project

bitcoin-mcp is free, open-source Bitcoin infrastructure. Support development through GitHub Sponsors, reproducible issue reports, documentation improvements, and tested patches.

Contributing

Run the unit suite with python -m pytest tests/. For the optional Core/Knots checks over the MCP interface, see real-node integration tests.

Contributions are welcome. See CONTRIBUTING.md for guidelines, including how to add new tools and the PR checklist.

Please report security vulnerabilities privately — see SECURITY.md.

About

bitcoin-mcp is created and maintained by Andrew Barnes, bridging AI agents and Bitcoin infrastructure through the Model Context Protocol.

Related projects:

Satoshi API — Bitcoin fee intelligence API, 108 endpoints, usable as a self-hosted compatible backend
ChainPulse — AI-powered Bitcoin network intelligence CLI
BAIP-1 — Bitcoin Agent Identity Protocol
bitcoin-fee-observatory — Fee market analytics dashboard

License

MIT

Add this server

Host a copy with our keys and logs.

Server facts

Tools

Questions

How do I install Bitcoin MCP?

Does Bitcoin MCP need an API key?

What transport does Bitcoin MCP use?

When was Bitcoin MCP last checked?

Documentation

bitcoin-mcp

Install status

Quick Start

Claude Desktop

Claude Code

Cursor

VS Code

Zed

Docker

Ask whether to send Bitcoin now

Agent Integration

Why bitcoin-mcp?

Top Use Cases

Full Tool Reference

Fee Intelligence

Blocks & Transactions

Mempool

Mining

Network & Status

Address & UTXO

Indexed Address (requires blockchain indexer)

Security

Utility

Optional Remote API Tool

Configuration

CLI Flags

Prompts & Resources

Links

Examples

Support This Project

Contributing

About

License