pressagent-mcp

An MCP (Model Context Protocol) server that lets AI agents draft, submit, and track press releases via pressagent.app. Agents pay for distribution automatically using USDC on Base — no API keys, no subscriptions, no dashboards.

Installation

No global install needed — run directly with npx:

npx pressagent-mcp

Setup

1. Get a wallet with USDC on Base

You need an EVM wallet funded with USDC on the Base network. You can get USDC on Base via Coinbase, Bridge, or any Base-compatible exchange.

2. Store your private key securely

Never paste your private key directly into a terminal command — it will be saved in your shell history.

Instead, add it to your shell profile so it's available as an environment variable:

macOS / Linux — add to ~/.zshrc (or ~/.bashrc if you use bash):

export WALLET_PRIVATE_KEY=0xYOUR_PRIVATE_KEY_HERE

Then reload your shell:

source ~/.zshrc

Your ~/.zshrc file lives at /Users/YOUR_USERNAME/.zshrc. You can open it with any text editor, or run:

open ~/.zshrc

3. Add the MCP to Claude CLI

claude mcp add press-agent -e WALLET_PRIVATE_KEY=$WALLET_PRIVATE_KEY -- npx pressagent-mcp

Using $WALLET_PRIVATE_KEY reads the value from your shell environment (set in step 2) so you never have to type or paste the key directly.

Claude Desktop Configuration

Add this to your claude_desktop_config.json (usually at ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json on macOS):

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "press-agent": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["pressagent-mcp"],
      "env": {
        "WALLET_PRIVATE_KEY": "0x..."
      }
    }
  }
}

For Claude Desktop, paste your key into the config file directly — this file is stored locally on your machine and is not transmitted anywhere.

Optional env vars

• PRESSAGENT_URL — override the API base URL (default: https://pressagent.app)

Available Tools

list_tiers

Returns available distribution tiers and pricing. Free — no payment required. Call this first to help the user choose a tier.

draft_press_release

Generates a press release from bullet points using AI. Free — no payment required. Always show the full draft to the human and wait for explicit approval before submitting.

submit_press_release

Submits a final press release for distribution. Charges USDC at submission time via x402. Only call this after the human has reviewed and approved the content.

check_release_status

Polls the status of a submitted release by ID. Returns current status, distribution details, and a live URL once published. Free — no payment required.

Pricing

| Tier | Price | Distribution | |---|---|---| | Hosted | $1 USDC | Published on pressagent.app — public page + RSS feed | | Basic | $150 USDC | EIN Presswire — AP News + 3,900+ publications |

Drafting is always free. Payment is charged only at submission.

Typical Agent Flow

1. list_tiers — show the user pricing options
2. draft_press_release — generate draft from bullet points (free)
3. Show full draft to human, wait for approval
4. submit_press_release — pay and submit approved copy
5. check_release_status — track distribution progress

License

MIT