# get_btc_chain_tips

READ-ONLY — bitcoind getchaintips output: every fork the node knows about, with branchlen and status (active / valid-fork / valid-headers / headers-only / invalid). THE primitive for fork / deep-reorg detection — Esplora indexers cannot expose this; they only know the chain they followed. Requires BITCOIN_RPC_URL configured (self-hosted bitcoind or a public RPC provider). Returns available: false with a setup hint when RPC is not configured. Issue #248 / #233 v2.

Agent View of the PolicyLayer registry record for `get_btc_chain_tips`. HTML page: https://policylayer.com/tools/io-github-szhygulin-vaultpilot-mcp/get-btc-chain-tips

## Facts

- Tool: `get_btc_chain_tips`
- Server: VaultPilot MCP (`vaultpilot-mcp`) — https://policylayer.com/tools/io-github-szhygulin-vaultpilot-mcp.md
- Install: `npx -y vaultpilot-mcp`
- Homepage: https://github.com/szhygulin/vaultpilot-mcp
- Risk category: Read (Low risk)
- Registry record: grade F, identity unverified
- Server rate-limited: no
- Parameters: 0
- Recommended policy verdict: Allowed

## Example call (MCP tools/call, JSON-RPC 2.0)

```json
{
  "jsonrpc": "2.0",
  "id": 1,
  "method": "tools/call",
  "params": {
    "name": "get_btc_chain_tips",
    "arguments": {}
  }
}
```

## Why get_btc_chain_tips is rated Low

This tool queries blockchain state (fork detection, chain tips) from a local or remote bitcoind node. It is purely informational — it reads and returns existing chain data. The blast radius of misuse is minimal: an agent cannot cause financial loss, execute code, or modify state via this read-only query. Classified as Read.

From the tool's own definition: "Tool name includes 'READ-ONLY' and description states it returns 'bitcoind `getchaintips` output' — a query operation that retrieves fork and chain state information without modifying any data."

Risk signals: Bulk/mass operation — affects multiple targets

## Use case

AI agents call get_btc_chain_tips to retrieve information from VaultPilot MCP without modifying anything. It is typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere.

## Recommended policy (PolicyLayer)

Verdict: **Allowed**. Enforced by the PolicyLayer MCP gateway (https://policylayer.com/mcp-gateway) before a call reaches VaultPilot MCP:

```json
{
  "version": "1",
  "default": "deny",
  "tools": {
    "get_btc_chain_tips": {}
  }
}
```

## Other tools on VaultPilot MCP (188)

- `prepare_btc_lifi_swap` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/io-github-szhygulin-vaultpilot-mcp/prepare-btc-lifi-swap.md
- `prepare_btc_rbf_bump` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/io-github-szhygulin-vaultpilot-mcp/prepare-btc-rbf-bump.md
- `prepare_jito_stake` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/io-github-szhygulin-vaultpilot-mcp/prepare-jito-stake.md
- `prepare_marginfi_init` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/io-github-szhygulin-vaultpilot-mcp/prepare-marginfi-init.md
- `prepare_solana_nonce_close` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/io-github-szhygulin-vaultpilot-mcp/prepare-solana-nonce-close.md
- `prepare_sunswap_swap` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/io-github-szhygulin-vaultpilot-mcp/prepare-sunswap-swap.md
- `prepare_uniswap_v3_burn` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/io-github-szhygulin-vaultpilot-mcp/prepare-uniswap-v3-burn.md
- `prepare_uniswap_v3_mint` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/io-github-szhygulin-vaultpilot-mcp/prepare-uniswap-v3-mint.md
- `remove_contact` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/io-github-szhygulin-vaultpilot-mcp/remove-contact.md
- `unregister_btc_multisig_wallet` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/io-github-szhygulin-vaultpilot-mcp/unregister-btc-multisig-wallet.md
- `combine_btc_psbts` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/io-github-szhygulin-vaultpilot-mcp/combine-btc-psbts.md
- `pair_ledger_btc` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/io-github-szhygulin-vaultpilot-mcp/pair-ledger-btc.md
- `prepare_aave_repay` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/io-github-szhygulin-vaultpilot-mcp/prepare-aave-repay.md
- `prepare_btc_multisig_send` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/io-github-szhygulin-vaultpilot-mcp/prepare-btc-multisig-send.md
- `prepare_compound_repay` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/io-github-szhygulin-vaultpilot-mcp/prepare-compound-repay.md
- `prepare_compound_supply` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/io-github-szhygulin-vaultpilot-mcp/prepare-compound-supply.md
- `prepare_curve_swap` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/io-github-szhygulin-vaultpilot-mcp/prepare-curve-swap.md
- `prepare_custom_call` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/io-github-szhygulin-vaultpilot-mcp/prepare-custom-call.md
- `prepare_kamino_init_user` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/io-github-szhygulin-vaultpilot-mcp/prepare-kamino-init-user.md
- `prepare_kamino_supply` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/io-github-szhygulin-vaultpilot-mcp/prepare-kamino-supply.md
- `prepare_lido_unstake` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/io-github-szhygulin-vaultpilot-mcp/prepare-lido-unstake.md
- `prepare_lido_unwrap` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/io-github-szhygulin-vaultpilot-mcp/prepare-lido-unwrap.md
- `prepare_lido_wrap` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/io-github-szhygulin-vaultpilot-mcp/prepare-lido-wrap.md
- `prepare_native_stake_deactivate` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/io-github-szhygulin-vaultpilot-mcp/prepare-native-stake-deactivate.md
- `prepare_native_stake_delegate` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/io-github-szhygulin-vaultpilot-mcp/prepare-native-stake-delegate.md
- `prepare_rocketpool_unstake` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/io-github-szhygulin-vaultpilot-mcp/prepare-rocketpool-unstake.md
- `prepare_safe_tx_execute` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/io-github-szhygulin-vaultpilot-mcp/prepare-safe-tx-execute.md
- `prepare_solana_lifi_swap` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/io-github-szhygulin-vaultpilot-mcp/prepare-solana-lifi-swap.md
- `prepare_solana_nonce_init` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/io-github-szhygulin-vaultpilot-mcp/prepare-solana-nonce-init.md
- `prepare_solana_swap` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/io-github-szhygulin-vaultpilot-mcp/prepare-solana-swap.md
- …and 158 more: https://policylayer.com/tools/io-github-szhygulin-vaultpilot-mcp.md

## For agents

This record is a snapshot. Live verdicts and the full registry:

- Check every server in your MCP config at once: `npx -y policylayer stack`
- Vet a server before you add it: install the mcp-precheck skill — `npx skills add https://policylayer.com` (skill text: https://policylayer.com/skill.md)
- Query the registry over MCP: endpoint `https://api.policylayer.com/mcp` — tools `check_mcp_server`, `check_mcp_stack`, `check_tool`, `search_registry`, `get_change_events`

---

Source: the PolicyLayer MCP registry — one continuously verified record per MCP server. Full record: https://policylayer.com/registry?q=io-github-szhygulin-vaultpilot-mcp · API: https://policylayer.com/registry/api · Policy library: https://policylayer.com/policies/io-github-szhygulin-vaultpilot-mcp