ZERC DeRace Airdrop: Complete Guide to the zkRace Token Swap and Distribution

On May 13, 2024, something important happened in the GameFi world. If you held DeRace (DERC) tokens before 16:00 UTC that day, you didn’t lose your investment-you got upgraded. The old DERC token was swapped automatically for zkRace (ZERC), a new token built on a better blockchain with a cleaner design and stronger security. This wasn’t a giveaway. It wasn’t a random lottery. It was a planned, technical migration-and everyone who held DERC got exactly 1 ZERC for every DERC they owned. No extra steps. No forms. No waiting.

What Was DeRace, and Why Did It Change?

DeRace started as a horse racing metaverse where players owned NFT racehorses, bred them, built digital hippodromes, and raced for rewards. It used blockchain to prove ownership and track every horse’s lineage. The original token, DERC, powered all in-game actions: buying horses, entering races, breeding, and even building tracks. But as the project grew, the underlying tech became a bottleneck. The blockchain it ran on was slow and expensive for users.

So the team made a bold move: they rebuilt everything from the ground up. They didn’t just tweak the app. They replaced the entire token contract. The new version became zkRace (ZERC), running on the Base blockchain-a layer-2 network built on Ethereum that’s faster and cheaper. The old DERC contract was frozen. The new ZERC contract went live. And every holder got their tokens swapped 1:1, no action needed.

The Token Swap: How It Actually Worked

The swap wasn’t messy. It was clean. Here’s how it played out:

Snapshots taken: On May 13, 2024, at 16:00 UTC, the blockchain recorded every wallet holding DERC. That snapshot locked in your balance.
1:1 conversion: Every single DERC you held became one ZERC. No discount. No bonus. No loss.
Exchanges handled it: KuCoin and Gate.io automatically credited ZERC to users’ accounts. If you held DERC on either exchange, you didn’t need to do anything. The swap happened behind the scenes.
Trading started: On May 28, 2024, KuCoin opened ZERC/USDT trading at 10:00 UTC. Withdrawals for ZERC became available the next day at 09:00 UTC.
DERC was retired: After May 29, 2024, KuCoin stopped supporting DERC entirely. Any DERC left in wallets after that point became useless.

This was a textbook example of how a crypto project should handle a token migration. No panic. No confusion. No lost funds. Just a smooth transition.

What Is zkRace (ZERC) Today?

As of January 2026, zkRace is still active. The token hasn’t exploded in price, but it’s stable and functional. Here’s what you need to know right now:

Total supply: 120,000,000 ZERC tokens-all of them in circulation. There are no reserved tokens, no team locks, no future unlocks.
Current price: Around $0.0258 (as of early 2026). That’s roughly 0.0000002295 BTC.
Market cap: $3,094,440. Fully diluted market cap matches this, meaning no hidden tokens are coming.
Daily volume: Around $122,795. That’s not massive, but it shows real users are trading.
Blockchain: Base (Ethereum L2). The contract address is 0xa3a2...f049815.

The token is still the lifeblood of the zkRace metaverse. You need ZERC to:

Buy or sell NFT racehorses
Enter races and claim winnings
Breed horses to create new ones
Build and upgrade your own hippodrome
Participate in referral programs
Submit bug reports and earn rewards

It’s not just a currency-it’s the key to the whole ecosystem. Without ZERC, you can’t play.

Players breeding NFT racehorses in a digital metaverse using ZERC tokens on a glowing hippodrome with blockchain nodes beneath.

Security and Credibility

One reason zkRace still has trust is because it got audited. The project worked with Hacken, a well-known blockchain security firm, to review the smart contracts. That’s not something every small GameFi project does. It’s a signal that the team took security seriously-even after the swap.

The fact that major exchanges like KuCoin and Gate.io fully supported the migration also adds credibility. They didn’t just list the new token. They enforced the swap rules, froze the old one, and moved users over cleanly. That kind of coordination doesn’t happen without serious planning.

Is There Still an Airdrop?

The big airdrop-the one tied to the DERC to ZERC swap-is over. If you didn’t hold DERC before May 13, 2024, you didn’t get free ZERC. That window closed.

But that doesn’t mean there are no more rewards. The zkRace team still runs occasional challenges: racing tournaments, breeding contests, and community events. Winning those can earn you extra ZERC. They’ve also added bug bounty programs. If you find a flaw in the app or smart contract and report it, you might get rewarded.

There’s no public schedule for these, but they’re active on Discord and Twitter. If you’re still using zkRace, keep an eye on their official channels. The next reward could be just around the corner.

