ZKSwap V3 Airdrop Details: How ZKS Tokens Were Distributed and Why ZKB Is Not Part of It
Many people got confused when they heard about a ZKSwap V3 airdrop and started searching for ZKB tokens. But here’s the truth: ZKBase (ZKB) and ZKSwap (ZKS) are two different projects. The ZKSwap V3 airdrop didn’t involve ZKB at all. It was all about ZKS tokens - and it’s been over since 2021. If you’re looking to claim something now, you’re too late. But if you want to understand what actually happened, why it mattered, and how to avoid mixing up similar-sounding projects, this is the full story.
What Was the ZKSwap V3 Airdrop?
ZKSwap is a decentralized exchange built on Ethereum using ZK-Rollup technology. That means it handles trades faster and cheaper than the main Ethereum network - no gas fees for traders or liquidity providers. In December 2021, they launched the V3 testnet, which added major upgrades like NFT trading support and a smoother interface. To test it, they ran a small but smart airdrop: 50,000 ZKS tokens total, split between two reward tiers.
This wasn’t a free-for-all. You couldn’t just connect your wallet and get tokens. You had to prove you actually used the platform. Participants needed to write a detailed review of at least 300 words on the ZKSwap forum about their experience with the testnet. Then, they had to post a link to that review on Twitter with the hashtag #V3TestnetFeedback# and include their Ethereum wallet address. That’s it. No bots, no spam, no shortcuts.
How the Rewards Were Split
The 50,000 ZKS tokens were distributed in two ways:
- Best Contribution Award: 60 people got 500 ZKS each (totaling 30,000 ZKS). These were users who wrote the most thorough, accurate, and helpful reviews - often spotting bugs others missed or suggesting real improvements.
- Honorable Mention Award: 200 people got 100 ZKS each (totaling 20,000 ZKS). These were participants who met the basic requirements but didn’t stand out as much in depth or insight.
Only one wallet per IP address could claim a reward. If you had five wallets linked to the same home network, only the one with the highest-ranked review got paid. This stopped people from gaming the system with multiple accounts.
Rewards were distributed by December 23, 2021. No extensions. No exceptions. If you didn’t submit your review before December 14, you missed it.
Why ZKB (ZKBase) Has Nothing to Do With This
ZKBase is a separate blockchain project. It’s not a version of ZKSwap. It’s a whole different ecosystem with its own token: ZKB. ZKBase has three main parts: ZKSwap (yes, they license the name), ZKSquare (a payment service), and other infrastructure tools. But ZKBase has never done a ZKB airdrop tied to ZKSwap V3.
Here’s the confusion: ZKBase’s website mentions ZKSwap as one of its components. That makes people think they’re the same thing. But ZKSwap as a DEX was originally created independently. ZKBase later adopted it as part of their broader platform. The tokens are different. The airdrops are different. The teams are different.
As of 2026, ZKB has a circulating supply of about 197 million tokens. But there’s no record of ZKBase ever running a public airdrop for ZKB. If someone tells you they’re giving out ZKB tokens because of ZKSwap V3, they’re wrong - or lying.
What You Actually Got From the ZKSwap V3 Airdrop
At the time, ZKS was trading around $0.60. That meant 500 ZKS was worth about $300. 100 ZKS was about $60. For someone who spent a few hours writing a thoughtful review, that was a solid return - especially compared to the hours spent on other airdrops that paid in worthless tokens.
The real value wasn’t just the cash. It was access. The top contributors got early visibility with the ZKSwap team. Some were invited to join future testing rounds. Others became community moderators. This wasn’t just a giveaway - it was a way to find and reward the most engaged users.
And here’s something important: ZKSwap didn’t give tokens to team members or angel investors during this airdrop. Those tokens were locked separately. That’s rare. Most projects reward insiders first. ZKSwap made sure regular users got the spotlight.
How ZKSwap V3 Changed the Game
The V3 upgrade wasn’t just cosmetic. Before V3, ZKSwap could handle about 2,000 transactions per second. V3 pushed that to over 10,000. NFT trading, which was clunky on earlier versions, became smooth. Users could mint, swap, and list NFTs without paying gas fees - something even big platforms like OpenSea couldn’t do at the time.
The testnet airdrop was the final stress test. The team needed real-world feedback. Did the interface confuse people? Did the NFT marketplace lag? Were there hidden bugs? The 260 reviewers gave them the answers. That’s why the review requirement wasn’t a gimmick - it was essential.
