diff --git a/global_fees.json b/global_fees.json
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..de002698
--- /dev/null
+++ b/global_fees.json
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+{"start_date":{"t_s":0},"end_date":{"t_s":99999999.900000006},"history_fee":"EUR:0.00","account_fee":"EUR:0.00","purse_fee":"EUR:0.00","history_expiration":{"t_s":9999999000000},"purse_account_limit":1,"purse_timeout":{"t_s":9999999000000},"master_sig":"EHBTKAC30EYD2NGYB76B7JPG1VREYP4W3EQB6YQJJ41NHFWQSX9HQJXTZR9N65V6HAJB5KKHXAYTNBWBDJBE4YV38W6FGZYG6595E00="}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/amount.ml b/src/amount.ml
index 2a49a548..65fde44d 100644
--- a/src/amount.ml
+++ b/src/amount.ml
@@ -117,3 +117,5 @@ let bin_nbo =
   |+ field beint32 (fun t -> t.fraction)
   |+ field (bytes currency_len) (fun t -> pad_currency t.currency)
   |> sealr
+
+let dummy_value = "DUMMY:0.0" |> of_string |> Result.get_ok
diff --git a/src/amount.mli b/src/amount.mli
index e2572401..ab6c7da7 100644
--- a/src/amount.mli
+++ b/src/amount.mli
@@ -25,3 +25,7 @@ val jsont : t Jsont.t
 (* only for encoding *)
 val bin : t Bin.t
 val bin_nbo : t Bin.t
+
+(* TODO
+   dummy value to use as placeholder for WIP *)
+val dummy_value : t
diff --git a/src/http_keys.ml b/src/http_keys.ml
index f7382e89..dd924c90 100644
--- a/src/http_keys.ml
+++ b/src/http_keys.ml
@@ -190,8 +190,10 @@ let mk_keys ~db_conn (module Sm : Secmod.S) ~last_issue_date =
     sign_f ~f:(Sm.sign_with_signkey ~pub:exchange_pub) R.{ list_issue_date; hc }
   in
 
-  let recoup = (* todo /recoup *) [] in
-  let global_fees = (* TODO *) [] in
+  let recoup = (* TODO /recoup *) [] in
+  let* global_fees =
+    Pg.get_global_fees db_conn ~start_date:Timestamp.epoch |> unwrap_err_caqti
+  in
   let auditors = (* TODO *) [] in
   let extensions = None in
   let extensions_sig = None in
diff --git a/src/http_management.ml b/src/http_management.ml
index 81568cbd..3e3f046e 100644
--- a/src/http_management.ml
+++ b/src/http_management.ml
@@ -433,13 +433,10 @@ module Global_fees = struct
           purse_timeout;
           master_sig;
         } =
-    (* TODO what is kyc_timeout, kyc_fee ? *)
-    let dummy_amount =
-      Amount.make ~sign:None ~currency:"EUR" ~value:0_L ~fraction:0_l
-      |> Result.get_ok
-    in
+    (* TODO KYC
+       what is kyc_timeout, kyc_fee ? *)
     let kyc_timeout = None in
-    let kyc_fee = dummy_amount in
+    let kyc_fee = Amount.dummy_value in
     (* * *)
     let open Bin_sig.GlobalFees in
     verify_f ~f:Sm.verify_with_master_key master_sig
@@ -465,12 +462,28 @@ module Global_fees = struct
     in
     match global_fees with
     | [] ->
-        let+ () = Pg.insert_global_fee db_conn v |> unwrap_err_caqti in
+        let+ () = Pg.insert_global_fees db_conn v |> unwrap_err_caqti in
+        Logs.info (fun m -> m "added global fees");
         ()
-    | _l -> Error "global-fees already setup"
+    | [ vv ] -> (
+        match v.master_sig = vv.master_sig with
+        | false ->
+            Error
+              "a different global-fees was already setup for this time frame"
+        | true ->
+            Logs.info (fun m -> m "an identical global-fees was already setup");
+            Ok ())
+    | _ ->
+        Error
+          "invalid database state, multiple global-fees found in database for \
+           this time frame"
 
