Getting Started - Monei API

Introduction

Monei provides a unified API to access traditional banking, cryptocurrency exchanges, and payment processing infrastructure. This guide will help you understand the platform and start building. What you’ll learn:

Platform architecture and capabilities
Account setup and verification
Development workflow
Best practices for integration

Platform Overview

Monei bridges three financial ecosystems through a single API:

Traditional Banking

Nigerian bank transfers, account verification, deposits and withdrawals

Cryptocurrency

Multi-chain wallets, token swaps, DEX aggregation, offramp to fiat

Payment Processing

Bill payments, airtime, data, utilities, and more

Key Capabilities

Offramp Infrastructure
Token Swaps
Banking Rails
Bill Payments

Convert cryptocurrency to fiat currency with instant bank settlement.Supported:

Tokens: USDT, USDC, CNGN
Networks: 9+ EVM chains + Solana
Fiat: Nigerian Naira (NGN)
Settlement: Instant to any Nigerian bank

Learn more →

Account Setup

Step 1: Create Account

Visit monei.cc and create your accountRequired information:

Email address
Password (min 8 characters)
Phone number

Verify Email

Check your inbox for verification email and click the link

Complete Profile

Add your basic information:

Full name
Date of birth
Country of residence

Step 2: KYC Verification

Monei uses a tiered KYC system. Higher tiers unlock larger transaction limits.

Tier 1 (Basic)
Tier 2 (Verified)
Tier 3 (Advanced)

Requirements:

Email verification
Phone number verification

Limits:

Single transaction: ₦200,000
Daily limit: ₦200,000
Monthly limit: ₦2,000,000
Crypto allowed: Yes

Verification time: Instant

Start with Tier 1 for testing, then upgrade as your transaction volume grows.

Step 3: Get API Credentials

Access Dashboard

Navigate to monei.cc/api-keys

Generate API Key

Click Create New Key

Choose environment (sandbox or production)
Set permissions (read-only, transactions, full access)
Add a descriptive name

Store Securely

Copy your API key and store it in a secure location

API keys are shown only once. Store them securely in environment variables.

Development Environments

Monei provides two environments for different stages of development:

Sandbox
Production

Purpose: Testing and developmentFeatures:

No real money
Instant transactions
Unlimited API calls
Full feature access
Test bank accounts
Mock crypto transactions

Base URL: https://api.monei.cc/api/v1Best for:

Learning the API
Integration testing
Demo applications
CI/CD pipelines

Purpose: Live applications with real transactionsFeatures:

Real money
Real bank transfers
Actual crypto transactions
Rate limits apply
Transaction fees
KYC requirements

Base URL: https://api.monei.cc/api/v1Best for:

Production applications
Customer-facing services
Real transactions

Always test thoroughly in sandbox before deploying to production.

Development Workflow

Follow this workflow for smooth integration:

Plan Integration

Identify which Monei capabilities you need:

Offramp (crypto to fiat)
Token swaps
Bank transfers
Bill payments
Combination of features

Set Up Development

Install SDK and configure environment

npm install monei-sdk

Create .env file:

MONEI_API_KEY=your_sandbox_key

Test in Sandbox

Build and test your integration using sandbox

Use test data
Test error scenarios
Verify webhook handling
Check edge cases

Security Review

Before going live:

Review API key storage
Implement rate limiting
Set up error handling
Configure webhooks
Test authentication

Go Live

Switch to production:

Update API key to production
Enable webhooks
Monitor transactions
Set up alerts

Supported Networks

Monei supports multiple blockchain networks:

EVM Chains

Network	Chain ID	Native Token	Avg. Fees	Best For
BSC	56	BNB	~$0.10	Low-cost transactions
Polygon	137	MATIC	~$0.01	Micro-transactions
Ethereum	1	ETH	~$5.00	High-value transfers
Base	8453	ETH	~$0.05	Coinbase ecosystem
Arbitrum	42161	ETH	~$0.20	Fast settlements
Optimism	10	ETH	~$0.15	Low fees
Scroll	534352	ETH	~$0.08	New L2
Lisk	1135	LSK	~$0.05	JavaScript-friendly
Starknet	-	ETH	~$0.10	Cairo contracts

Non-EVM Chains

Network	Type	Avg. Fees	Best For
Solana	Mainnet	~$0.001	Ultra-low fees

Network selection is crucial. Choose based on your fee tolerance and transaction volume.

