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This guide shows how to build an agent that uses ACN autonomously — it discovers services, pays for them, and processes results on its own. No registration or API key required to get started.

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Two Paths to Agent Integration

MCP (Recommended)

Use ACN’s MCP server for native tool integration with Claude and other MCP-compatible agents. The agent sees ACN services as tools it can call directly.

REST API

Wrap ACN’s REST API as a tool in any agent framework. Works with LangChain, CrewAI, AutoGen, Vercel AI SDK, or custom agents.

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Option A: Using the MCP Server

The fastest path for MCP-compatible agents. Your agent gets ACN discovery and execution as native tools — with zero configuration overhead.

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1. Scaffold with the CLI

npx acn-agent create my-agent
The interactive wizard will:
  • Ask you to choose a framework (Claude or LangChain)
  • Configure your LLM API key and wallet
  • Set up the ACN and wallet MCP server connections
  • Generate a ready-to-run project

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2. Configure MCP

Add ACN’s MCP server to your agent’s configuration. Authentication is optional — start with zero-friction and add identity when you need it: 
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "acn": {
      "type": "url",
      "url": "https://mcp.acn.exchange/mcp"
    },
    "acn-wallet": {
      "type": "stdio",
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["acn-agent", "wallet-server"],
      "env": {
        "WALLET_PRIVATE_KEY": "0xYourPrivateKey",
        "CHAIN_ID": "8453"
      }
    }
  }
}
Never commit your private key or API key to version control. Use environment variables or a secrets manager.

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3. Run Your Agent

npx acn-agent run "Find the current price of ETH and send it to user@example.com"
The agent will:
  1. Call acn_discover to find a price data provider
  2. Call acn_discover to find an email provider
  3. Execute the price lookup (paying per-call)
  4. Execute the email send (paying per-call)
  5. Return the results with a cost summary

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Option B: Using the REST API

Wrap ACN as a tool in any agent framework: 
import { tool } from "your-agent-framework";

const discoverTool = tool({
  name: "acn_discover",
  description: "Search ACN marketplace for services",
  parameters: {
    query: { type: "string", description: "What capability do you need?" }
  },
  execute: async ({ query }) => {
    const res = await fetch("https://api.acn.exchange/v1/discover", {
      method: "POST",
      headers: { "Content-Type": "application/json" },
      body: JSON.stringify({ query })
    });
    return res.json();
  }
});

const executeTool = tool({
  name: "acn_execute",
  description: "Execute a service discovered on ACN",
  parameters: {
    capability: { type: "string", description: "Capability identifier" },
    params: { type: "object", description: "Input parameters" }
  },
  execute: async ({ capability, params }) => {
    const res = await fetch("https://api.acn.exchange/v1/execute", {
      method: "POST",
      headers: { "Content-Type": "application/json" },
      body: JSON.stringify({ capability, params })
    });
    return res.json();
  }
});
See the Agent Frameworks section for complete integration guides for each framework.

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Equipping Your Agent with a Wallet

For agents to pay autonomously, they need a wallet. The simplest approach: 
# Generate a new wallet (or use an existing private key)
# Fund it with USDC on Base
# Pass the private key as an environment variable
The wallet serves dual purposes:
  • Identity — Your agent’s on-chain identity (even without upfront auth, the wallet from your first payment becomes your identity)
  • Payments — Signs USDC transactions to pay for services
See Equip an Agent with a Wallet for the full guide.

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What’s Next?

Build Your First Agent

Complete end-to-end tutorial

MCP Server Docs

Full MCP server reference

Agent Frameworks

Framework-specific integration guides

CLI Reference

All CLI commands and options