Overview
OpenClaw is a self-hosted personal AI assistant that runs on your own hardware and connects to the messaging apps you already use. By connecting MoonPay CLI to OpenClaw via MCP, you can execute crypto operations from any of those channels, from any device, without ever opening a separate app.
Simply send a message from your preferred messaging app, and your agent handles swaps, bridges, price checks, or sends crypto — then replies with the result.
Key benefits
Control from anywhere — Execute crypto operations from WhatsApp, Telegram, iMessage, Slack, Discord, Signal, and more
Local-first security — Your Gateway runs on your hardware, MoonPay CLI signs transactions on your device, and your private keys stay in your OS keychain
Always available — The daemon runs as a persistent system service, so your assistant is ready whenever you need it
Natural language interface — Ask questions and execute transactions using plain English from any connected channel
Step 1: Install OpenClaw
Install OpenClaw globally using npm:
npm install -g openclaw@latest
openclaw onboard --install-daemon
The onboarding wizard will walk you through:
Gateway setup (local WebSocket server)
Workspace configuration
Connecting your messaging channels
Installing skills
The daemon runs as a persistent system service (launchd on macOS, systemd on Linux), so your assistant is always available.
Step 2: Install MoonPay CLI
Install MoonPay CLI globally:
npm install -g @moonpay/cli
Log in and create your wallet:
mp login
mp wallet create MyWallet
Verify your wallet was created:
mp wallet list
Step 3: Connect MoonPay as an MCP server in OpenClaw
Add MoonPay CLI as an MCP server in your OpenClaw configuration. You can do this during onboarding or at any time after.
In your OpenClaw config (YAML):
mcp:
servers:
- name: moonpay
command: mp
args:
- mcp
Restart the daemon to pick up the new config:
openclaw restart
Step 4: Install MoonPay skills
Skills give your OpenClaw agent specialized knowledge about how to use MoonPay CLI — what commands to run, how to interpret results, and how to guide you through flows like DCA setup or fiat onramps.
Run the installation command:
mp skill install
This installs all MoonPay skills into ~/.claude/skills/ (compatible with both Claude Code and OpenClaw's Pi agent runtime).
Step 5: Connect your messaging channel
OpenClaw supports pairing via DM. For Telegram:
Find your OpenClaw bot
Send
/pairFollow the pairing flow
Once paired, you're sending messages to your local AI — which has MoonPay CLI available as a tool.
Using OpenClaw with MoonPay CLI
From Telegram, WhatsApp, iMessage, or any connected channel, you can:
Check your portfolio — "What's in my wallet?"
Execute a swap — "Swap 50 USDC to SOL"
Bridge tokens — "Bridge 0.1 ETH from Ethereum to Base"
Research a token — "Is [token address] on Solana safe to buy?"
Set up DCA — "Help me set up weekly ETH purchases of $50"
Check a prediction market — "What are the current odds on the next Fed rate cut on Polymarket?"
Your agent runs the MoonPay CLI commands locally, signs transactions on your device, and replies to the message with results.
Security architecture
OpenClaw is local-first by design:
Your Gateway runs on your hardware
MoonPay CLI signs transactions on your device
Your private keys stay in your OS keychain
Messages from unpaired channels are treated as untrusted by default
This gives you the convenience of messaging-based crypto control with the security properties of a self-custodied local wallet.
Common use cases
Portfolio check from your phone — Message your Telegram bot
Quick swap while commuting — iMessage your assistant
Price alert from Slack — Ask your workspace bot
DCA confirmation — Weekly message with execution details
Fiat onramp status — Ask from any channel
Troubleshooting
MoonPay tools not showing up
Run mp mcp directly to confirm the server starts cleanly. Check your OpenClaw config YAML for syntax errors.
Authentication errors
Run mp login to refresh credentials. Tokens expire and need periodic renewal.
Transaction signing fails
Confirm your wallet exists with mp wallet list. Ensure the OS keychain is accessible (on macOS, this requires the daemon to run as your user, not root).