Set Up Access

Before you build, you need access to the Rain Dashboard and a way to authenticate your API requests. This guide walks you through accepting your invite, finding your API keys, choosing between the SDK and the REST API, and authenticating your first call.

Before you begin

Identify your program type and management model, since they shape which guides and API references apply to your build. Rain provides separate instances for sandbox and production. Use the sandbox to build and test your integration, then switch to production when you go live.

Accept your Dashboard invite

Your access depends on the environment:

Sandbox: Rain creates a sandbox account for you and sends an email invite from the implementation team. Accept it to reach your Developer Dashboard.
Production: When you’re ready to go live, you need a Rain Spend account. Sign up for a production account.

If you can’t see the Issuing page after accepting your invite, contact platform@rain.xyz.

Get your API keys

Open the Config page in the Dashboard to retrieve your API key and secret:

You use these keys to authenticate every API request. A new key defaults to the admin role, which has full access. To create keys with narrower access, rotate keys, or restrict a key to specific IP addresses, see Authenticating with the API.

Choose the SDK or REST

Decide how you want to call the API:

SDK: The Rain SDK is available for TypeScript and Python and gives you type safety, IDE autocomplete, and a consistent interface. See the SDK overview to install it and make your first call.
REST: The SDK is optional. You can make the same calls directly to the Rain REST API using any HTTP client.

Install the SDK if you want to use it:

npm install @rainapi/rain-sdk

pip install rain-sdk

Authenticate your requests

Include your API key in the Api-Key header on every request:

curl -X GET "https://api.rain.xyz/v1/example" \
     -H "Api-Key: YOUR_API_KEY"

With the SDK, pass your API key when you initialize the client and choose your environment:

import Rain from '@rainapi/rain-sdk';

const client = new Rain({
  apiKey: process.env['RAIN_API_KEY'],
  environment: 'dev', // use 'production' for live
});

import os

from rain_sdk import Rain

client = Rain(
    api_key=os.environ["RAIN_API_KEY"],
    environment="dev",  # use "production" for live
)

Never expose API keys in client-side code such as JavaScript or mobile apps. Always use HTTPS so your keys can’t be intercepted.

What’s next

Connect webhooks

Set your webhook URL and verify signatures so you catch events from your first call.

Onboard a cardholder

Submit a KYC or KYB application and confirm approval.

Authenticating with the API

See API key roles, rotation, and IP restrictions in full.

Introduction

Plan & Set Up Your Program

Build Your Program

Run Your Program

Rewards

Embedded Wallets

Set Up Access

Before you begin

What’s next

Connect webhooks

Onboard a cardholder

Authenticating with the API

​Before you begin

​What’s next

Connect webhooks

Onboard a cardholder

Authenticating with the API

Before you begin

What’s next