Set Up AI Agent Payments in Cursor with Proxy

Cursor AI payments are one of the most requested features in the agentic coding space. Your Cursor agent can already write code, debug, and refactor. Now it can also buy the things it needs: domains, SaaS subscriptions, API credits, and cloud resources.

This tutorial shows you how to connect Proxy to Cursor so your agent can make real purchases with virtual cards.

Prerequisites

You will need:

• ▸Cursor installed (v0.45+)
• ▸A Proxy account with a funded wallet (sign up)
• ▸Your Proxy API key (from the dashboard)

Step 1: Create Your MCP Config

Cursor supports MCP servers through a project-level config file. Create .cursor/mcp.json in your project root:

mkdir -p .cursor
touch .cursor/mcp.json

Add the Proxy MCP server:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "proxy-pay": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@anthropic-ai/proxy-mcp-server"],
      "env": {
        "PROXY_API_KEY": "your-api-key-here"
      }
    }
  }
}

Restart Cursor after saving. You should see "proxy-pay" in the MCP tools panel.

Step 2: Set Up a Spending Policy

Before your Cursor agent can spend anything, you need a policy. You can create one in the Proxy dashboard or via the API:

curl -X POST https://api.useproxy.ai/v1/policies \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $PROXY_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "name": "cursor-dev-purchases",
    "max_per_transaction_cents": 5000,
    "max_daily_cents": 20000,
    "allowed_merchants": [
      "namecheap.com",
      "vercel.com",
      "github.com",
      "neon.tech",
      "supabase.com"
    ],
    "require_approval_above_cents": 2500
  }'

This policy allows up to $50 per transaction, $200 per day, only at approved merchants, and requires your approval for anything over $25.

Step 3: Test with a Simple Purchase

Open Cursor's agent mode (Cmd+I) and try:

Buy the domain hello-world-test.dev on Namecheap for under $15

The agent will:

1. ▸Call proxy.createIntent with the merchant, amount estimate, and purpose
2. ▸Proxy checks the intent against your policy
3. ▸If it passes, Proxy issues a single-use virtual card
4. ▸Cursor's agent navigates the checkout and completes the purchase
5. ▸The card auto-expires after the charge settles

You can track every step in your Proxy dashboard.

Example Tasks Cursor Can Handle

Once Proxy is connected, here are real tasks your Cursor agent can complete:

Buy a Domain

Find and register the cheapest available .com domain related to
"agentic-payments" on Namecheap. Budget: $20 max.

The agent searches for available domains, picks the cheapest option, and handles the full checkout flow.

Subscribe to a SaaS Tool

Subscribe our team to Vercel Pro. Use the annual plan if it saves money.

Proxy issues a card, the agent fills the billing form, and the subscription is active. Since the card is tied to a specific intent, it works for recurring billing too if you configure a multi-use card.

Top Up API Credits

Add $25 in credits to our OpenAI account at platform.openai.com.

The agent logs in, navigates to billing, enters the Proxy card, and confirms the charge. You get a receipt in your Proxy dashboard linked to the original request.

Provision Cloud Resources

Create a Hobby Postgres database on Neon. Use the free tier if available,
otherwise buy the cheapest paid plan.

The agent tries the free tier first. If a paid plan is needed, it declares the intent, gets a card, and completes the purchase.

Handling Approvals

If a purchase exceeds your approval threshold, Cursor pauses and shows a prompt:

[Proxy] Approval needed: $34.99 at vercel.com
Intent: Subscribe to Vercel Pro (annual)
Approve this purchase? (y/n)

You review the details and approve or reject. This keeps you in control without slowing down small purchases.

Security Notes

A few things to keep in mind when using Cursor AI payments:

• ▸Cards are scoped. Each card is tied to one intent and one merchant. If details leak, the blast radius is minimal.
• ▸Single-use by default. Unless you explicitly create a multi-use card, each card expires after one successful charge.
• ▸Full audit trail. Every card issuance, transaction, and approval decision is logged and exportable.
• ▸API keys stay local. Your Proxy API key lives in your local .cursor/mcp.json file. Add .cursor/ to your .gitignore to keep it out of version control.

Add this to your .gitignore:

.cursor/

For more on virtual card security for agents, check our product overview.

Cursor vs Claude Code Setup

The setup is nearly identical across tools. The full guide for Claude Code is available in our Claude Code payments tutorial. The only real difference is config file location:

| Tool | Config Path | |------|------------| | Cursor | .cursor/mcp.json (project root) | | Claude Code | ~/.claude/mcp.json (home dir) | | Claude Desktop | ~/.claude/mcp.json (home dir) |

Get Started

Proxy turns Cursor into an agent that can buy what it needs to get the job done. Set up takes five minutes, and every transaction is governed by policies you control. Sign up at useproxy.ai and give your Cursor agent a virtual card today.