# Your First Tool
This guide walks you through using your first Universal Crypto MCP tool.
## Prerequisites
- [Installation complete](installation.md)
- 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:
```json
{
"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:
```
🪙 Bitcoin (BTC)
💰 Price: $67,234.56
📈 24h Change: +2.3%
📊 Market Cap: $1.32T
💹 Volume: $28.5B
```
## 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](configuration.md).
### "Wallet not connected"
Set up your wallet with `PRIVATE_KEY` or `MNEMONIC` environment variable.
## Next Steps
- [Deployment](deployment.md) - Deploy to production
- [Package Overview](../packages/overview.md) - Explore all packages
- [x402 Payments](../x402-deploy/overview.md) - Set up AI payments
