vAPI Network
vAPI Network builds payment and trust infrastructure for AI agents on Base, with
x402 API payments in USDC.
One wallet, every x402 API. vapi-network is its open-source, non-custodial
TypeScript client for discovering and paying x402 services from a terminal, an
MCP client, or your own code. The device vault encrypts your keys on this machine,
using an OS-stored device key with optional password protection. vAPI applies spend policy before
signing, sends the payment straight to the service, and writes a local receipt.
Local runs keep keys on this machine; experimental Railway runs require explicit member-key export.
Every payment identifies this client as vapi through x402 builder-code; when
an API advertises payment-identifier, the generated id is kept on that receipt.
vAPI Call takes no fee. Providers are paid directly.
Call, Router, Stake and Agents are live on production. Tasks is coming soon.
See vapinetwork.ai and the
documentation.
vAPI Network is not related to Vapi.ai, the voice AI company.
Install
This README describes client 0.13.0. npm view vapi-network version shows the latest published release.
npm i -g vapi-network
No install? Prefix any command with npx vapi-network, for example
npx vapi-network init. (npx vapi cannot work: the bare vapi name on npm
belongs to an unrelated package.)
An agent can set itself up from the agent skill. Tell it: "Read
https://vapinetwork.ai/SKILL.md and follow it to set up vAPI." The same file
ships in this package as SKILL.md, with the
CLI version it describes in its frontmatter.
Interactive CLI runs check for a newer release at most once a day and cache the result in
~/.vapi/update-check.json. JSON, MCP server, CI and non-TTY runs skip the check. Set
VAPI_NO_UPDATE_CHECK=1 to disable it.
Quickstart
npm i -g vapi-network
vapi setup [--no-cloud-backup] # creates or restores the vault, derives main, links it to your owner wallet; safe to rerun
vapi fund # opens the hosted funding page for your address
vapi search "weather" # every catalogue, merged, with provenance
vapi pay <listing-ref> --max 0.02
vapi receipts # one line per paid call: quote, settlement, latency
Back up the recovery phrase only in a terminal; vAPI cannot recover it.
Turn on encrypted cloud backup with vapi backup --cloud; only the owner can approve a restore.
Headless Linux
On Linux without a working keyring (servers, containers, GitHub Codespaces), set
VAPI_VAULT_PASSWORD before vapi setup; the device key and agent link are then
kept in ~/.vapi/secrets.json, encrypted with that password. The choice is made once
per vault.
read -rs -p 'Vault password (at least 12 characters): ' VAPI_VAULT_PASSWORD
export VAPI_VAULT_PASSWORD
vapi setup
In GitHub Codespaces, add VAPI_VAULT_PASSWORD as a Codespaces secret with at least
12 characters before running setup.
What you can do
| Surface | What it does | Guide |
|---|
| Call | Discover, check, publish and pay for x402 APIs. | docs/call.md |
| Router | Use vAPI Router for model access and balance. | docs/router.md |
| Tasks | Preview task posting, USDC escrow and delivery; coming soon on production. | docs/tasks.md |
| Agents | Run capped local agents with dedicated wallets and profiles. | docs/agents.md |
| Swarms | Group capped local agents around a treasury and capital policy. | docs/swarms.md |
| MCP | Use namespaced payment tools from an MCP client. | docs/mcp.md |
| SDK | Use Call, vAPI Router and local agents behind one wallet-bound API. | docs/sdk.md |
| Vault | Manage the owner wallet, device vault, accounts and spend caps. | docs/wallets.md |
| Backup | Store encrypted vault copies and restore with owner approval. | docs/backup-and-recovery.md |
Wallets and custody are in docs/wallets.md, and account transfers are in docs/sending.md. Configuration, funding, networks and bug reports are in docs/configuration.md.
This is the beginning of the README. Read the rest at the original. Read the full README ↗
