zkRace (ZERC) Airdrop Guide: Token Swap Details, Snapshot & How to Claim

Remember when DeRace was the talk of the town in the NFT gaming space? If you held DeRace (DERC) tokens back then, you might be wondering where they went. They didn’t disappear. They evolved. The project rebranded to zkRace and introduced the new ZERC token. For many holders, this wasn't just a name change; it was a massive token swap event that functioned as an automatic airdrop.

If you are looking for details on how to claim your zkRace rewards or understand what happened to your old holdings, you are in the right place. This isn't a speculative future promise-it’s a breakdown of a completed migration that reshaped one of the most popular NFT horse racing metaverses. Let’s cut through the noise and look at exactly how the transition from DERC to ZERC worked, who qualified, and what the current state of the ecosystem looks like.

The Big Shift: From DeRace to zkRace

To understand the airdrop, you first need to understand the vehicle. DeRace started as a unique NFT horse racing metaverse. It wasn’t just another clicker game. Users bought digital racehorses, bred them for better stats, built their own hippodromes, and raced against others to earn coins. It combined blockchain ownership with real-time gameplay.

However, the crypto landscape changes fast. To stay competitive and improve technical infrastructure, the team decided to migrate the entire protocol. This meant moving from the old DERC contract to a new ZERC contract. Why? Better performance, optimized blockchain interactions, and a fresh brand identity under the name zkRace. The core gameplay remained-the horses still run, the breeding mechanics still work-but the underlying engine got a major upgrade.

This migration required a token swap. In crypto terms, a swap is often how projects distribute new tokens to existing communities. If you were holding the old token, you were entitled to receive the new one. That entitlement is effectively an airdrop.

Snapshot Dates and Eligibility: Did You Qualify?

Here is the critical part for anyone asking about the "airdrop." Unlike some airdrops where you have to fill out forms, join Discord servers, or complete complex quests, the zkRace distribution was based on a simple snapshot mechanism.

The exchanges handling the swap took a snapshot of wallets at specific times. If you held DERC tokens at that exact moment, you qualified. Here are the hard facts:

• Snapshots Date: May 13, 2024.
• Exact Time: 16:00:00 UTC.
• Conversion Ratio: 1 DERC = 1 ZERC.

This means if you had 1,000 DERC in your exchange account at 4 PM UTC on May 13, you were automatically allocated 1,000 ZERC. No manual claiming was required for the initial swap on supported platforms. The system handled the conversion behind the scenes. This approach minimizes user error and ensures that long-term holders aren't left behind due to missing a claim window.

If you missed this snapshot because you sold your DERC before May 13, you did not receive ZERC in this specific migration. However, the zkRace ecosystem continues to offer earning opportunities through gameplay, which we will cover later.

Exchange Timelines: KuCoin and Gate.io Execution

Most retail users hold their crypto on centralized exchanges rather than self-custody wallets. The success of the airdrop depended heavily on how well these platforms executed the swap. Two major players led the charge: KuCoin and Gate.io.

Notice the gap between the snapshot and the trading launch. Between May 13 and May 28, your DERC balance likely looked frozen or unchanged. This is normal during a token migration. The exchange holds the old asset while preparing the ledger for the new one. Once May 28 hit, KuCoin opened the ZERC/USDT pair. By May 29, users could withdraw their ZERC to external wallets if they chose to self-custody.

Gate.io ran a similar parallel process. Their confirmation of the 1:1 ratio ensured that users across different platforms received equitable treatment. There was no "premium" for being on one exchange over the other regarding the swap ratio itself.

Understanding ZERC Tokenomics

Now that you have your ZERC, what is it worth? And what does it do? Let’s look at the numbers. As of mid-2026, the market data paints a clear picture of a mature, fully circulating asset.

• Total Supply: 120,000,000 ZERC
• Circulating Supply: 100% (All tokens are in play)
• Network: Base Blockchain
• Contract Address: 0xa3a2...f049815

The fact that 100% of the supply is circulating is significant. There are no hidden vesting schedules for early investors that will dump millions of tokens onto the market next month. The supply shock has already happened. This creates a stable foundation for price discovery.

In terms of value, ZERC trades around $0.0258. While that sounds small per token, the total market cap sits near $3.1 million. Daily volume hovers around $122,000, indicating active interest. The token operates on the Base network, which is crucial. Base offers low gas fees and high speed, making micro-transactions in the game affordable. Imagine paying $0.0001 in gas to enter a race instead of $5. That efficiency keeps the GameFi model viable.

How to Use ZERC: Beyond Speculation

Holding ZERC isn't just about hoping the price goes up. The token is the fuel for the zkRace ecosystem. If you want to maximize its utility, here is how you engage with the platform:

1. Racing: Enter races with your NFT horses. Winnings are paid out in ZERC.
2. Breeding: Combine two horses to create a new offspring with unique traits. Breeding costs ZERC.
3. Hippodrome Construction: Build and customize your own race tracks. Upgrades require ZERC.
4. Trading: Buy and sell NFT horses on the marketplace using ZERC.
5. Predictions: Some features allow you to predict race outcomes for potential rewards.

This utility drives demand. As more players join the metaverse, they need ZERC to participate. This creates a circular economy where the token has intrinsic value within the game world, independent of its price on Binance or KuCoin.

Security and Credibility Checks

Before diving into any GameFi project, security should be your top concern. zkRace has taken steps to build trust. The smart contracts underwent auditing by Hacken, a reputable cybersecurity firm in the blockchain space. An audit doesn't guarantee zero bugs forever, but it significantly reduces the risk of catastrophic exploits.

Additionally, the project maintains a rating on platforms like Bitget, currently sitting at 3.6 out of 5. While ratings can vary based on criteria, a consistent score suggests ongoing development and community engagement. Always verify contract addresses yourself. Never paste a contract address from a random comment section into your wallet. Use only official sources like the zkRace website or verified exchange listings.

Is There Still an Airdrop Opportunity?

You might be reading this thinking, "I missed the May 2024 snapshot. Can I still get free ZERC?" The direct answer is: the major token swap airdrop is over. However, zkRace frequently runs smaller promotional campaigns.

Keep an eye on their official social channels for: - Referral bonuses - Seasonal challenges - Bug bounty programs - Community contests

These aren't the same as the 1:1 swap, but they offer ways to accumulate ZERC without buying it directly. The key is staying active in the community. Projects like zkRace reward engagement. Joining their Discord and following their Twitter/X account is the best way to catch these limited-time opportunities.

Troubleshooting Your Swap

Did you check your KuCoin or Gate.io account and see nothing? Here are a few common reasons why:

• Late Snapshot: You sold your DERC after May 13, 2024, 16:00 UTC.
• Wrong Wallet: You held DERC in a personal wallet (like MetaMask) but the exchange only swapped balances on their internal ledger. Personal wallet holders may have needed to bridge or claim manually via a dApp, depending on the specific instructions released at the time.
• Display Glitch: Sometimes exchanges take a few hours to update the UI. Wait 24 hours after the announced trading start date.

If you believe you were eligible and haven't received your tokens, contact the exchange support immediately with your transaction history from May 13. Do not wait weeks. Support tickets have response windows.