/packages/docs/cloud/authentication.mdx

---
title: Authentication
description: Learn how to authenticate with elizaOS Cloud APIs using API keys, session tokens, wallet signatures (SIWE and per-request), and x402 payments.
---

# Authentication

Secure your API requests with elizaOS Cloud authentication methods.

## Overview

elizaOS Cloud supports multiple authentication methods:

| Method           | Use Case                    | Header / flow                                      |
| ---------------- | --------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------- |
| **API Key**      | Server-to-server            | `Authorization: Bearer eliza_xxx` or `X-API-Key`   |
| **Session**      | Browser apps                | Cookie-based (Steward)                               |
| **SIWE**         | Wallet sign-in, get API key | GET nonce → sign message → POST verify → use key   |
| **Wallet header**| Per-request wallet auth     | `X-Wallet-Address`, `X-Timestamp`, `X-Wallet-Signature` |
| **x402**         | Crypto payments             | `X-PAYMENT: ...`                                   |

## API Keys

### Creating an API Key

1. Navigate to [Dashboard → API Keys](https://elizacloud.ai/dashboard/api-keys)
2. Click "Create API Key"
3. Name your key and set permissions
4. Copy and securely store the key

<Warning>
  API keys are shown only once. Store them securely immediately after creation.
</Warning>

### Using API Keys

<Tabs>
  <Tab title="cURL">

```bash
curl -X GET "https://elizacloud.ai/api/v1/dashboard" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer eliza_xxxxxxxxxxxx"
```
  </Tab>
  <Tab title="JavaScript">

```javascript
const response = await fetch('https://elizacloud.ai/api/v1/dashboard', {
  headers: {
    'Authorization': 'Bearer eliza_xxxxxxxxxxxx',
  },
});
```
  </Tab>
  <Tab title="Python">

```python
import requests

response = requests.get(
'https://elizacloud.ai/api/v1/dashboard',
headers={'Authorization': 'Bearer eliza_xxxxxxxxxxxx'}
)

```
  </Tab>
</Tabs>

### Key Prefix

API keys use the `eliza_` prefix. The same header formats work for dashboard,
server, CLI, and wallet-issued keys.

### Key Permissions

Restrict keys to specific endpoints:

```json
{
  "name": "Production Chat Key",
  "permissions": [
    "chat:read",
    "chat:write",
    "embeddings:read"
  ],
  "rateLimit": 100
}
```

### Available Permissions

Permissions can be used to restrict what operations an API key can perform.

| Permission   | Description         |
| ------------ | ------------------- |
| `chat`       | Chat completions    |
| `embeddings` | Generate embeddings |
| `images`     | Image generation    |
| `video`      | Video generation    |
| `voice`      | Voice/TTS           |
| `knowledge`  | Knowledge base      |
| `agents`     | Agent management    |
| `apps`       | App management      |

<Info>
  If no permissions are specified when creating an API key, the key has access
  to all endpoints by default. Use permissions to create restricted keys for
  specific use cases.
</Info>

## API Key Management

### List Keys

```bash
curl -X GET "https://elizacloud.ai/api/v1/api-keys" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer eliza_xxxxxxxxxxxx"
```

### Regenerate Key

```bash
curl -X POST "https://elizacloud.ai/api/v1/api-keys/{id}/regenerate" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer eliza_xxxxxxxxxxxx"
```

### Revoke Key

```bash
curl -X DELETE "https://elizacloud.ai/api/v1/api-keys/{id}" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer eliza_xxxxxxxxxxxx"
```

## Session Authentication

For browser-based applications, sign in through Steward (hosted login). After login,
the app stores the Steward session and sets HTTP-only cookies; API calls use `credentials: "include"`.

```javascript
import { useSessionAuth } from "@/lib/hooks/use-session-auth";

function MyComponent() {
  const { authenticated } = useSessionAuth();

  const makeApiCall = async () => {
    const response = await fetch("https://elizacloud.ai/api/v1/dashboard", {
      credentials: "include",
    });
  };
}
```

## Wallet & SIWE (Sign-In With Ethereum)

Wallet-based auth supports agents and headless clients that cannot use browser sessions.

