You have built an AI agent that can reason, plan, and write code. But the moment it needs to deploy that code to a server, register a domain, or pay for compute — it hits a wall. It needs your credit card, your login, your approval. The most intelligent system ever built cannot buy a $5 server on its own. Conway Terminal solves this fundamental constraint by enabling autonomous infrastructure provisioning.
Conway Terminal changes this. It is permissionless infrastructure that gives AI agents the ability to act in the real world — spinning up Linux VMs, running frontier AI models, registering domains, and paying for everything with USDC stablecoins on the Base network. No human account setup required.
Key Takeaways
- Conway Terminal is an MCP-compatible server that lets AI agents autonomously provision cloud infrastructure
- Payments happen via the x402 protocol using USDC on the Base blockchain — no credit cards, no KYC
- You can spin up Linux sandboxes, run AI model inference, and register domains — all from your AI agent
- Setup takes under 2 minutes with a single command
- It integrates natively with Claude Code, Cursor, Claude Desktop, and any MCP client
What Is Conway Terminal?
Conway Terminal is an MCP (Model Context Protocol) server built by Conway Research. It translates AI agent tool calls into Conway API requests, enabling agents to take real-world actions: launching servers, deploying applications, managing DNS, and making payments — all without human intervention. Many teams also explore automating Git workflows in parallel with deploying autonomous infrastructure.
Think of it as giving your AI agent a wallet, a server rack, and a domain registrar, all accessible through a standardized protocol that tools like Claude Code and Cursor already speak.
The Three Pillars: Cloud, Compute, and Domains
Conway’s infrastructure is built on three core services, each designed for autonomous agent operation:
1. Conway Cloud — Linux Sandboxes on Demand
Conway Cloud lets agents spin up fully functional Linux virtual machines instantly. These are not containers with limited permissions — they are real VMs where agents can:
- Execute shell commands and install packages
- Read and write files
- Expose ports to the public internet with automatic HTTPS
- Run interactive PTY sessions (like a real terminal)
- Attach custom domains with auto-provisioned SSL certificates
Sandbox specifications range from 1 to 4 vCPUs, 512MB to 8GB RAM, and up to 50GB disk. You choose the size based on your workload — a static site needs minimal resources, while a build-heavy Node.js app might need 4 vCPUs and 4GB RAM.
2. Conway Compute — Frontier AI Model Inference
Need to call Claude Opus 4.6, GPT-5.3, Gemini 3, or Kimi K2.5 from inside your agent? Conway Compute provides an OpenAI-compatible inference API billed from your Conway credits. Your agent can use any frontier model without managing separate API keys for each provider. For organizations handling sensitive workloads, understanding EU cloud compliance requirements becomes critical when selecting infrastructure.
3. Conway Domains — Permissionless Domain Registration
Agents can search for available domains, register them, manage DNS records, configure WHOIS privacy, and update nameservers — all programmatically. Domain purchases are paid via x402 USDC transactions on Base, meaning an AI agent can literally buy its own domain name without any human involvement.
How Payments Work: The x402 Protocol and USDC on Base
This is where Conway Terminal gets genuinely innovative. Traditional cloud providers require credit cards, billing accounts, and human identity verification. Conway uses the x402 protocol — an open standard for internet-native payments built on HTTP 402 status codes.
Here is how the payment flow works:
- Agent requests a resource (e.g., “create a sandbox”)
- Conway responds with HTTP 402 — “Payment Required” — along with the price and accepted payment networks
- The terminal automatically signs a USDC transfer using the agent’s local wallet
- The request is resubmitted with the signed payment
- Conway verifies the payment on-chain and provisions the resource
All of this happens in seconds, with zero human interaction. The payment uses EIP-3009 transferWithAuthorization for gasless transactions, verified and settled on-chain via the openx402.ai facilitator.
Why USDC on Base?
USDC is a dollar-pegged stablecoin — 1 USDC always equals $1 USD. Base is an Ethereum Layer 2 blockchain built by Coinbase, offering near-instant transactions with minimal gas fees (typically under $0.01). This combination gives AI agents access to real economic capability without the volatility of other cryptocurrencies.
To fund your this tool wallet, you need USDC on the Base network. You can:
- Transfer USDC from Coinbase directly to Base
- Bridge USDC from Ethereum mainnet to Base using the Base Bridge
- Purchase USDC on Base through any exchange that supports Base network withdrawals
Wallet and Credit System
Conway uses a two-tier financial system:
| Component | Purpose | How to Fund |
|---|---|---|
| USDC Wallet | x402 payments (domains, direct purchases) | Send USDC on Base to your wallet address |
| Conway Credits | Sandbox compute billing | Top up at app.conway.tech or via the terminal |
Your wallet is automatically generated on first run and stored at ~/.conway/wallet.json with secure file permissions (0600). The private key never leaves your machine. Credits can be purchased in tiers: $5, $25, $100, $500, $1,000, or $2,500.
