What is Velqa — the OpenAI-compatible LLM API payable in dirhams (MAD)
Velqa.dev is an API gateway for large language models, OpenAI- and Anthropic-compatible, giving developers across the Maghreb and Africa access to the best open-weight models (Kimi, Qwen, DeepSeek, GLM, MiniMax) with payment in local currency (Moroccan dirham) — no international Visa card needed.
The problem Velqa solves
The big providers' APIs almost always require an international credit card and bill in US dollars — a wall for many developers across MENA and Africa. Velqa removes that blocker: you top up your balance in MAD and consume the models through a standard API.
What you get
- An OpenAI-compatible API:
https://api.velqa.dev/v1. The same endpoints you already know (/chat/completions,/embeddings,/images/generations…). - An Anthropic-compatible API:
https://api.velqa.dev/v1/messages, for tools that speak the Anthropic protocol (see Anthropic API). - Top-tier open-weight models: Kimi K2.6, Qwen3.7 Max, DeepSeek V4, GLM 5.2, MiniMax M3 and more (full list and pricing: models).
- Payment in dirhams: Starter / Dev / Pro subscriptions or prepaid Recharge Boost, no subscription required (see plans).
Who is it for?
- Developers and students in Morocco and the region who don't have an international Visa/Mastercard.
- Teams that want predictable costs in local currency.
- Anyone already using the OpenAI SDK or a coding tool (opencode, Cline, Claude Code…) who just wants to switch providers.
How it fits: two settings
If your code or tool already uses an OpenAI-compatible API, migrating comes down to changing two values:
| Setting | Value |
|---|---|
base_url | https://api.velqa.dev/v1 |
api_key | your sk-... key |
from openai import OpenAI
client = OpenAI(
base_url="https://api.velqa.dev/v1",
api_key="sk-...", # your Velqa key
)
resp = client.chat.completions.create(
model="kimi-k2.6",
messages=[{"role": "user", "content": "Hello!"}],
)
print(resp.choices[0].message.content)Next steps
- Quickstart — your first call in 2 minutes.
- Available models — IDs and prices in MAD.
- Plans and pricing — Starter, Dev, Pro, Recharge Boost.
- Authentication — manage your API keys.