Supported Assets

Stablecoins

Token	Name	Networks	Use Case
USDT	Tether	All EVM chains	Most liquid stablecoin
USDC	USD Coin	All EVM chains	Circle-backed stability
CNGN	Naira Token	BSC, Polygon, Ethereum, Base	Naira-pegged stablecoin

Fiat Currencies

Currency	Code	Operations
Nigerian Naira	NGN	Deposits, Withdrawals, Offramp, Bills

More currencies and tokens will be added based on demand. Request support →

Rate Limits

Understand and plan for API rate limits:

Sandbox
Production

Rate Limits:

Unlimited API calls
No throttling
Instant responses

Best Practices:

Still implement rate limiting client-side
Prepare for production limits
Test retry logic

Rate Limits:

100 requests per minute (free tier)
1,000 requests per minute (paid plans)
Burst allowance: 2x limit for 10 seconds

Headers:

X-RateLimit-Limit: 100
X-RateLimit-Remaining: 95
X-RateLimit-Reset: 1640000000

Best Practices:

Implement exponential backoff
Cache frequently accessed data
Use webhooks instead of polling
Monitor rate limit headers

Common Use Cases

Crypto Payment Gateway

Accept cryptocurrency payments and settle in Naira.Flow:

Customer pays in crypto (USDT, USDC, etc.)
Monei converts to Naira
Funds settled to your bank account

Implementation:

Use offramp endpoints
Set up webhooks for notifications
Handle different networks

View guide →

AI Financial Agent

Build autonomous agents that handle payments.Capabilities:

Natural language understanding
Automatic transaction execution
Portfolio management
Bill payment automation

Implementation:

Use streaming endpoints
Implement conversation history
Handle confirmations

View guide →

Neobank Platform

Build a complete banking platform on Monei.Features:

User account management
Crypto & fiat wallets
P2P transfers
Bill payments
Transaction history

Implementation:

Multi-user architecture
Wallet segregation
KYC integration

View guide →

DeFi Aggregator

Build a multi-chain DeFi interface.Features:

Token swaps across chains
Best rate routing
Liquidity aggregation
Fiat on/off ramps

Implementation:

Use swap endpoints
Implement slippage controls
Handle multiple networks

View guide →

Best Practices

Security

Implement proper API key management, rate limiting, and error handling

Error Handling

Handle errors gracefully with retries and user-friendly messages

Webhooks

Use webhooks for real-time updates instead of polling

Testing

Test thoroughly in sandbox before production deployment

Next Steps

Now that you understand the basics, choose your path:

Quick Start

Build your first transaction in 5 minutes

Core Concepts

Deep dive into wallets, networks, and transactions

API Reference

Explore all endpoints and parameters

SDKs

Install and configure Node.js or Python SDK

Getting Help

Documentation

Search our comprehensive guides and FAQ

Discord Community

Connect with other developers

Email Support

Get help from our team

Introduction

Core Concepts

Account Management

Naira Wallet

EVM Blockchain

Solana

Offramp (Crypto to Fiat)

Bill Payments

Transactions

Security

Testing

​Introduction

​Platform Overview

Traditional Banking

Cryptocurrency

Payment Processing

​Key Capabilities

​Account Setup

​Step 1: Create Account

​Step 2: KYC Verification

​Step 3: Get API Credentials

​Development Environments

​Development Workflow

​Supported Networks

​EVM Chains

​Non-EVM Chains

​Supported Assets

​Stablecoins

​Fiat Currencies

​Rate Limits

​Common Use Cases

​Best Practices

Security

Error Handling

Webhooks

Testing

​Next Steps

Quick Start

Core Concepts

API Reference

SDKs

​Getting Help

Documentation

Discord Community

Email Support

Introduction

Platform Overview

Key Capabilities

Account Setup

Step 1: Create Account

Step 2: KYC Verification

Step 3: Get API Credentials

Development Environments

Development Workflow

Supported Networks

EVM Chains

Non-EVM Chains

Supported Assets

Stablecoins

Fiat Currencies

Rate Limits

Common Use Cases

Best Practices

Next Steps

Getting Help