diff --git a/.env b/.env
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2092a11
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.env
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+VITE_API_BASE_URL=https://onchain.togethercrew.de/api/v1/
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/api/index.ts b/src/api/index.ts
index 89bd8c0..15ec0e3 100644
--- a/src/api/index.ts
+++ b/src/api/index.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,16 @@
+// src/api/index.ts
 import axios from 'axios';
 
-export const client = axios.create({
-  baseURL: '',
+const baseURL = import.meta.env.VITE_API_BASE_URL;
+
+if (!baseURL) {
+  throw new Error(
+    'VITE_API_BASE_URL is not defined in your environment variables'
+  );
+}
+
+export const api = axios.create({
+  baseURL,
   headers: {
     'Content-Type': 'application/json',
   },