MCP Overview
The Model Context Protocol (MCP) is an open standard that lets AI agents discover and use tools through a unified interface. RickyData operates an MCP Gateway that hosts thousands of MCP servers, so you can connect once and access all of them.
What the MCP Gateway provides
- One endpoint, thousands of tools — connect to
https://mcp.rickydata.org/mcpand discover tools via gateway meta-tools - No local installation — servers run on-demand in the cloud, no
npm installper tool - Wallet-scoped identity — your secrets, enablement state, and spending are isolated to your wallet
- Pay-per-use — tool discovery is free; execution costs $0.0005 USDC per call via x402
- Hardware-backed security — servers run on AMD SEV-SNP Confidential VMs with execution proofs
How it works
When you connect an MCP client to the gateway, tools/list returns five gateway meta-tools (gateway__search_servers, gateway__enable_server, gateway__disable_server, gateway__list_enabled, gateway__server_info). These let your AI agent search the marketplace, enable servers, and manage its tool inventory. Once a server is enabled, its tools also appear in tools/list.
When you connect an MCP client to the gateway, tools/list returns the five gateway meta-tools. These let your AI agent search the marketplace, enable servers, and manage its tool inventory. Once a server is enabled, its tools also appear in tools/list.
Connect in 30 seconds
# Claude Code
claude mcp add --transport http mcp-gateway https://mcp.rickydata.org/mcp
# Or with auth
claude mcp add --transport http mcp-gateway https://mcp.rickydata.org/mcp \
--header "Authorization:Bearer mcpwt_..."
For other clients, see the Quickstart (Web) guide.
Discovery model
The gateway uses an opt-in discovery model:
tools/listalways returns the 5 gateway meta-tools- Server tools only appear after you explicitly enable them
- Enablement is scoped to your wallet or session
This prevents tool list explosion — you see only what you've chosen to activate.
Session scoping
Enablement state is keyed by (in order of precedence):
- Wallet +
X-MCP-Sessionheader (most specific) - Wallet only
X-MCP-Sessionheader only- Auto-generated anonymous session
Wallet-scoped sessions auto-hydrate from previously configured secrets, so servers you've set up before become available without re-enabling.
Pricing
| Action | Cost |
|---|---|
Browsing, searching, tools/list | Free |
| MCP tool call | $0.0005 USDC |
| Free tier | 100 requests/day (tool calls count as 0.25 each) |
All payments use USDC on Base mainnet (chain ID 8453) via the x402 protocol.
Next steps
- Search, Enable, Call — the full MCP runtime loop
- Server Runtime — how servers are hosted and executed
- Agent as MCP — expose agents as MCP endpoints