---
title: Connect Hive to Claude Code
lastUpdated: '2026-06-03'
nextjs:
  metadata:
    title: "Install Hive in Claude Code | Crypto MCP for Anthropic's CLI"
    description: "Connect Claude Code to Hive's remote MCP endpoint for live crypto prices, DeFi, wallets, and token security tools."
    alternates:
      canonical: https://www.hiveintelligence.xyz/install/claude-code
    keywords: "claude code crypto, claude code mcp, hive claude code, anthropic cli crypto, claude code mcp server"
---

**Connect Claude Code to Hive's remote MCP endpoint so Anthropic's CLI agent can call live crypto tools.** Add Hive with `claude mcp add`, pass the Bearer header, then verify that `/mcp` can see the server. {% .lead %}

{% ai-doc-actions path="/install/claude-code" title="Claude Code Install Guide" /%}

---

## Before you start

1. Claude Code installed — [instructions here](https://docs.anthropic.com/en/docs/claude-code/getting-started).
2. A Hive API key from [/dashboard/keys](/dashboard/keys).

---

## Configure Claude Code

Pick one of the two transports below. **Option 1 (remote HTTP) is recommended** for normal use because Claude Code connects directly to Hive's managed endpoint and does not need a local Node wrapper.

### Option 1 — Remote HTTP endpoint (recommended)

`claude mcp add` accepts the auth header inline via `-H` (alias `--header`), so you never have to open `~/.claude.json` by hand:

```bash
claude mcp add --transport http hive https://mcp.hiveintelligence.xyz/mcp \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_HIVE_API_KEY"
```

Replace `YOUR_HIVE_API_KEY` with the key from [/dashboard/keys](/dashboard/keys). Claude Code writes the config for you and picks up Hive on the next session.

Useful flags:

- `-s user` — install into `~/.claude.json` so Hive is available in every project. Default scope is `local` (this repo only). `-s project` commits it to the repo's `.mcp.json`.
- `-H` is repeatable if you need more than one header: `-H "Authorization: Bearer …" -H "X-Workspace: prod"`.
- `-t http` must come *before* the server name. The positional args are `<name> <url>`; there is no `--url` flag.

**Secret hygiene.** Your key lands in plaintext in the config file either way, and your shell history will capture the full command. If that's a concern, export the key first and reference it:

```bash
export HIVE_API_KEY=…
claude mcp add --transport http hive https://mcp.hiveintelligence.xyz/mcp \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $HIVE_API_KEY"
```

The shell still expands it into the written config, but the raw token stays out of `history`.

### Option 2 — Local stdio wrapper

If you'd rather run Hive as a subprocess (useful when the machine can't reach `mcp.hiveintelligence.xyz` directly and you route through a corporate proxy at the Node layer):

```bash
claude mcp add hive \
  --env HIVE_API_KEY=YOUR_HIVE_API_KEY \
  -- npx -y -p hive-intelligence@latest hive
```

This requires Node 20+. Everything after `--` is the subprocess command, so flags like `--env` must come before it.

### Verify it worked

Start a new Claude Code session and run `/mcp` — you should see `hive` in the list with a tool count. Or ask:

> *"What is the current price of BTC and ETH?"*

Claude Code will call Hive's `get_price` tool. If the tool invocation shows up in the session log, you're connected.

---

## What to ask once connected

Claude Code is especially good at multi-step data flows. Try:

- *"Check the top 10 DeFi protocols by TVL, then flag any whose TVL dropped more than 5% in the last 24 hours."*
- *"Scan the top 50 coins by market cap for any showing >15% price drop today — summarize as a briefing."*
- *"For this wallet 0xd8dA6BF26964aF9D7eEd9e03E53415D37aA96045, show every token held, current USD value, and 24h P&L."*
- *"Run a security check on this token list and tell me which ones are safe to hold."*

Claude Code will chain multiple Hive tools together automatically — you don't need to name each one.

---

## Managing the MCP server

List configured MCP servers:

```bash
claude mcp list
```

Remove Hive if you need to:

```bash
claude mcp remove hive
```

Rotate the API key (HTTP transport) — remove and re-add with the new Bearer token:

```bash
claude mcp remove hive
claude mcp add --transport http hive https://mcp.hiveintelligence.xyz/mcp \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer NEW_HIVE_API_KEY"
```

Force a fresh stdio install (tool catalog is server-side, so `@latest` matters only for the local wrapper):

```bash
claude mcp remove hive
claude mcp add hive --env HIVE_API_KEY=YOUR_HIVE_API_KEY -- npx -y -p hive-intelligence@latest hive
```

---

## Troubleshooting

**HTTP transport — `401 Unauthorized` or `Authentication failed`.** The header format matters: `-H "Authorization: Bearer <key>"` with a literal space after `Bearer`. Don't wrap the key in quotes inside the header string. Verify the key at [/dashboard/keys](/dashboard/keys).

**HTTP transport — connection error / timeout.** Hive's endpoint is `mcp.hiveintelligence.xyz` over HTTPS. Corporate firewalls sometimes block it; test on a home network first to isolate. If you must stay behind the proxy, fall back to Option 2 (stdio) and route Node through the proxy.

**stdio transport — "hive: command not found" or tool calls fail.** Check `node --version` — the local wrapper requires Node 20+. Upgrade Node and re-run `claude mcp add`.

**stdio transport — "HIVE_API_KEY is invalid".** Verify at [/dashboard/keys](/dashboard/keys). The key should not contain quotes inside the `--env` value.

**MCP server not listed after add.** Run `claude mcp list` to confirm the entry exists. If it's there but Claude Code doesn't see it in-session, restart your terminal — environment sometimes doesn't propagate until a fresh shell. Scope matters too: a `local` (default) entry is only visible inside the directory where you ran `claude mcp add`; install with `-s user` if you want it globally.

---

## Other clients

- [Claude Desktop](/install/claude-desktop) — GUI version of Claude
- [Cursor](/install/cursor) — if you want IDE-native crypto queries
- [All clients](/install) — full list

---

## Next steps

- [Agent Resources](/ai-agent-hub) — what Claude Code can build once connected
- [CLI Reference](/cli) — Hive's own CLI for terminal workflows
- [Tools Reference](/tools) — every tool Claude Code can call