Setting Policies

Overview

Policies are rule-based security controls that evaluate every transaction before execution. They can allow, deny, or require manual approval for transactions based on configurable criteria.

Policy Evaluation Flow

Every spend-capable transaction passes through policy evaluation:

Creating Policies

npm run cli -- policy create \
  --wallet-id <walletId> \
  --name "Trading Limits" \
  --rules '[
    {
      "type": "spending_limit",
      "maxLamportsPerTx": 5000000,
      "maxLamportsPerDay": 50000000,
      "requireApprovalAboveLamports": 10000000
    },
    {
      "type": "protocol_allowlist",
      "protocols": ["system-program", "jupiter", "marinade"]
    }
  ]' \
  --active true

curl -X POST http://localhost:3000/api/v1/policies \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -H "x-api-key: dev-api-key" \
  -d '{
    "walletId": "<walletId>",
    "name": "Trading Limits",
    "active": true,
    "rules": [
      {
        "type": "spending_limit",
        "maxLamportsPerTx": 5000000,
        "maxLamportsPerDay": 50000000,
        "requireApprovalAboveLamports": 10000000
      },
      {
        "type": "protocol_allowlist",
        "protocols": ["system-program", "jupiter", "marinade"]
      }
    ]
  }'

const policy = await client.policy.create({
  walletId: walletId,
  name: 'Trading Limits',
  active: true,
  rules: [
    {
      type: 'spending_limit',
      maxLamportsPerTx: 5_000_000,
      maxLamportsPerDay: 50_000_000,
      requireApprovalAboveLamports: 10_000_000
    },
    {
      type: 'protocol_allowlist',
      protocols: ['system-program', 'jupiter', 'marinade']
    }
  ]
});

console.log(`Policy created: ${policy.id}`);

Policy Rule Types

Spending Limit

Control transaction amounts and require approval above thresholds:

{
  "type": "spending_limit",
  "maxLamportsPerTx": 1000000,
  "maxLamportsPerDay": 10000000,
  "requireApprovalAboveLamports": 500000
}

Field	Description
`maxLamportsPerTx`	Maximum lamports per transaction (deny above)
`maxLamportsPerDay`	Maximum lamports per 24-hour period (deny above)
`requireApprovalAboveLamports`	Trigger approval gate for amounts above this

All fields are optional. Omit a field to skip that check.

Protocol Allowlist

Restrict which protocols can be used:

{
  "type": "protocol_allowlist",
  "protocols": ["system-program", "jupiter", "spl-token"]
}

Denies any transaction using protocols not in the list.

Address Allowlist

Only allow transactions to specific addresses:

{
  "type": "address_allowlist",
  "addresses": [
    "8xKzZ...",
    "9yNmP..."
  ]
}

Address Blocklist

Block transactions to specific addresses:

{
  "type": "address_blocklist",
  "addresses": [
    "BadAddr1...",
    "BadAddr2..."
  ]
}

Program Allowlist

Restrict which Solana programs can be invoked:

{
  "type": "program_allowlist",
  "programIds": [
    "11111111111111111111111111111111",
    "TokenkegQfeZyiNwAJbNbGKPFXCWuBvf9Ss623VQ5DA"
  ]
}

Token Allowlist

Only allow specific SPL token mints:

{
  "type": "token_allowlist",
  "mints": [
    "So11111111111111111111111111111111111111112",
    "EPjFWdd5AufqSSqeM2qN1xzybapC8G4wEGGkZwyTDt1v"
  ]
}

Rate Limit

Limit transaction frequency:

{
  "type": "rate_limit",
  "maxTx": 10,
  "windowSeconds": 3600
}

Allows maximum of 10 transactions per hour.

Time Window

Only allow transactions during specific hours:

{
  "type": "time_window",
  "startHourUtc": 9,
  "endHourUtc": 17
}

Allows transactions only between 9 AM and 5 PM UTC.

Max Slippage

Limit slippage tolerance for swaps:

{
  "type": "max_slippage",
  "maxBps": 100
}

Denies swaps with slippage above 1% (100 basis points).

Protocol Risk

Advanced controls for specific protocols:

{
  "type": "protocol_risk",
  "protocol": "jupiter",
  "maxSlippageBps": 50,
  "maxPoolConcentrationBps": 5000,
  "allowedPools": ["pool1...", "pool2..."],
  "allowedPrograms": ["prog1...", "prog2..."],
  "oracleDeviationBps": 200
}

Portfolio Risk

Portfolio-level risk controls:

{
  "type": "portfolio_risk",
  "maxDrawdownLamports": 100000000,
  "maxDailyLossLamports": 50000000,
  "maxExposureBpsPerToken": 2000,
  "maxExposureBpsPerProtocol": 3000
}

Field	Description
`maxDrawdownLamports`	Maximum portfolio drawdown allowed
`maxDailyLossLamports`	Maximum daily loss allowed
`maxExposureBpsPerToken`	Max 20% exposure per token (2000 bps)
`maxExposureBpsPerProtocol`	Max 30% exposure per protocol (3000 bps)

Policy Evaluation

Test how a transaction would be evaluated without executing it:

npm run cli -- policy evaluate \
  --wallet-id <walletId> \
  --type transfer_sol \
  --protocol system-program \
  --destination <pubkey> \
  --amount-lamports 1000000

Response:

{
  "decision": "allow",
  "reasons": [
    "Spending limit check passed",
    "Protocol allowlist check passed"
  ],
  "riskTier": "low"
}

Possible decisions:

allow - Transaction proceeds automatically
deny - Transaction blocked
require_approval - Transaction pauses at approval gate

Approval Gate Workflow

When a policy requires approval:

Transaction Pauses

Transaction status becomes approval_gate and waits for operator action.

