The Model Context Protocol (MCP) is an open standard that lets AI assistants (like Claude Desktop, Cursor, Roo Code) call external tools. EMMA exposes a remote MCP server so your AI can scan stocks, check quotes, and manage watchlists directly.

Do I need to install anything?

No. EMMA's MCP server is hosted remotely. You just add a URL to your client's settings - no npm install, no local build.

Guest mode (no API key) gives you limited access to gap signals. For full access to all 30+ signals, generate an API key from your EMMA dashboard.

How do I keep my API key safe?

Your API key lives only in your local MCP client config file. It is never displayed in the EMMA web UI after creation - you copy it once from the browser console or the generation dialog.

MCP Integration: Use EMMA in Claude, Cursor & More

Key Takeaways

EMMA exposes a remote MCP server - no local install needed
Works with Claude Desktop, Cursor, Roo Code, and any MCP-compatible client
Guest mode available with no API key (limited to gap signals)
Full access requires an API key generated from your EMMA dashboard

What is MCP?

The Model Context Protocol (MCP) is an open standard created by Anthropic that lets AI assistants call external tools. Instead of copy-pasting data into a chat window, your AI can directly scan stocks, fetch quotes, manage your watchlist, and more - all through natural language.

EMMA provides a hosted MCP server, so there's nothing to install or build. You just add a single configuration block to your AI client.

Quick Start (2 minutes)

Step 1: Open your MCP client settings

Each client stores MCP settings in a JSON config file:

Client	Settings location
Claude Desktop	`Settings → Developer → Edit Config`
Cursor	`Settings → MCP → Add new MCP server`
Roo Code (VS Code)	`MCP Servers panel → Edit Config`

Step 2a: Try guest mode (no key)

To try EMMA instantly with limited access, paste this into your mcpServers config:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "emma": {
      "url": "https://mcp.emmascan.io/mcp"
    }
  }
}

Guest mode gives you access to gap signals, limited to 100 tickers and 10 results per scan. Great for a quick test.

Step 2b: Full access with API key

For all 30+ signals and full scan capabilities:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "emma": {
      "url": "https://mcp.emmascan.io/mcp",
      "headers": {
        "Authorization": "Bearer YOUR_API_KEY"
      }
    }
  }
}

Getting your API key

Sign in to emmascan.io
Open Settings → API Keys → Generate Key
Copy the emk_... key - it's shown only once
Paste it in place of YOUR_API_KEY above

Keeping your key safe

Your API key lives only in your local MCP config file on your machine. It's never displayed again in the EMMA web UI after creation. This is by design:

Local-only storage: The key stays in your client's JSON config file
One-time display: The key is shown exactly once when generated
Revocable: You can revoke any key from your dashboard at any time
Scoped: Each key is tied to your account and can be independently managed

Never share your API key

Treat your emk_... key like a password. Don't commit it to version control, paste it in public channels, or share it with others. If compromised, revoke it immediately from Settings → API Keys.

What your AI gets

Once connected, your AI assistant has access to 21 tools spanning the full EMMA API:

Scanning & Signals

scan_signals - Scan for multiple signal types with tunable parameters
scan_single_signal - Quick single-signal scan
get_available_signals - List all signal types and their parameters

Market Data

get_ticker_quote - Current price, change, volume
get_ticker_history - Historical OHLCV data
get_ticker_financials - Fundamentals and financials
get_market_overview - Sentiment, top movers, hot sectors
get_market_session - Whether the market is open/closed

Watchlist & Alerts

get_watchlist / add_to_watchlist / remove_from_watchlist - Manage your watchlist
get_alerts / create_alert / delete_alert - Price alerts

Custom Signal Requests

submit_signal_request - Request a new custom signal type
get_signal_requests - Track your submitted requests

Example prompts

Once connected, try asking your AI:

"Scan for gap up signals on tech stocks today"
"Show me the market overview and top movers"
"Add AAPL to my watchlist with a note about the earnings gap"
"What signals fired on TSLA in the last 5 days?"
"Find stocks with both a volume spike and z-score oversold"

How it works under the hood

When you ask your AI about stocks, it automatically calls the appropriate EMMA tools - no special syntax needed. The AI decides which tool to use based on your natural language request. For example, "scan for gaps" triggers scan_signals, while "what's AAPL at?" calls get_ticker_quote.

Guest vs. Full Access

Feature	Guest (no key)	Full (API key)
Signal types	6 (gaps only)	30+
Tickers per scan	100	Unlimited
Results per scan	10	Unlimited
Watchlist & Alerts	Shared	Personal
Custom signal requests	No	Yes

Troubleshooting

"Unauthorized" errors: Double-check the Authorization header format - it must be Bearer emk_... (with a space after Bearer)
Tools not loading: Restart your MCP client after editing the config file
Timeout errors: The remote server may take a few seconds to cold-start - try again
Limited results: You're likely in guest mode - add an API key for full access