Why This Airdrop Still Matters Today
Most airdrops are dead by the time they’re announced. But ZKSwap V3’s approach set a standard. It rewarded effort, not just wallet ownership. It didn’t flood the market with useless tokens. It used the airdrop as a quality control tool.
Today, projects still copy this model. When Arbitrum, zkSync, or Polygon did their own testnet rewards, they used similar rules: write feedback, link your wallet, prove you used the product. ZKSwap didn’t invent it - but they did it better than most.
And if you’re looking at ZKB tokens now, wondering if you missed out on something - you didn’t. ZKB has no connection to ZKSwap’s past airdrops. The only way to get ZKB is to buy it on an exchange. There’s no free distribution tied to ZKSwap activity.
What to Do If Someone Promises a ZKB Airdrop Now
If you see a website or Telegram group saying, “Claim your ZKB tokens from ZKSwap V3,” close it. That’s a scam. ZKSwap V3 ended in 2021. ZKBase has never done a public ZKB airdrop. No legitimate project will ask you to send crypto to “unlock” your airdrop. No official link will ask for your private key.
Always check the official ZKSwap blog or ZKBase website. Look for announcements from verified Twitter accounts. If it’s not on their official channels, it’s fake.
Where to Find Historical ZKS Tokens
ZKS tokens still exist. They’re listed on exchanges like Gate.io, LBank, and MEXC. But they’re no longer distributed through airdrops. The last major distribution was in February 2021, when ZKSwap did a 1:1 airdrop of 80 million ZKS to existing holders. That was the big one. V3 was the last small testnet round.
If you held ZKS in your wallet back then, you got those tokens. If you didn’t - you can still buy them, but you won’t get any free ones.
Final Thoughts
The ZKSwap V3 airdrop wasn’t about getting rich quick. It was about building a better product with real users. It’s a rare example of a crypto project treating its community like partners, not just wallets. The ZKB token? It’s a separate story. Don’t let the similar names fool you.
If you’re researching airdrops now, always check: Who’s running it? What’s the token? When did it happen? And most importantly - is it real? The ZKSwap V3 case shows that the best airdrops aren’t the ones with the biggest payouts. They’re the ones that actually improve the platform - and reward the people who help make that happen.
Was there a ZKB airdrop linked to ZKSwap V3?
No. ZKB is the token of ZKBase, a separate project. ZKSwap V3’s airdrop used ZKS tokens only. There was never a ZKB airdrop tied to ZKSwap V3. Any claim otherwise is incorrect or fraudulent.
Can I still claim ZKS tokens from the ZKSwap V3 airdrop?
No. The ZKSwap V3 testnet airdrop ended in December 2021. Rewards were distributed by December 23, 2021. There are no active claims or extensions. If someone says you can still claim them, it’s a scam.
What’s the difference between ZKS and ZKB tokens?
ZKS is the native token of ZKSwap, used for trading fees, liquidity mining, and governance on the Layer 2 DEX. ZKB is the token of ZKBase, used for ecosystem payments and infrastructure services. They’re not interchangeable, and they’re not part of the same airdrop.
How did ZKSwap V3 improve the platform?
ZKSwap V3 introduced full NFT trading support, a redesigned UI, and improved transaction throughput - handling over 10,000 transactions per second. It also eliminated gas fees for traders and liquidity providers, making it one of the most efficient decentralized exchanges at the time.
Did ZKSwap airdrop tokens to team members or investors?
No. The V3 testnet airdrop explicitly excluded team members and angel investors. A separate 80 million ZKS airdrop in February 2021 did include investors, but their tokens were locked and unlocked gradually. The V3 rewards were only for community testers.
How can I verify if an airdrop is real?
Always check the official website, blog, or verified social media accounts. Never click links from Telegram, Twitter DMs, or unknown websites. Legitimate airdrops never ask for your private key or require you to send crypto to claim tokens.
Is ZKSwap still active today?
Yes. ZKSwap continues to operate as a Layer 2 DEX on Ethereum, supporting token swaps and NFT trading with zero gas fees. While the V3 testnet is closed, the mainnet version is live and actively used.
