When DeRace (DERC) became zkRace (ZERC) in May 2024, thousands of users didnât just get a new token-they got a clean slate with better tech and no extra steps. If you held DERC before May 13, 2024, you didnât have to do a thing. Your tokens automatically turned into ZERC at a 1:1 ratio. No forms. No wallet transfers. No panic. Just a quiet upgrade that kept your assets safe and your access intact.
What Was the zkRace Token Swap?
The zkRace token swap wasnât a new airdrop in the traditional sense. It was a full migration. DeRace, originally a horse racing metaverse built on blockchain, had been running on an older smart contract. By May 2024, the team decided to move everything to a new, more efficient system built on the Base blockchain. They didnât want to keep two versions running. So they replaced the old DERC token with ZERC-same value, same holders, upgraded infrastructure. The key moment? The snapshot. At exactly 16:00:00 UTC on May 13, 2024, the system froze every wallet that held DERC. That snapshot became the official record. Whatever amount you had at that second became your ZERC balance. If you had 500 DERC, you got 500 ZERC. No more, no less. And because the swap was automated, you didnât need to claim anything. The tokens appeared in your wallet automatically, whether you were holding on KuCoin, Gate.io, or your own wallet.How the Swap Played Out on Exchanges
KuCoin and Gate.io were the two main exchanges handling the transition. Both platforms made it seamless for users. KuCoin stopped accepting DERC deposits on May 13, took the snapshot, then paused trading temporarily. On May 28, 2024, at 10:00:00 UTC, they opened trading for ZERC/USDT pairs. Then, on May 29 at 09:00:00 UTC, users could start withdrawing ZERC. After that, DERC was completely removed from their platform. No more listings. No more support. The old token was retired. Gate.io followed the same timeline. They mirrored the swap, ensuring users on their platform didnât lose access to their assets. Both exchanges made it clear: if you didnât move your DERC before the snapshot, you were left behind. But if you were holding on time, you got ZERC without lifting a finger.ZERC Tokenomics: Supply, Price, and Trading
The zkRace token (ZERC) has a fixed total supply of 120,000,000 tokens-and all of them are already in circulation. That means thereâs no future inflation from team allocations or locked vesting schedules. Every ZERC you see on the market was once a DERC. As of early March 2026, ZERC trades around $0.0258 per token. Thatâs roughly equivalent to 0.0000002295 BTC. Its market cap sits at $3,094,440, and daily trading volume hovers near $122,795. The price has been stable, with a recent 24-hour range between $0.0257 and $0.026224. The tokenâs contract is live on the Base blockchain, with the official address: 0xa3a2...f049815. The project underwent a security audit by Hacken, which added credibility during the transition. While not a guarantee, it showed the team took basic safety seriously. You wonât find a full whitepaper or detailed roadmap online, but the technical move was clean and well-executed.
What ZERC Does in the zkRace Ecosystem
ZERC isnât just a tradeable token-itâs the engine of the zkRace metaverse. Every action inside the game requires ZERC:- Buying and selling NFT racehorses
- Breeding new horses with unique traits
- Building and renting out your own NFT hippodrome
- Entering races and claiming rewards
- Referring friends and earning commissions
- Submitting bug reports for rewards
- Placing bets on race outcomes
Is There Still an Airdrop?
The big migration is over. The automatic swap for DERC holders happened over a year ago. Thereâs no ongoing airdrop for past holders. But zkRace still runs occasional community challenges. These arenât free token drops-theyâre tasks like completing races, sharing feedback, or helping test new features. Rewards are small, usually in the form of ZERC or exclusive NFT items. You wonât get rich from them, but they keep the community engaged. If you didnât hold DERC before May 13, 2024, you missed the main event. You can still buy ZERC on exchanges like KuCoin or Gate.io, but you wonât get any bonus tokens. The only way to earn ZERC now is by playing the game or trading on the open market.
Why the Switch Mattered
Moving from DERC to ZERC wasnât just a rebrand. It was a technical upgrade. The old DeRace contract had limitations in speed and cost. The new zkRace system on Base blockchain cuts transaction fees and speeds up race results. It also makes it easier to integrate with other Web3 apps. The team didnât just change the token name-they rebuilt the backend. Thatâs rare in crypto. Most projects just add a new token and leave the old one running. zkRace shut down the old system completely. Thatâs a sign they cared about long-term stability, not just hype.Whatâs Next for zkRace?
The project hasnât released a public roadmap, but updates are still happening. The NFT horse breeding system is getting more complex. New race types are being tested. The team has hinted at adding spectator modes and live betting features. Thereâs also talk of integrating with other blockchain games to let users bring their horses into different worlds. For now, the focus is on keeping the ecosystem alive. With trading volume steady and no major sell-offs reported, the community seems stable. The fact that 100% of tokens are circulating means thereâs no hidden reserve waiting to dump. Thatâs a good sign for long-term holders.Final Thoughts
The zkRace airdrop wasnât a giveaway. It was a clean, automatic upgrade. If you held DERC before May 13, 2024, you got ZERC without effort. If you didnât, youâre just another trader looking at a niche GameFi token with real utility. ZERC isnât a moonshot. Itâs not a meme coin. Itâs a working piece of software that lets people race, breed, and bet on digital horses-with real blockchain backing. Itâs simple, focused, and functional. And sometimes, thatâs more valuable than flashy promises.Did everyone who held DeRace (DERC) get zkRace (ZERC) automatically?
