# Account Setup
Source: https://docs.chain.link/ace/getting-started/account-setup
Last Updated: 2026-04-15

> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](/llms.txt).

<AceCallout callout="privateBeta" />

This page walks through the shared setup steps for all ACE users. Whether you use the [Policy Manager](/ace/getting-started/policy-manager) to enforce compliance on smart contracts or the [Identity Manager](/ace/getting-started/identity-manager) to manage cross-chain identities and credentials, complete these steps first.

## 1. Create your organization

Go to [app.chain.link](https://app.chain.link) and create an account or sign in.

Once signed in, click **"My Org"** in the bottom-left corner of the sidebar to open the Organization page. Your **Organization ID** is displayed in the page header — copy it.

(Image: Image)

## 2. Share your Organization ID

Share your Organization ID with your Chainlink contact so they can enable the ACE service for your organization. You cannot create API keys or use ACE until this step is complete.

> **NOTE: Beta onboarding**
>
> During Beta, ACE enablement requires Chainlink to provision the service for your organization. This will become
> self-service in a future release.

## 3. Create an API key

> **CAUTION: Wait for ACE enablement**
>
> Do not create an API key until your Chainlink contact confirms that ACE has been enabled for your organization. API
> keys created before enablement will not have access to ACE endpoints.

Once your account has been provisioned for the ACE service, create an API key for authentication:

1. Log in to the [Chainlink App](https://app.chain.link), click **"My Org"** at the bottom of the left sidebar, then select the **"APIs"** tab.
2. Click **"+ Organization API"**.
   (Image: Image)
3. Enter a name for the key and select an expiration period (1 day, 1 month, or 1 year).
   (Image: Image)
4. Click **"Generate"**. The API key is displayed once — copy it immediately.

> **CAUTION: Save your API key**
>
> The API key is only shown once at creation time. Copy it immediately — if you lose it, you will need to generate a new
> one. Never share your API key. Each user in your organization should create and manage their own key.

You will use this key in the `Authorization` header for all [Coordinator API](/api/ace/coordinator/docs) and [Reporting API](/api/ace/reporting/docs) calls:

```bash
curl https://ace.api.chain.link/v1/<endpoint> \
  -H "Authorization: Apikey <API_KEY>"
```

## 4. Set up CRE Connect Wallets

Before you can use ACE — whether from the Platform UI or the Coordinator API — you need a **CRE Connect Wallet** on each blockchain network where you want to operate.

A CRE Connect Wallet is a dedicated onchain smart contract wallet that acts as the execution gateway for all ACE actions on a given chain. When you trigger an action (deploy a policy engine, register an identity, issue a credential), the ACE platform executes the blockchain transaction through your CRE Connect Wallet. For a full explanation of how the signing and ownership model works, see [Signing & Ownership Model](/ace/concepts/signing-ownership).

Key points:

- **One wallet per chain.** You need a CRE Connect Wallet on every network where you plan to use ACE. See [Supported Networks](/ace/supported-networks) for available chains.
- **You own it.** The `owner_address` you provide when creating the wallet becomes the owner of the CRE Connect Wallet onchain.
- **Chainlink operates through it.** Chainlink is registered as an authorized operator — allowed to execute operations on your behalf, but unable to change ownership or authorization settings.
- **Self-signing organizations** must also provide the `address` of the ECDSA signer authorized to sign operations. See [Signing & Ownership Model](/ace/concepts/signing-ownership) for details on how each signing model works.

## What happens next

Your next step depends on what you need to do:

| If you need to...                                   | Next step                                                                                                                             |
| --------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Enforce compliance policies on smart contracts      | Deploy a PolicyEngine and integrate your contract. Continue to the [Policy Manager Quick Start](/ace/getting-started/policy-manager). |
| Manage cross-chain identities and issue credentials | Set up identity and credential registries. Continue to the [Identity Manager Quick Start](/ace/getting-started/identity-manager).     |

Many organizations do both. Start with whichever is most relevant to your first use case — the quick start guides cross-reference each other where the workflows intersect.