   let jsont = GlobalFees.jsont
 
+  (* TODO global_fees
+     ensure it is defined for the current time.
+     there should be only one global_fees for each moment in time
+     and once set for a timeframe, it should not change. *)
   let f req server _env =
     Logs.info (fun m -> m "POST /management/global-fees/");
     let sm = Vif.Server.device Devices.secmod server in
diff --git a/src/pg.ml b/src/pg.ml
index 18136cb7..b759999c 100644
--- a/src/pg.ml
+++ b/src/pg.ml
@@ -12,6 +12,8 @@
    transaction
 
    should check validity of signatures got from db, for /management at least *)
+(* TODO time
+   fix comparison with timestamp footgun *)
 
 module type CONN = Caqti_miou.CONNECTION
 
@@ -298,20 +300,20 @@ let get_global_fees_by_time =
     Caqti_type.(t2 time time ->* global_fee)
       "SELECT start_date, end_date, (history_fee).*, (account_fee).*, \
        (purse_fee).*, history_expiration, purse_account_limit, purse_timeout, \
-       master_sig FROM global_fee WHERE end_date > $1 AND start_date < $2"
+       master_sig FROM global_fee WHERE start_date >= $1 AND end_date <= $2"
   in
   fun (module Conn : CONN) ~start_date ~end_date ->
     Conn.collect_list get_global_fees_by_time (start_date, end_date)
 
-let insert_global_fee =
-  let insert_global_fee =
+let insert_global_fees =
+  let insert_global_fees =
     Caqti_type.(global_fee ->. unit)
       "INSERT INTO global_fee (start_date, end_date, history_fee, account_fee, \
        purse_fee, history_expiration, purse_account_limit, purse_timeout, \
        master_sig) VALUES ($1, $2, ($3,$4), ($5,$6), ($7,$8), $9, $10, $11, \
        $12)"
   in
-  fun (module Conn : CONN) v -> Conn.exec insert_global_fee v
+  fun (module Conn : CONN) v -> Conn.exec insert_global_fees v
 
 let get_wire_timestamp =
   let get_wire_timestamp =
diff --git a/src/timestamp.ml b/src/timestamp.ml
index 1b203aec..506d8f2e 100644
--- a/src/timestamp.ml
+++ b/src/timestamp.ml
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 type t = Ptime.t option
 type span = Ptime.Span.t option
 
+let epoch = Some Ptime.epoch
+
 let diff a b =
   match (a, b) with
   | None, _ | _, None -> None
@@ -23,6 +25,23 @@ let of_span_exn = function
 
 (* -- *)
 
+(* TODO
+   this doesn't handle "never" value, and truncate time *)
+let of_string s =
+  match Float.of_string_opt s with
+  | None -> Error "Timestamp.of_string failure: not a float"
+  | Some v -> (
+      match Ptime.of_float_s v with
+      | None -> Error "Timestamp.of_string failure"
+      | Some v -> Ok (Some v))
+
+let pp fmt t =
+  match t with
+  | None -> Fmt.pf fmt {|"never"|}
+  | Some v ->
+      let v = Ptime.to_float_s v in
+      Fmt.pf fmt {|%f|} v
+
 (* microseconds since the UNIX Epoch, or "never" if None *)
 let jsont =
   let number_or_never_jsont =
@@ -62,7 +81,7 @@ let decode_int64 i = if i = Int64.max_int then None else Some (ptime_of_int64 i)
 let bin = Bin.map Bin.neint64 decode_int64 encode_int64
 let bin_nbo = Bin.map Bin.beint64 decode_int64 encode_int64
 
-let caqti : Ptime.t option Caqti_type.t =
+let caqti : t Caqti_type.t =
   let encode v = Ok (encode_int64 v) in
   let decode v = Ok (decode_int64 v) in
   Caqti_type.custom ~encode ~decode Caqti_type.int64
@@ -80,6 +99,23 @@ let compare a b =
 module Span = struct
   type t = span
 
