Skip to main content

​
Configuring Policies

Steward’s policy engine enforces rules on every agent action. This guide covers all policy types, common patterns, and best practices.

​
Policy Basics

Policies are JSON objects with this structure: 
interface PolicyRule {
  id: string;        // Unique identifier
  type: string;      // Policy type (see below)
  enabled: boolean;  // Toggle without deleting
  config: object;    // Type-specific configuration
}
Set policies via SDK or API: 
await steward.setPolicies("my-agent", [
  { id: "limit-1", type: "spending-limit", enabled: true, config: { ... } },
]);
setPolicies / PUT /agents/:id/policies replaces all policies for the agent. Always include the complete policy set.

​
Policy Types Reference

​
spending-limit

Controls the maximum value an agent can transact.
Config FieldTypeDescription
maxPerTransactionstring (wei)Maximum value per single transaction
maxPerDaystring (wei)Maximum cumulative value per 24h rolling window
maxPerWeekstring (wei)Maximum cumulative value per 7-day rolling window
{
  "id": "spending-limit",
  "type": "spending-limit",
  "enabled": true,
  "config": {
    "maxPerTransaction": "100000000000000000",
    "maxPerDay": "1000000000000000000",
    "maxPerWeek": "5000000000000000000"
  }
}
Values are in wei (1 ETH = 10^18 wei). For Solana, values are in lamports (1 SOL = 10^9 lamports). Steward tracks cumulative spend per agent.

​
approved-addresses

Whitelist of addresses the agent can send transactions to.
Config FieldTypeDescription
addressesstring[]List of allowed destination addresses
{
  "id": "dex-whitelist",
  "type": "approved-addresses",
  "enabled": true,
  "config": {
    "addresses": [
      "0x1111111254EEB25477B68fb85Ed929f73A960582",
      "0xDef1C0ded9bec7F1a1670819833240f027b25EfF"
    ]
  }
}

​
auto-approve-threshold

Transactions below this value are auto-approved; above enters the approval queue.
Config FieldTypeDescription
maxValuestring (wei)Maximum auto-approve value
{
  "id": "auto-approve",
  "type": "auto-approve-threshold",
  "enabled": true,
  "config": {
    "maxValue": "50000000000000000"
  }
}

​
rate-limit

Controls transaction frequency.
Config FieldTypeDescription
maxPerMinutenumberMax transactions per minute
maxPerHournumberMax transactions per hour
{
  "id": "rate-limit",
  "type": "rate-limit",
  "enabled": true,
  "config": {
    "maxPerMinute": 10,
    "maxPerHour": 100
  }
}

​
time-window

Restricts when the agent can transact.
Config FieldTypeDescription
allowedHours.startnumber (0-23)Start hour
allowedHours.endnumber (0-23)End hour
timezonestringIANA timezone (e.g., “UTC”, “America/New_York”)
{
  "id": "trading-hours",
  "type": "time-window",
  "enabled": true,
  "config": {
    "allowedHours": { "start": 8, "end": 22 },
    "timezone": "UTC"
  }
}

​
allowed-chains

Restricts which blockchain networks the agent can use.
Config FieldTypeDescription
chainIdsnumber[]List of allowed chain IDs
{
  "id": "chains",
  "type": "allowed-chains",
  "enabled": true,
  "config": {
    "chainIds": [8453, 1, 42161]
  }
}

​
Common Patterns

const conservativeTrader = [
  {
    id: "spending", type: "spending-limit", enabled: true,
    config: { maxPerTransaction: "50000000000000000", maxPerDay: "200000000000000000" },
  },
  {
    id: "addresses", type: "approved-addresses", enabled: true,
    config: { addresses: ["0x_UNISWAP_ROUTER"] },
  },
  {
    id: "auto", type: "auto-approve-threshold", enabled: true,
    config: { maxValue: "10000000000000000" },  // 0.01 ETH
  },
  {
    id: "rate", type: "rate-limit", enabled: true,
    config: { maxPerMinute: 2, maxPerHour: 20 },
  },
  {
    id: "chains", type: "allowed-chains", enabled: true,
    config: { chainIds: [8453] },  // Base only
  },
];

// An agent with no policies cannot sign anything (default deny).
// Just create the agent and don't set policies:
const agent = await steward.createWallet("data-agent", "Data Agent");
// This agent can check balances and read chain data but cannot sign transactions.

const hftAgent = [
  {
    id: "spending", type: "spending-limit", enabled: true,
    config: { maxPerTransaction: "10000000000000000", maxPerDay: "5000000000000000000" },
  },
  {
    id: "rate", type: "rate-limit", enabled: true,
    config: { maxPerMinute: 60, maxPerHour: 1000 },
  },
  {
    id: "auto", type: "auto-approve-threshold", enabled: true,
    config: { maxValue: "10000000000000000" },  // Auto-approve all (same as max per tx)
  },
];

​
Reading Policies

const policies = await steward.getPolicies("my-agent");
console.log(policies);
// [
//   { id: "spending-limit", type: "spending-limit", enabled: true, config: { ... } },
//   { id: "approved-addrs", type: "approved-addresses", enabled: true, config: { ... } },
// ]

​
Disabling a Policy

To temporarily disable a policy without removing it, set enabled: false and resubmit the full set: 
const policies = await steward.getPolicies("my-agent");
const updated = policies.map(p =>
  p.id === "time-window" ? { ...p, enabled: false } : p
);
await steward.setPolicies("my-agent", updated);