> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.meum.io/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Authentication

> Bearer API key authentication for the merchant API.

## Method

All public merchant endpoints require:

```
Authorization: Bearer sk_live_<your_api_key>
```

## API key properties

* Store-scoped — keys belong to a single store
* Hashed at rest — Meum stores SHA-256 hash, not plaintext
* Scoped permissions — WooCommerce keys have dedicated scopes

## Key prefix

Production keys use prefix `sk_live_`. The first 12 characters are stored as `keyPrefix` for identification in Merchant Admin.

## Related pages

* [Get API credentials](/getting-started/get-api-credentials)
* [API key security](/security/api-key-security)