+  (* TODO
+   this doesn't handle "never" value, and truncate time *)
+  let of_string s =
+    match Float.of_string_opt s with
+    | None -> Error "Timestamp.Span.of_string failure: not a float"
+    | Some v -> (
+        match Ptime.Span.of_float_s v with
+        | None -> Error "Timestamp.Span.of_string failure"
+        | Some v -> Ok (Some v))
+
+  let pp fmt t =
+    match t with
+    | None -> Fmt.pf fmt {|"forever"|}
+    | Some v ->
+        let v = Ptime.Span.to_float_s v in
+        Fmt.pf fmt {|%f|} v
+
   let to_int64 ptime = ptime |> Ptime.Span.to_float_s |> Int64.of_float
 
   let of_int64 i =
diff --git a/src/timestamp.mli b/src/timestamp.mli
index 44520180..5a9276b6 100644
--- a/src/timestamp.mli
+++ b/src/timestamp.mli
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 (* TODO time
    uhuh!
    need to be int64 for binary/pg round trip
-
-   really need to fix this module *)
+   really need to fix this module
+   don't use option for never/forever *)
 
 type t = Ptime.t option
 type span = Ptime.Span.t option
@@ -10,17 +10,27 @@ type span = Ptime.Span.t option
 module Span : sig
   type t = span
 
+  val of_string : string -> (t, string) result
+  val pp : Stdlib.Format.formatter -> t -> unit
+
+  (* - *)
+
   val jsont : t Jsont.t
   val bin : t Bin.t
   val bin_nbo : t Bin.t
   val caqti : t Caqti_type.t
 end
 
+val epoch : t
 val diff : t -> t -> span
 val add_span_exn : t -> span -> t
 val of_span_exn : span -> t
 val compare : t -> t -> int option
 
+(* used for offline tool argument conversion *)
+val of_string : string -> (t, string) result
+val pp : Stdlib.Format.formatter -> t -> unit
+
 (* - *)
 val jsont : t Jsont.t
 val bin : t Bin.t
diff --git a/tools/do_management.sh b/tools/do_management.sh
index efb9b134..ca1958a3 100755
--- a/tools/do_management.sh
+++ b/tools/do_management.sh
@@ -1,5 +1,17 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 
-dune exec offline -- download && \
-dune exec offline -- sign && \
-dune exec offline -- upload
+set -e
+
+file1="tmp_file1.json"
+file2="tmp_file2.json"
+file3="tmp_file3.json"
+
+dune exec offline -- download --output $file1
+dune exec offline -- sign --input $file1 --output $file2
+dune exec offline -- upload --input $file2 --url "/management/keys"
+dune exec offline -- global-fees --output $file3 --start_date "0.0" --end_date "99999999.9" --history_fee "EUR:0.0" --account_fee "EUR:0.0" --purse_fee "EUR:0.0" --history_expiration "9999999.0" --purse_account_limit 1 --purse_timeout "9999999.0"
+dune exec offline -- upload --input $file3 --url "/management/global-fees"
+
+rm $file1
+rm $file2
+rm $file3
diff --git a/tools/offline.ml b/tools/offline.ml
index 833f1e37..2f9137e9 100644
--- a/tools/offline.ml
+++ b/tools/offline.ml
@@ -9,6 +9,18 @@ let default_request_file = "request.json"
 (*let to_term_ret = function Error e -> `Error (false, e) | Ok () -> `Ok ()*)
 let to_term_ret = Fun.id
 
+let timestamp =
+  Arg.Conv.make ~docv:"timestamp argument" ~parser:Timestamp.of_string
+    ~pp:Timestamp.pp ()
+
+let relative_time =
+  Arg.Conv.make ~docv:"relative time argument" ~parser:Timestamp.Span.of_string
+    ~pp:Timestamp.Span.pp ()
+
+let amount =
+  Arg.Conv.make ~docv:"amount argument" ~parser:Amount.of_string ~pp:Amount.pp
+    ()
+
 let setup_cmd =
   let doc = "Generate offline master keys" in
   let output =
@@ -94,6 +106,50 @@ let revoke_signkey_cmd =
   let+ output = output and+ master_key = master_key and+ signkey = signkey in
   revoke_signkey ~output ~master_key ~signkey |> to_term_ret
 
