How to activate Anthropic API? Full explanation of membership subscription 

Opening the Anthropic API and completing membership subscription and binding payment is the only way for many developers and AI tool enthusiasts. The most detailed Anthropic API (Claude AI interface) activation + payment steps, supporting dual currency cards/virtual cards.

🎯 1. Anthropic API activation conditions

✅ Valid email account (Gmail recommended)

✅ A successfully bound Visa/MasterCard card (either virtual card or physical card)

✅ A stable network environment (it is recommended to use foreign IP and avoid mainland IP)

🪜 2. Steps to register an Anthropic API account

Visit official website

Official website address: https://console.anthropic.com

Register an account

Click Sign up in the upper right corner

Register using email (Gmail or overseas email is recommended)

Complete basic settings after verifying email

Create API Key

After logging in to the backend, go to API keys in the left menu

Click Create key, customize the name, and generate your API key (similar to: sk-ant-api-xxxxx)

💳 3. Bind credit card and enable API payment permissions

🔐 1. Enter the payment page

Click on the avatar in the lower left corner in the background → Billing

Or visit the address: https://console.anthropic.com/settings/billing

💳 2. Add payment method

Click Add payment method

Fill in credit card information (Visa/MasterCard is acceptable):

information item

Fill in instructions

Card Number

Virtual or physical card number (16 digits)

Expiry

Validity date (such as 12/27)

CVC

Three-digit security code on the back of the card

ZIP Code

Just fill in the foreign postal code such as 10001 (New York)

✅Support virtual card recommendation:

## ✅ Virtual card application

1. Log in to the official website > https://bpay.net to register an account, password, email address and mobile phone number.

2. Wallet>USDT (TRC20/BSC) recharge, apply for card opening on the homepage>card opening successfully>convert USDT balance into US dollars (USD) and enter the virtual card to recharge. (It is recommended to deposit 20USDT for the first time)

3. Click the CVV security code of the virtual card to obtain: bill, name, address, state, card number, date, CVV/CVC security code

4. Enter the payment page and fill in the corresponding information to complete the payment.

Invitation link: https://coinepay.net/#/pages/auth/register?code=7YDCLP

👉Claude AI Plus detailed tutorial: https://bpay.net/ask/d/36

If you don’t understand, you can enter the official tutorial of Coinepay virtual credit card platform: https://bpay.net/ask/

🧾 3. Activation billing (no withholding fee)

No fees will be deducted immediately after binding the card

Billing will only start when the API usage exceeds the free limit (free limit is $5/month)

💡 4. API billing instructions (as of 2025)

model

Prompt(input)

Output

Claude 3 Opus

$15/1M tokens

$75/1M tokens

Claude 3 Sonnet

$3/1M tokens

$15/1M tokens

Claude 3 Haiku

$0.25 / 1M tokens

$1.25 / 1M tokens

Free quota: New accounts can use $5 monthly quota, which is enough for testing.

The fee is automatically deducted from the bound card (billed monthly).

✅ FAQ

Q1: What cards does Anthropic API support?

Visa / MasterCard must be able to make international payments in US dollars

Domestic UnionPay cards are not supported

Q2: What should I do if the binding fails?

Check if the card supports foreign currency payments

Make sure the IP is not from Mainland China (it is recommended to use US or Hong Kong IP)

Try again using an incognito window of your browser

Q3: How to use API key?

Set the following Header in your code or service:

Authorization: Bearer sk-ant-api-xxxx

Calling interface: https://api.anthropic.com/v1/messages