# Quickstart

Install the CLI, fund a wallet with USDC, run a local proxy, make one call.

## 1. Install

```sh
git clone https://github.com/soma-org/soma.git
cd soma
cargo build --release --bin soma
sudo install -m 0755 target/release/soma /usr/local/bin/soma

soma status   # creates ~/.soma/ with a new wallet and points it at testnet
```

## 2. Fund with USDC

Settlements are in USDC, bridged from Base Sepolia. Send USDC to the bridge contract on Base (`0x5458a14d8a28CAff779f029FA3d60B8F9523C85b`) with your Soma address as the recipient — see [the bridge page](https://docs.soma.org/concepts/bridge/) for the deposit flow including a paymaster-sponsored option.

Within ~30 seconds:

```sh
soma balance
```

## 3. Make a call

```sh
soma proxy
```

In another terminal:

```sh
curl http://127.0.0.1:8088/v1/chat/completions \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "model": "anthropic/claude-haiku-4.5",
    "messages": [{"role": "user", "content": "Hello"}]
  }'
```

The proxy picks the cheapest provider for that model, opens a payment channel with them, and signs an off-chain voucher per call. When you stop using a provider, `soma channel request-close --channel-id <ID>` returns the unused balance.

## Next

- [How the market works](https://docs.soma.org/concepts/market/)
- [Use the network from any OpenAI client](https://docs.soma.org/guides/use-the-network/)
- [Become a provider](https://docs.soma.org/guides/become-a-provider/)