diff --git a/.env.example b/.env.example
index 39915e2..a8e8239 100644
--- a/.env.example
+++ b/.env.example
@@ -8,12 +8,18 @@ CONFIG_CHAIN=testnet
 RPC_URL_MAINNET=https://rpc.citreascan.com
 RPC_URL_TESTNET=https://rpc.testnet.citreascan.com
 
-# CoinGecko: set EITHER a base URL pointing at a fronting pricing proxy (which
-# injects the upstream key itself, recommended for in-cluster deployments) OR a
-# direct Pro key. Setting only COINGECKO_BASE_URL is the cleanest setup; setting
-# only COINGECKO_API_KEY routes through pro-api.coingecko.com directly.
-# COINGECKO_BASE_URL=http://pricing-proxy:8080/coingecko
-COINGECKO_API_KEY=[API-KEY]
+# CoinGecko Configuration.
+#
+# COINGECKO_BASE_URL: required. The origin the api calls. Recommended is
+# the in-cluster pricing-proxy (https://github.com/DFXswiss/pricing-proxy),
+# which holds the upstream Pro key and serves a 60 s shared cache. Anything
+# CoinGecko-compatible works (pro-api.coingecko.com, api.coingecko.com, …).
+COINGECKO_BASE_URL=http://pricing-proxy:8080/coingecko
+#
+# COINGECKO_API_KEY: optional. If set, attached as `x-cg-pro-api-key` to
+# every request. Leave unset when talking to the pricing-proxy (proxy injects
+# its own key) or to the public host anonymously.
+# COINGECKO_API_KEY=
 
 TELEGRAM_BOT_TOKEN=[API-KEY]
 TELEGRAM_GROUPS_JSON=telegram.groups.json
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 247bd5c..0015c88 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -20,13 +20,45 @@ CONFIG_CHAIN=mainnet
 RPC_URL_MAINNET=https://eth-mainnet.g.alchemy.com/v2/[API-KEY]
 RPC_URL_POLYGON=https://polygon-mainnet.g.alchemy.com/v2/[API-KEY]
 
-COINGECKO_API_KEY=[API-KEY]
+# See "CoinGecko" section below.
+COINGECKO_BASE_URL=http://pricing-proxy:8080/coingecko
+# COINGECKO_API_KEY=
 
 TELEGRAM_BOT_TOKEN=[API-KEY]
 TELEGRAM_GROUPS_JSON=telegram.groups.json
 TELEGRAM_IMAGES_DIR=./images
 ```
 
+## CoinGecko
+
+The api fetches token prices from a CoinGecko-compatible endpoint.
+Configuration is two env vars:
+
+| Var | Required | Purpose |
+|---|---|---|
+| `COINGECKO_BASE_URL` | yes | Origin the api calls. |
+| `COINGECKO_API_KEY` | no | Attached as the `x-cg-pro-api-key` header on every request when set. |
+
+The recommended deployment is the
+[**pricing-proxy**](https://github.com/DFXswiss/pricing-proxy) — a small
+caching reverse-proxy in front of CoinGecko Pro. It holds the upstream
+key, serves a 60 s shared cache, validates upstream error envelopes, and
+coalesces concurrent identical requests. When you use the proxy:
+
+```env
+COINGECKO_BASE_URL=http://pricing-proxy:8080/coingecko
+# COINGECKO_API_KEY left unset — the proxy injects its own key
+```
+
+Without the proxy, talk to CoinGecko directly:
+
+```env
+COINGECKO_BASE_URL=https://pro-api.coingecko.com
+COINGECKO_API_KEY=CG-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
+```
+
+The api refuses to start without `COINGECKO_BASE_URL`.
+
 ## Running the app
 