List Pending Approvals

npm run cli -- tx pending --wallet-id <walletId>

Or via API:

curl -H "x-api-key: dev-api-key" \
  http://localhost:3000/api/v1/wallets/<walletId>/pending-approvals

Review Transaction Details

npm run cli -- tx get <txId>

Check the intent, amount, destination, and policy reasons.

Approve or Reject

npm run cli -- tx approve <txId>

Transaction Continues

After approval, transaction proceeds to signing and submission.

Policy Versioning

Policies support versioning for safe updates:

List Policy Versions

npm run cli -- policy versions <policyId>

Get Specific Version

npm run cli -- policy version <policyId> --number 2

Migrate Policy

npm run cli -- policy migrate <policyId> --target-version 3 --mode safe

Migration modes:

safe - Only migrate if compatible
force - Migrate regardless of compatibility warnings

Check Compatibility

Validate rules before creating or updating:

npm run cli -- policy compatibility-check \
  --rules '[{"type":"spending_limit","maxLamportsPerTx":1000000}]'

Managing Policies

List Wallet Policies

npm run cli -- policy list --wallet-id <walletId>

Update Policy

const updated = await client.policy.update(policyId, {
  active: false, // Disable policy
  rules: [ /* updated rules */ ]
});

Updating a policy creates a new version. Old transactions may reference previous versions.

Real-World Examples

Conservative Trading Bot

{
  "name": "Conservative Trader",
  "rules": [
    {
      "type": "spending_limit",
      "maxLamportsPerTx": 10000000,
      "maxLamportsPerDay": 100000000
    },
    {
      "type": "protocol_allowlist",
      "protocols": ["jupiter"]
    },
    {
      "type": "max_slippage",
      "maxBps": 50
    },
    {
      "type": "rate_limit",
      "maxTx": 20,
      "windowSeconds": 3600
    }
  ]
}

High-Security Treasury

{
  "name": "Treasury Security",
  "rules": [
    {
      "type": "spending_limit",
      "requireApprovalAboveLamports": 5000000
    },
    {
      "type": "address_allowlist",
      "addresses": ["TrustedAddr1...", "TrustedAddr2..."]
    },
    {
      "type": "time_window",
      "startHourUtc": 9,
      "endHourUtc": 17
    },
    {
      "type": "rate_limit",
      "maxTx": 5,
      "windowSeconds": 86400
    }
  ]
}

DeFi Yield Farmer

{
  "name": "Yield Strategy",
  "rules": [
    {
      "type": "protocol_allowlist",
      "protocols": ["marinade", "solend", "jupiter"]
    },
    {
      "type": "max_slippage",
      "maxBps": 100
    },
    {
      "type": "portfolio_risk",
      "maxExposureBpsPerProtocol": 3000,
      "maxDailyLossLamports": 50000000
    }
  ]
}

Policy Best Practices

Security Recommendations:

Always set maxLamportsPerTx and maxLamportsPerDay for production wallets
Use requireApprovalAboveLamports for high-value thresholds
Combine multiple rule types for defense-in-depth
Test policies with policy evaluate before activating
Enable time_window rules for business hours-only operation
Use rate_limit to prevent runaway execution

Usage Guides

Advanced

Overview

Policy Evaluation Flow

Creating Policies

Policy Rule Types

Spending Limit

Protocol Allowlist

Address Allowlist

Address Blocklist

Program Allowlist

Token Allowlist

Rate Limit

Time Window

Max Slippage

Protocol Risk

Portfolio Risk

Policy Evaluation

Approval Gate Workflow

Policy Versioning

List Policy Versions

Get Specific Version

Migrate Policy

Check Compatibility

Managing Policies

List Wallet Policies

Update Policy

Real-World Examples

Conservative Trading Bot

High-Security Treasury

DeFi Yield Farmer

Policy Best Practices

Next Steps

Managing Agents

Protocol Interactions

Build docs developers (and LLMs) love

Usage Guides

Advanced

​Overview

​Policy Evaluation Flow

​Creating Policies

​Policy Rule Types

​Spending Limit

​Protocol Allowlist

​Address Allowlist

​Address Blocklist

​Program Allowlist

​Token Allowlist

​Rate Limit

​Time Window

​Max Slippage

​Protocol Risk

​Portfolio Risk

​Policy Evaluation

​Approval Gate Workflow

​Policy Versioning

​List Policy Versions

​Get Specific Version

​Migrate Policy

​Check Compatibility

​Managing Policies

​List Wallet Policies

​Update Policy

​Real-World Examples

​Conservative Trading Bot

​High-Security Treasury

​DeFi Yield Farmer

​Policy Best Practices

​Next Steps

Managing Agents

Protocol Interactions

Build docs developers (and LLMs) love

Overview

Policy Evaluation Flow

Creating Policies

Policy Rule Types

Spending Limit

Protocol Allowlist

Address Allowlist

Address Blocklist

Program Allowlist

Token Allowlist

Rate Limit

Time Window

Max Slippage

Protocol Risk

Portfolio Risk

Policy Evaluation

Approval Gate Workflow

Policy Versioning

List Policy Versions

Get Specific Version

Migrate Policy

Check Compatibility

Managing Policies

List Wallet Policies

Update Policy

Real-World Examples

Conservative Trading Bot

High-Security Treasury

DeFi Yield Farmer

Policy Best Practices

Next Steps