AI agents (MCP)

Pretium ships a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server so AI tools can call payment capabilities as tools — not as a REST API you wire into your app. Connect it once in Cursor, Claude, or ChatGPT. Your agent can then register a Pretium agent, set spend limits, validate recipients, check balances, and send fiat or stablecoin payouts through normal chat. Hosted endpoint: https://mcp.pretium.africa/mcp
Open source: github.com/derrickbundi/pretium-mcp

What agents can do

Capability	Tools
FX rates	`get_exchange_rates`
Off-ramp orders	`create_order`, `confirm_order`, `get_order_status`
Validate recipients	`validate_phone_number`, `validate_bank_account`
Agent lifecycle	`register_agent`, `create_agent_spend_policy`, `get_agent`
Balances & payouts	`get_agent_balance`, `agent_create_fiat_order`, `get_agent_fiat_order_status`, `agent_create_stablecoin_order`

Fiat agent payouts today: KES, UGX, NGN (mobile money, paybill, buy goods, bank transfer). Stablecoins: USDT/USDC on Celo, Base, BNB.

Prerequisites

A Pretium partner account and API key (used by the MCP server as x-api-key).
For agent tools: a partner secret key from the portal (used by register_agent).
An ERC-20 settlement wallet configured in the partner portal (for agent stablecoin flows).

You do not call /mcp/agent/* HTTP routes from your product. The MCP server wraps those for the AI client.

Add in Cursor

Open Cursor Settings → MCP (or edit ~/.cursor/mcp.json / project .cursor/mcp.json).
Add the Pretium server:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "pretium": {
      "url": "https://mcp.pretium.africa/mcp"
    }
  }
}

For a local pretium-mcp instance:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "pretium": {
      "url": "http://localhost:3000/mcp"
    }
  }
}

Restart Cursor (or reload MCP). You should see Pretium tools listed under the server.
Ask the agent things like: “Register my Pretium agent and check the UGX balance.”

Also listed on cursor.directory for discovery.

Add in Claude

Claude Desktop

Edit your Claude Desktop MCP config (macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json):

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "pretium": {
      "url": "https://mcp.pretium.africa/mcp"
    }
  }
}

Restart Claude Desktop. Pretium tools appear in the MCP tools list for the conversation.

Claude Code / CLI

claude mcp add --transport http pretium https://mcp.pretium.africa/mcp

If your Claude build only supports stdio MCP, run pretium-mcp locally and point the client at its Streamable HTTP or SSE URL (see below).

Add in ChatGPT

Open ChatGPT settings for Apps / Connectors (or Custom GPT actions that support MCP, depending on your plan).
Add a new MCP connector with URL:

https://mcp.pretium.africa/mcp

Allow the Pretium tools you need (rates, validation, agent payouts).
In chat, instruct the model to use Pretium for African payouts — for example: “Validate this Safaricom number, then pay 500 KES from my agent.”

If ChatGPT requires OAuth or a verified connector for remote MCP, use a self-hosted pretium-mcp behind your own auth, or contact hello@pretium.africa for partner MCP access.

Self-host (optional)

git clone https://github.com/derrickbundi/pretium-mcp
cd pretium-mcp
npm install
# set PRETIUM_API_KEY (and optional PRETIUM_API_BASE_URL) in .env
npm run dev

Transport	URL	Clients
Streamable HTTP	`POST http://localhost:3000/mcp`	Cursor, modern Claude
SSE	`GET http://localhost:3000/sse` + `POST /messages`	Legacy SSE-only clients

Do not expose a self-hosted MCP publicly without auth — it acts with your partner API key.

Typical chat workflows

Register and pay fiat

register_agent → create_agent_spend_policy → validate_phone_number
  → agent_create_fiat_order → get_agent_fiat_order_status

Stablecoin transfer

register_agent → create_agent_spend_policy → get_agent_balance
  → agent_create_stablecoin_order

Off-ramp (crypto → fiat)

create_order → (user pays on-chain) → confirm_order → get_order_status

Approvals above auto-approve limits are handled in the partner portal.

Fiat payout field cheat sheet

`type`	Required fields
`mobile`	`shortcode`, `mobile_network`
`paybill`	`shortcode`, `account_number`
`buy_goods`	`shortcode`
`bank_transfer`	`bank_code`, `account_number`, `account_name`

Currency	Allowed types
UGX	`mobile` only
KES	`mobile`, `paybill`, `buy_goods`, `bank_transfer`
NGN	`bank_transfer` only

REST Pretium vs MCP

	Pretium (this docs site)	Pretium MCP
Audience	Your backend / product	Cursor, Claude, ChatGPT agents
Auth	`x-api-key` on each HTTP call	MCP server holds the key; tools are invoked by the AI client
Shape	REST JSON under `/v1`, `/account`, …	MCP tools (`register_agent`, `create_order`, …)

Use the Pretium API reference when you are building a product integration. Use MCP when you want an AI assistant to operate Pretium for you.

Get started

Guides

AI agents (MCP)

What agents can do

Prerequisites

Add in Cursor

Add in Claude

Claude Desktop

Claude Code / CLI

Add in ChatGPT

Self-host (optional)

Typical chat workflows

Fiat payout field cheat sheet

REST Pretium vs MCP

​What agents can do

​Prerequisites

​Add in Cursor

​Add in Claude

​Claude Desktop

​Claude Code / CLI

​Add in ChatGPT

​Self-host (optional)

​Typical chat workflows

​Fiat payout field cheat sheet

​REST Pretium vs MCP

What agents can do

Prerequisites

Add in Cursor

Add in Claude

Claude Desktop

Claude Code / CLI

Add in ChatGPT

Self-host (optional)

Typical chat workflows

Fiat payout field cheat sheet

REST Pretium vs MCP