Lifi Authentication

generated: '2026-07-19'
method: searched
source: https://docs.li.fi/api-reference/rate-limits, https://docs.li.fi/mcp-server/tools, https://docs.li.fi/cli/installation
derived_from: openapi/lifi-earn-openapi-original.yml
docs: https://docs.li.fi/api-reference/rate-limits
summary:
  types:
  - apiKey
  api_key_in:
  - header
  oauth2_flows: []
  model: >-
    Single static API key, sent as a header. No OAuth, no OIDC, no scopes, no
    token exchange and no per-user authorization — the key identifies the
    integrator, not an end user. End-user authority is expressed on-chain by the
    wallet signature, entirely outside the API.
spec_gap_note: >-
  The main LI.FI API OpenAPI (openapi/lifi-openapi-original.yml) declares NO
  securitySchemes at all, even though the service accepts and rate-limits on
  x-lifi-api-key. Only the Earn spec declares the scheme. The profile below is
  upgraded from the documentation rather than taken from the main spec.
schemes:
- name: x-lifi-api-key
  type: apiKey
  in: header
  parameter: x-lifi-api-key
  required: false
  applies_to: LI.FI API (https://li.quest)
  sources:
  - https://docs.li.fi/api-reference/rate-limits
  note: >-
    Optional. Anonymous requests are served at a substantially lower rate limit.
- name: x-lifi-api-key
  type: apiKey
  in: header
  parameter: x-lifi-api-key
  required: true
  applies_to: LI.FI Earn API (https://earn.li.fi)
  sources:
  - openapi/lifi-earn-openapi-original.yml
- name: Authorization
  type: http
  scheme: bearer
  applies_to: Hosted MCP server (https://mcp.li.quest/mcp)
  required: false
  sources:
  - https://docs.li.fi/mcp-server/tools
- name: X-LiFi-Api-Key
  type: apiKey
  in: header
  parameter: X-LiFi-Api-Key
  applies_to: Hosted MCP server (https://mcp.li.quest/mcp)
  required: false
  sources:
  - https://docs.li.fi/mcp-server/tools
- name: api-key
  type: apiKey
  in: header
  parameter: api-key
  applies_to: Intents Solver API (https://order.li.fi)
  required: true
  sources:
  - https://docs.li.fi/llms.txt
  note: >-
    Only the Solver API requires a key. The Intents Integrator API is open and
    needs no authentication.
anonymous_access:
  supported: true
  surfaces:
  - LI.FI API (reduced rate limit)
  - Hosted MCP server (reduced rate limit)
  - Intents Integrator API (no key required at all)
key_management:
  obtain: https://li.fi/plans/
  portal: https://portal.li.fi
  env_var: LIFI_API_KEY
  cli_commands:
  - lifi auth show
  - lifi auth test
  mcp_tool: test-api-key
  rotation_policy: null
  scoping: >-
    Keys are not scoped. Rate limits are calculated per key across all endpoints.
  enforcement: >-
    LI.FI may temporarily block keys that consistently exceed rate limits or
    attempt to bypass limits through multiple keys or IPs.
errors:
  unauthorized_code: 1010
  unauthorized_name: UnauthorizedError
oauth2: false
openid_connect: false
mutual_tls: false
scopes: false
scopes_note: >-
  No OAuth scope surface exists, so no scopes/ artifact is produced for this
  provider.