Yes. Anyone who held DERC in their wallet or on a supported exchange at the snapshot time-16:00:00 UTC on May 13, 2024-received an equal amount of ZERC. No action was needed. The swap was handled automatically by exchanges and wallets.
Can I still claim ZERC tokens from the old DeRace airdrop?
No. The migration window closed in May 2024. There is no ongoing claim process. If you didnât hold DERC before the snapshot, you cannot receive ZERC through any airdrop mechanism. You can only buy ZERC on exchanges like KuCoin or Gate.io.
Is ZERC the same as DERC?
Value-wise, yes-at the time of the swap, 1 DERC = 1 ZERC. But technically, theyâre completely different tokens. DERC ran on an older contract. ZERC runs on the Base blockchain with a new smart contract address: 0xa3a2...f049815. The old DERC token is no longer active.
Where can I trade ZERC today?
ZERC is currently traded on KuCoin and Gate.io as ZERC/USDT pairs. Itâs not listed on major exchanges like Binance or Coinbase. Always check the official zkRace website or their social channels for updated exchange listings.
Do I need to stake ZERC to earn rewards in zkRace?
No. You donât need to stake ZERC to earn. Rewards come from playing the game: racing your NFT horses, breeding new ones, hosting races, or referring players. ZERC is used to pay for actions in the game, and you earn it back as rewards. Staking isnât part of the current system.
Is zkRace still active in 2026?
Yes. The zkRace metaverse is still operational. NFT horse breeding, racing, and hippodrome construction are all live. Daily trading volume remains steady, and the team continues to release minor updates. While thereâs no major marketing push, the core game functions as intended.
Carl Gaard
March 3, 2026 AT 04:51So like... they just swapped it? No drama? No panic? đą I held DERC since 2022 and literally did NOTHING. My wallet just woke up with ZERC one day. Like magic. But better. No fees, no gas wars, no âclaim your tokensâ scam links. Just⌠poof. Clean. đ¤Ż
bella gonzales
March 3, 2026 AT 18:46I didnât even know this happened until now⌠I think I missed it. Like, I just kinda⌠forgot. đ I was too busy scrolling memes to check my wallet. Now Iâm mad I didnât care. But also, not mad enough to go buy ZERC. Too late. Too boring. đ¤ˇââď¸
Paul Reinhart
March 4, 2026 AT 22:18This is one of the rare crypto stories that actually feels human. Most projects scream âHODLâ and then vanish or rug. But here? The team didnât just upgrade-they honored the holders. No extra steps. No confusion. No âyouâre not eligible.â Just a clean handoff. Itâs rare to see technical excellence paired with respect for users. The fact they shut down the old contract entirely? Thatâs not laziness-thatâs integrity. Most teams leave the old token alive to confuse new users or pump their own wallets. zkRace didnât. They just⌠did the right thing. And honestly? Thatâs worth more than any price chart.
Samantha Stultz
March 6, 2026 AT 03:49Actually, letâs be real-the âautomatic swapâ was only possible because they controlled the centralized exchanges. KuCoin and Gate.io did the heavy lifting. If you held DERC in a non-custodial wallet? You still had to rely on the contract migration. But guess what? The team didnât even bother to document how non-custodial users were handled. The whitepaper? Gone. The FAQ? Minimal. They relied on the exchanges to cover their backs. And now? ZERCâs liquidity is entirely dependent on two CEXs. Thatâs not decentralization-thatâs a cozy oligopoly with a blockchain sticker on it. Also, âsecurity audit by Hackenâ? Thatâs like getting a clean bill of health from your cousin who Googled âhow to audit smart contracts.â
Robert Conmy
March 6, 2026 AT 21:17People are acting like this was some heroic act. Newsflash: THEY HAD TO DO IT. The old contract was a disaster. Gas fees were insane. Transactions were failing. People were losing horses because of it. This wasnât generosity-it was survival. If they didnât migrate, the whole project wouldâve died. And now youâre all acting like you won the lottery? Nah. You just didnât lose. Get over yourselves. Also, if you didnât hold before May 13? Youâre not âmissing out.â You just werenât paying attention. Stop whining.
Lilly Markou
March 7, 2026 AT 15:07While I appreciate the technical precision and operational clarity of the token migration, I must express a degree of concern regarding the absence of a formalized governance framework post-transition. The complete deprecation of the DERC contract, while pragmatic, may have inadvertently marginalized users who were unable to monitor the precise snapshot window due to temporal or logistical constraints. Furthermore, the reliance upon centralized exchange infrastructure for asset migration introduces a systemic vulnerability that, while currently stable, may not withstand future regulatory pressures. One cannot help but wonder whether the projectâs long-term resilience is truly anchored in decentralized principles, or merely in the goodwill of third-party custodians.
McKenna Becker
March 7, 2026 AT 21:31Itâs not about the tokens. Itâs about trust. They did what they said. No tricks. No hidden supply. No rug. Thatâs rarer than a working blockchain game.