How to Get ZERC Today

You can’t get ZERC for free anymore unless you win a challenge. But you can buy it. Here’s where:

KuCoin: Still supports ZERC/USDT trading.
Gate.io: Also lists ZERC.
Bitget: Has the token listed, though with lower volume.

There’s no centralized exchange that lists ZERC as a top-tier asset. You won’t find it on Binance or Coinbase. That’s normal for niche GameFi tokens. If you want ZERC, you’ll need to use one of the smaller exchanges listed above.

To buy, you’ll need to first get USDT or BTC on one of those platforms, then trade it for ZERC. Once you have it, you can withdraw it to your own wallet and connect it to the zkRace game app.

Should You Buy ZERC Now?

This isn’t a hype coin. There’s no moon mission. No celebrity endorsement. No viral meme. ZERC is a utility token for a working, niche metaverse game. Its value comes from usage, not speculation.

Ask yourself:

Do you already play horse racing games?
Do you own NFTs and like breeding digital assets?
Are you comfortable with low-volume tokens that might not move much?

If you answered yes to all three, ZERC might be worth a small investment. Buy a few hundred dollars’ worth. Try the game. See if you enjoy it. If you do, you’ll keep using ZERC-and that’s where its real value lies.

If you’re looking for quick gains, walk away. ZERC isn’t designed for traders. It’s designed for players.

What’s Next for zkRace?

The team hasn’t released a public roadmap, but the project is still active. Deposits are open on exchanges. The game still runs. New horses are being bred. New hippodromes are being built.

The next big step could be:

Adding mobile support
Integrating more NFT marketplaces
Expanding to other racing genres (like dog racing or car racing)
Launching a staking system for ZERC holders

None of this is confirmed. But the fact that the team didn’t abandon the project after the swap suggests they’re still committed. That’s more than you can say for many GameFi projects.

Final Thoughts

The zkRace airdrop wasn’t flashy. It didn’t make headlines. But it was done right. No scams. No rug pulls. No broken promises. Just a clean, technical upgrade that preserved value for early supporters.

Today, ZERC is a quiet token in a quiet corner of the crypto world. But for the people still racing their NFT horses and breeding new champions, it’s still essential. If you’re one of them, you know its value. If you’re not, it’s probably not worth your time.

It’s not about the price. It’s about the game.

Was the zkRace airdrop free for everyone?

No. The zkRace airdrop wasn’t open to the public. It was a token swap for existing DeRace (DERC) holders. If you held DERC before the snapshot on May 13, 2024, you automatically received ZERC at a 1:1 ratio. If you didn’t hold DERC, you didn’t get anything. There were no public sign-ups or claim portals.

Can I still get ZERC tokens for free?

Not through an airdrop anymore. The main swap is closed. But zkRace occasionally runs in-game challenges, tournaments, and bug bounty programs that reward ZERC tokens. To qualify, you need to be an active player in the zkRace metaverse. Check their official Discord or Twitter for current events.

Is zkRace still active in 2026?

Yes. The zkRace metaverse is still operational. Players can still breed horses, enter races, and build hippodromes using ZERC tokens. Exchanges like KuCoin and Gate.io still support trading and withdrawals. The project hasn’t been abandoned, though development has slowed since the 2024 migration.

What happened to the old DERC tokens?

DERC tokens were permanently retired after May 29, 2024. Exchanges stopped supporting them. The old smart contract was frozen. Any DERC still held after that date became unusable. If you still have DERC, you can’t trade it, send it, or use it in the game. You need ZERC now.

Where can I buy ZERC tokens today?

You can buy ZERC on KuCoin, Gate.io, and Bitget. Trade it against USDT or BTC. It’s not listed on major exchanges like Binance or Coinbase. Make sure you’re using the official contract address: 0xa3a2...f049815 on the Base blockchain. Never send funds to any other address.

Is zkRace safe to use?

Yes, with caution. The zkRace smart contracts were audited by Hacken, a reputable security firm. The token swap was handled cleanly by major exchanges. But like all GameFi projects, it carries risk. The token price is low, trading volume is modest, and the game is niche. Only invest what you’re willing to lose.

Do I need a wallet to use zkRace?

Yes. You need a wallet that supports the Base blockchain, like MetaMask or Rabby. You’ll use it to connect to the zkRace game app, hold your ZERC tokens, and manage your NFT racehorses. You can’t play the game directly through an exchange wallet.