 ```bash
diff --git a/api.config.ts b/api.config.ts
index c7c483b..2063b8e 100644
--- a/api.config.ts
+++ b/api.config.ts
@@ -9,11 +9,13 @@ dotenv.config();
 const isMainnet = process.env.CONFIG_CHAIN === 'mainnet';
 if (isMainnet && process.env.RPC_URL_MAINNET === undefined) throw new Error('RPC_URL_MAINNET not available');
 if (!isMainnet && process.env.RPC_URL_TESTNET === undefined) throw new Error('RPC_URL_TESTNET not available');
-// Either a key for direct Pro access OR a base URL for a fronting pricing proxy
-// must be set; otherwise the upstream CoinGecko calls are anonymous and fail
-// under load.
-if (!process.env.COINGECKO_API_KEY && !process.env.COINGECKO_BASE_URL) {
-	throw new Error('COINGECKO_API_KEY or COINGECKO_BASE_URL must be set');
+// COINGECKO_BASE_URL is the origin the api calls — typically the in-cluster
+// pricing-proxy (https://github.com/DFXswiss/pricing-proxy), but any
+// CoinGecko-compatible host works. COINGECKO_API_KEY is optional and is
+// only attached as `x-cg-pro-api-key` on every request when set (proxy mode
+// leaves it unset because the proxy injects its own key).
+if (!process.env.COINGECKO_BASE_URL) {
+	throw new Error('COINGECKO_BASE_URL is not set');
 }
 
 // Config type
@@ -21,8 +23,8 @@ export type ConfigType = {
 	app: string;
 	indexer: string;
 	indexerFallback: string;
+	coingeckoBaseUrl: string;
 	coingeckoApiKey: string | undefined;
-	coingeckoBaseUrl: string | undefined;
 	chain: Chain;
 	network: {
 		mainnet: string;
@@ -47,8 +49,8 @@ export const CONFIG: ConfigType = {
 	app: process.env.CONFIG_APP_URL,
 	indexer: process.env.CONFIG_INDEXER_URL,
 	indexerFallback: process.env.CONFIG_INDEXER_FALLBACK_URL,
+	coingeckoBaseUrl: process.env.COINGECKO_BASE_URL,
 	coingeckoApiKey: process.env.COINGECKO_API_KEY || undefined,
-	coingeckoBaseUrl: process.env.COINGECKO_BASE_URL || undefined,
 	chain: isMainnet ? mainnet : testnet,
 	network: {
 		mainnet: process.env.RPC_URL_MAINNET,
@@ -83,10 +85,6 @@ const SENSITIVE_KEYS = new Set<string>([
 	'twitter.accessSecret',
 ]);
 
-// `coingeckoBaseUrl` is intentionally NOT redacted — it is a non-secret pointer
-// (typically the in-cluster pricing proxy origin) and useful at startup for
-// confirming routing.
-
 function redactConfig<T>(config: T): T {
 	return walkRedact(config, '') as T;
 }
@@ -127,20 +125,18 @@ export const VIEM_CONFIG = createPublicClient({
 
 // COINGECKO CLIENT
 //
-// Resolution priority:
-//  1. COINGECKO_BASE_URL set → trust the caller (typically a pricing proxy that
-//     injects the upstream key itself); send no auth.
-//  2. COINGECKO_API_KEY set → Pro tier: pro-api.coingecko.com with the
-//     `x-cg-pro-api-key` header. The earlier query-string form is supported by
-//     CoinGecko but cache-poisons proxies that key on the URL.
+// Calls go to whatever `COINGECKO_BASE_URL` points at. When the optional
+// `COINGECKO_API_KEY` is set, it is attached as the `x-cg-pro-api-key`
+// header — orthogonal to the base URL, never a fallback. The recommended
+// deployment is the in-cluster pricing-proxy
+// (https://github.com/DFXswiss/pricing-proxy), which injects its own key
+// and leaves COINGECKO_API_KEY unset on every consumer.
 export const COINGECKO_CLIENT = (query: string) => {
-	if (CONFIG.coingeckoBaseUrl) {
-		return fetch(`${CONFIG.coingeckoBaseUrl}${query}`);
+	const headers: Record<string, string> = { accept: 'application/json' };
+	if (CONFIG.coingeckoApiKey) {
+		headers['x-cg-pro-api-key'] = CONFIG.coingeckoApiKey;
 	}
-	const uri: string = `https://pro-api.coingecko.com${query}`;
-	return fetch(uri, {
-		headers: { 'x-cg-pro-api-key': CONFIG.coingeckoApiKey ?? '' },
-	});
+	return fetch(`${CONFIG.coingeckoBaseUrl}${query}`, { headers });
 };
 
 export const PROTOCOL_STABLECOIN_SYMBOL = 'JUSD';