### SIWE flow (get an API key)

1. **GET /api/auth/siwe/nonce** — Returns `{ nonce, domain, uri, chainId, version, statement }`. Nonce is one-time, 5 min TTL (Redis). **Why nonce?** Prevents replay; timestamp-only can be replayed within the window.
2. Build the EIP-4361 message with the nonce and sign it with the wallet.
3. **POST /api/auth/siwe/verify** — Body `{ message, signature }`. Server validates domain and signature, consumes the nonce, then finds or creates user/org and returns **`apiKey`** with `user` and `organization`. New wallets get initial free credits (configurable via `INITIAL_FREE_CREDITS`).
4. Use the returned API key: `X-API-Key: <key>` or `Authorization: Bearer <key>` on subsequent requests.

### Wallet header signature (no API key)

Send on every request instead of storing an API key:

- **X-Wallet-Address**: Ethereum address (any case).
- **X-Timestamp**: Unix ms (must be within ±5 min of server time). **Why?** Binds the signature to a time window and limits replay.
- **X-Wallet-Signature**: Signature of the message  
  `Eliza Cloud Authentication\nTimestamp: ${timestamp}\nMethod: ${method}\nPath: ${path}`  
  so the signature is bound to this request. **Why method + path?** Prevents reusing the same signature on another endpoint.

If the wallet is unknown, the first valid signed request **creates** the account (same as SIWE signup). After that, any endpoint that uses `requireAuthOrApiKey` accepts wallet-header auth.

### x402 topup with wallet

**POST /api/v1/topup/10**, **/50**, **/100** (x402 payment-gated):

- With **wallet sig headers**: credits go to the signer’s wallet (no body `walletAddress` needed).
- Without wallet sig: send **body.walletAddress**; that wallet’s org is credited. New wallets are created without initial free credits (payment only).

See [Wallet API](/cloud/wallet-api) for full reference, WHYs, and file list.

## x402 Authentication

Pay per request with cryptocurrency:

```bash
curl -X POST "https://elizacloud.ai/api/v1/chat/completions" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -H "X-PAYMENT: <x402-payment-header>" \
  -d '{"model": "gpt-4o", "messages": [...]}'
```

<Info>
  See the crypto payments section below for details.
</Info>

## Security Best Practices

### Do's

- ✅ Use environment variables for API keys
- ✅ Rotate keys regularly
- ✅ Use minimal permissions
- ✅ Monitor key usage
- ✅ Use different keys for different environments

### Don'ts

- ❌ Commit keys to version control
- ❌ Share keys between applications
- ❌ Use production keys in development
- ❌ Expose keys in client-side code
- ❌ Log API keys

### Environment Variables

```bash
# .env.local (never commit this file)
ELIZA_API_KEY=eliza_xxxxxxxxxxxx
```

```javascript
// Access in your code
const apiKey = process.env.ELIZA_API_KEY;
```

## Error Responses

### 401 Unauthorized

```json
{
  "error": {
    "code": "UNAUTHORIZED",
    "message": "Invalid or missing authentication"
  }
}
```

**Causes:**

- Missing API key
- Invalid API key
- Expired session

### 403 Forbidden

```json
{
  "error": {
    "code": "FORBIDDEN",
    "message": "Insufficient permissions"
  }
}
```

**Causes:**

- Key lacks required permission
- Resource access denied

## Rate Limiting

Rate limits are endpoint-specific. See [Rate Limits](/cloud/rate-limits) for the
current presets and retry guidance. Rate-limited responses include headers such
as:

```
X-RateLimit-Limit: 60
X-RateLimit-Remaining: 45
X-RateLimit-Reset: 1705312860
```

## Next Steps

<CardGroup>
  <CardGroup.Card title="API Reference" href="/cloud/api">
    Complete API documentation
  </CardGroup.Card>
  <CardGroup.Card title="Billing" href="/cloud/billing">
    Manage credits and payments
  </CardGroup.Card>
  <CardGroup.Card title="Rate Limits" href="/cloud/rate-limits">
    Understand rate limiting
  </CardGroup.Card>
</CardGroup>