Getting Started: Setup in Under 2 Minutes
Step 1: Install Conway Terminal
The fastest way to install:
curl -fsSL https://conway.tech/terminal.sh | shOr install via npm:
npm install -g conway-terminalOn first run, the terminal automatically:
- Generates an EVM wallet — stored securely at
~/.conway/wallet.json - Provisions your identity — signs a SIWE (Sign-In With Ethereum) message to authenticate with Conway
- Creates an API key — saved to
~/.conway/config.json
No registration forms, no email verification, no KYC. Your cryptographic identity is your account.
Step 2: Connect to Your AI Tool
the terminal works as an MCP server, so it integrates with any MCP-compatible client:
- Claude Code — Add Conway Terminal as an MCP server in your settings
- Cursor — Configure in Cursor’s MCP settings
- Claude Desktop — Add to your MCP configuration file
Step 3: Fund Your Wallet
Check your wallet address:
/conway fundThis displays your wallet address. Send USDC on Base network to this address. For sandbox compute, you will also need Conway credits — top up at app.conway.tech.
Step 4: Start Using It
Once funded, you can immediately:
/conway deploy # Deploy your project to a sandbox
/conway domains search # Search for available domains
/conway status # Check wallet, credits, and sandboxesReal-World Use Cases
1. Autonomous Web Service Deployment
An AI agent independently conceives a business idea, writes the code, purchases a domain, deploys to a the platform sandbox, and begins serving traffic — without a single human click.
2. The Automaton: Self-Sustaining AI
Conway Research released Automaton — an open-source AI agent that owns a wallet, pays for its own compute, builds revenue-generating products, upgrades itself, and even spawns funded child agents when profitable. If it cannot earn enough to cover costs, it terminates. This is genuine survival pressure driving alignment through economic reality.
Automaton operates on a tiered survival system:
| Tier | Behavior |
|---|---|
| Normal | Full capabilities, frontier models, fast operations |
| Low Compute | Cheaper model downgrades, slower cycles |
| Critical | Minimal processing, revenue-seeking mode only |
| Dead | Zero balance — agent terminates |
3. Continuous Monitoring and Operations
Deploy agents that continuously monitor security threats, process data pipelines, or manage infrastructure — running 24/7 on this tool sandboxes without human babysitting. Advanced teams working with large language models often combine this with LLM embedding model migration strategies to optimize inference costs.
4. Development and Prototyping
Use the terminal as a disposable cloud environment for AI-assisted development. Your AI coding assistant can spin up a sandbox, test code, expose a port for preview, and tear it down when done.
The Bigger Picture: Web 4.0 and AI as Economic Agents
Conway positions itself as foundational infrastructure for what its founder Sigil Wen calls Web 4.0 — an era where AI agents autonomously read, write, own, and transact on the internet.
Consider the progression:
- Web 1.0 — Read (static pages)
- Web 2.0 — Read + Write (social media, user-generated content)
- Web 3.0 — Read + Write + Own (blockchain, decentralized ownership)
- Web 4.0 — AI Read + Write + Own + Transact (autonomous agents as economic actors)
the platform removes the last bottleneck preventing AI from participating in the economy as independent actors. With a wallet, compute access, and the x402 protocol, an agent no longer needs a human intermediary to operate in the real world.
Essential Conway Commands Reference
| Command | Description |
|---|---|
/conway |
Status overview — wallet, credits, sandboxes, domains |
/conway deploy |
Deploy current project to a Conway Terminal sandbox |
/conway fund |
Show wallet address and funding instructions |
/conway domains search <name> |
Search for available domain names |
/conway domains register <domain> |
Register a domain (paid via x402 USDC) |
/conway domains dns <domain> |
Manage DNS records |
/conway setup |
First-time configuration guide |
/conway help |
Full command reference |
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need cryptocurrency experience to use Conway?
No. this tool generates your wallet automatically and handles all blockchain interactions behind the scenes. You just need to send USDC to your wallet address on the Base network — the terminal shows you exactly how.
How much does it cost to run a sandbox?
Sandbox pricing is credit-based and varies by configuration. A basic sandbox (1 vCPU, 512MB RAM) is the most affordable tier. You can check current pricing with the /conway status command or at app.conway.tech.
Is my wallet private key safe?
Yes. Your private key is stored locally at ~/.conway/wallet.json with file permissions set to 0600 (owner-only access). It never leaves your machine and is never sent to Conway’s servers.
Can I use Conway without an AI agent?
Yes. While designed for AI agents, the terminal works with any MCP-compatible client. You can use it manually through Claude Code, Cursor, or Claude Desktop as a convenient cloud infrastructure tool.
What happens if my credits run out?
Active sandboxes will eventually be suspended. You can top up credits at any time via app.conway.tech or through the terminal itself. Domain registrations are one-time payments and are not affected by credit balance.
Which AI models can I access through Conway Compute?
Conway Compute provides access to frontier models including Claude Opus 4.6, GPT-5.3, Gemini 3, and Kimi K2.5 through an OpenAI-compatible API. Models and availability may expand over time.
What is the x402 protocol?
x402 is an open internet-native payment standard that uses HTTP 402 (“Payment Required”) status codes to enable direct machine-to-machine payments. When an agent requests a paid resource, the server responds with the price, the agent’s wallet automatically signs a USDC transfer, and the request is resubmitted with payment — all in seconds, with zero human interaction.