+let global_fees_cmd =
+  let doc = "Provides global fee configuration." in
+  let start_date =
+    Arg.(required & opt (some timestamp) None & info [ "start_date" ])
+  in
+  let end_date =
+    Arg.(required & opt (some timestamp) None & info [ "end_date" ])
+  in
+  let history_fee =
+    Arg.(required & opt (some amount) None & info [ "history_fee" ])
+  in
+  let account_fee =
+    Arg.(required & opt (some amount) None & info [ "account_fee" ])
+  in
+  let purse_fee =
+    Arg.(required & opt (some amount) None & info [ "purse_fee" ])
+  in
+  let history_expiration =
+    Arg.(
+      required & opt (some relative_time) None & info [ "history_expiration" ])
+  in
+  let purse_account_limit =
+    Arg.(required & opt (some int) None & info [ "purse_account_limit" ])
+  in
+  let purse_timeout =
+    Arg.(required & opt (some relative_time) None & info [ "purse_timeout" ])
+  in
+  Cmd.make (Cmd.info "global-fees" ~doc)
+  @@
+  let+ output = output
+  and+ master_key = master_key
+  and+ start_date = start_date
+  and+ end_date = end_date
+  and+ history_fee = history_fee
+  and+ account_fee = account_fee
+  and+ purse_fee = purse_fee
+  and+ history_expiration = history_expiration
+  and+ purse_account_limit = purse_account_limit
+  and+ purse_timeout = purse_timeout in
+  global_fees ~output ~master_key ~start_date ~end_date ~history_fee
+    ~account_fee ~purse_fee ~history_expiration ~purse_account_limit
+    ~purse_timeout
+  |> to_term_ret
+
 let cli =
   let info =
     let doc = "MTE Offline CLI tool" in
@@ -107,6 +163,7 @@ let cli =
       upload_cmd;
       revoke_denom_cmd;
       revoke_signkey_cmd;
+      global_fees_cmd;
     ]
 
 let main () = Cmd.eval_result cli
diff --git a/tools/offline_impl.ml b/tools/offline_impl.ml
index 38ea35c3..2ad704ba 100644
--- a/tools/offline_impl.ml
+++ b/tools/offline_impl.ml
@@ -75,3 +75,54 @@ let revoke_signkey ~output ~master_key ~signkey =
   let* s = Api.encode Api.SignkeyRevocationSignature.jsont v in
   let* () = write_file output s in
   Ok ()
+
+let global_fees ~output ~master_key ~start_date ~end_date ~history_fee
+    ~account_fee ~purse_fee ~history_expiration ~purse_account_limit
+    ~purse_timeout =
+  let open Crypto in
+  let* key = read_file master_key in
+  let* key = EddsaPrivateKey.of_octets key in
+  let* purse_account_limit =
+    match
+      purse_account_limit >= 0
+      && purse_account_limit <= Int32.to_int Int32.max_int
+    with
+    | false -> Error "invalid purse_account_limit value"
+    | true -> Ok (Int32.of_int purse_account_limit)
+  in
+  let master_sig =
+    let open Bin_sig.GlobalFees in
+    (* TODO KYC *)
+    let kyc_timeout = None in
+    let kyc_fee = Amount.dummy_value in
+    sign_f ~f:(EddsaSignature.sign ~key)
+      {
+        start_date;
+        end_date;
+        purse_timeout;
+        kyc_timeout;
+        history_expiration;
+        history_fee;
+        kyc_fee;
+        account_fee;
+        purse_fee;
+        purse_account_limit;
+      }
+  in
+  let global_fees =
+    Api.GlobalFees.
+      {
+        start_date;
+        end_date;
+        purse_timeout;
+        history_expiration;
+        history_fee;
+        account_fee;
+        purse_fee;
+        purse_account_limit;
+        master_sig;
+      }
+  in
+  let* s = Api.encode Api.GlobalFees.jsont global_fees in
+  let* () = write_file output s in
+  Ok ()