diff --git a/cashu/core/settings.py b/cashu/core/settings.py
index 6a66723..6ead713 100644
--- a/cashu/core/settings.py
+++ b/cashu/core/settings.py
@@ -80,8 +80,10 @@ class WalletSettings(CashuSettings):
     mint_url: str = Field(default=None)
     mint_host: str = Field(default="8333.space")
     mint_port: int = Field(default=3338)
+    wallet_name: str = Field(default="wallet")
 
     api_port: int = Field(default=4448)
+    api_host: str = Field(default="127.0.0.1")
 
     nostr_private_key: str = Field(default=None)
     nostr_relays: List[str] = Field(
diff --git a/cashu/wallet/api/api_server.py b/cashu/wallet/api/api_server.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2d09be0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cashu/wallet/api/api_server.py
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+import uvicorn
+
+from ...core.settings import settings
+
+
+def start_api_server(port=settings.api_port, host=settings.api_host):
+    config = uvicorn.Config(
+        "cashu.wallet.api.app:app",
+        port=port,
+        host=host,
+    )
+    server = uvicorn.Server(config)
+    server.run()
diff --git a/cashu/wallet/api/main.py b/cashu/wallet/api/main.py
deleted file mode 100644
index 4486661..0000000
--- a/cashu/wallet/api/main.py
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,9 +0,0 @@
-import uvicorn
-
-from ...core.settings import settings
-
-
-def main(port=settings.api_port):
-    config = uvicorn.Config("cashu.wallet.api.app:app", port=port, host="127.0.0.1")
-    server = uvicorn.Server(config)
-    server.run()
diff --git a/cashu/wallet/api/router.py b/cashu/wallet/api/router.py
index 113ed9e..a36b8cd 100644
--- a/cashu/wallet/api/router.py
+++ b/cashu/wallet/api/router.py
@@ -36,7 +36,9 @@ from .responses import (
 router: APIRouter = APIRouter()
 
 
-def create_wallet(url=settings.mint_url, dir=settings.cashu_dir, name="wallet"):
+def create_wallet(
+    url=settings.mint_url, dir=settings.cashu_dir, name=settings.wallet_name
+):
     return Wallet(url, os.path.join(dir, name), name=name)
 
 
diff --git a/cashu/wallet/cli/cli.py b/cashu/wallet/cli/cli.py
index d3801a5..126002b 100644
--- a/cashu/wallet/cli/cli.py
+++ b/cashu/wallet/cli/cli.py
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ from ...nostr.nostr.client.client import NostrClient
 from ...tor.tor import TorProxy
 from ...wallet.crud import get_lightning_invoices, get_reserved_proofs, get_unused_locks
 from ...wallet.wallet import Wallet as Wallet
+from ..api.api_server import start_api_server
 from ..cli.cli_helpers import get_mint_wallet, print_mint_balances, verify_mint
 from ..helpers import deserialize_token_from_string, init_wallet, receive, send
 from ..nostr import receive_nostr, send_nostr
@@ -32,6 +33,13 @@ class NaturalOrderGroup(click.Group):
         return self.commands.keys()
 
 
+def run_api_server(ctx, param, daemon):
+    if not daemon:
+        return
+    start_api_server()
+    ctx.exit()
+
+
 @click.group(cls=NaturalOrderGroup)
 @click.option(
     "--host",
@@ -43,8 +51,17 @@ class NaturalOrderGroup(click.Group):
     "--wallet",
     "-w",
     "walletname",
-    default="wallet",
-    help="Wallet name (default: wallet).",
+    default=settings.wallet_name,
+    help=f"Wallet name (default: {settings.wallet_name}).",
+)
+@click.option(
+    "--daemon",
+    "-d",
+    is_flag=True,
+    is_eager=True,
+    expose_value=False,
+    callback=run_api_server,
+    help="Start server for wallet REST API",
 )
 @click.pass_context
 def cli(ctx: Context, host: str, walletname: str):
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index f6c5e7c..e489a7e 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -53,5 +53,4 @@ build-backend = "poetry.core.masonry.api"
 [tool.poetry.scripts]
 mint = "cashu.mint.main:main"
 cashu = "cashu.wallet.cli.cli:cli"
-api = "cashu.wallet.api.main:main"
 wallet-test = "tests.test_wallet:test"
\ No newline at end of file