Mujibur Rahman
Let me cut through the noise - ZKSwap V3 was one of the few airdrops that actually rewarded effort, not just wallet hopping. 50k ZKS distributed to 260 people who wrote 300-word reviews? That’s not a giveaway, that’s a meritocracy. Most projects give tokens to influencers and call it a day. ZKSwap built a better product by listening to users who gave real feedback. No bots, no spam, no rug pulls - just clean, intentional community building. If you’re still chasing ZKB tokens because you saw some Telegram bot screaming ‘FREE ZKB FROM ZKSWAP’, you’re not just late, you’re being scammed. The real value was in the access, not the price. Top contributors got invited to future testnets. That’s how you grow a protocol - not by throwing tokens at the wall.
Becky Chenier
I appreciate how structured this breakdown is. It’s rare to see a crypto project explain the difference between two similarly named tokens so clearly. I spent weeks last year confused between ZKB and ZKS - I even bought ZKB thinking it was related. Turns out, I just needed to read the whitepaper. This post saved me from making a bigger mistake. Thanks for the clarity.
Staci Armezzani
For anyone still looking for free ZKB - stop. It’s not happening. ZKBase has never done a public ZKB airdrop, and the V3 tokens were ZKS only. But here’s the real win: ZKSwap didn’t just hand out tokens. They filtered for quality. Writing a 300-word review isn’t hard - but most people won’t do it. That’s why those 60 people who got 500 ZKS each? They weren’t lucky. They were the ones who actually cared enough to engage. That’s the model every DeFi project should copy. Not airdrops for hype. Airdrops for feedback. Not for wallets - for contributors.
Surendra Chopde
Interesting how ZKSwap used the airdrop as a feedback mechanism rather than a marketing stunt. Most projects treat users like ATMs. ZKSwap treated them like engineers. The NFT trading upgrade was a big deal - no gas fees on NFTs when OpenSea still charged $50 per mint? That was revolutionary. I wish more teams focused on utility over hype. Also, the IP restriction was smart. No multi-wallet gaming. That’s rare in crypto.
Tre Smith
Let’s be real - this whole post is just a glorified FAQ. You didn’t invent anything. You just documented what happened. The fact that people still confuse ZKB and ZKS proves how poorly ZKBase branded their ecosystem. And the ‘no team airdrop’ claim? Total PR spin. The V3 tokens were distributed to community members, sure - but the core team had 10% locked vesting from the initial 80M ZKS dump in Feb 2021. That’s not ‘fair’ - that’s standard. Don’t pretend this was altruistic. It was strategic. And if you think ZKSwap is still relevant today, you’re living in 2021. The mainnet is barely used. Most liquidity moved to zkSync and Arbitrum. This post is nostalgia dressed as education.
LeeAnn Herker
Of course ZKBase didn’t do a ZKB airdrop. That’s because they’re part of the big crypto lie. They’re a front for a Chinese state-backed chain. ZKSwap was never independent - it was always a puppet. The ‘community feedback’ was all staged. Those 260 reviewers? Probably employees with fake IPs. And don’t tell me about the ‘no team tokens’ thing - they just moved the tokens to offshore wallets before the airdrop. I’ve seen the transaction patterns. This isn’t transparency. It’s disinformation. And now they’re using this post to make you feel dumb for asking questions. Classic.
Sherry Giles
Why do Americans think they invented crypto? ZKSwap was built on Chinese tech. ZKBase is a Chinese project. ZKB is the real token. ZKS was just a temporary testnet token they spun off to trick Westerners into thinking it was independent. The airdrop? A distraction. The real value is in ZKB - and they’ve been quietly accumulating it for years. You think you got a fair deal? You got played. The only reason this post exists is to bury the truth. Don’t trust the narrative. Look at the chain data. ZKB is the future. ZKS is dead.
Andy Schichter
So let me get this straight - you spent hours writing a 300-word review… for $60? That’s not a reward. That’s exploitation. You were the product. ZKSwap got free QA, you got a bag of tokens that tanked to $0.02. And now you’re proud of it? This isn’t community building - it’s indentured servitude with a blockchain sticker on it. I’d rather just buy the token than write a novel about my experience with a testnet UI. The real airdrop was the one where you just showed up and got paid. This? This is crypto’s version of ‘work for exposure’.
Caitlin Colwell
Thanks for clarifying this. I was so confused. I thought ZKB was part of ZKSwap. Now I get it. I didn’t participate back then but I’m glad someone actually did it right.
Charlotte Parker
Wow. So you’re telling me the only reason people got paid was because they wrote essays? That’s not an airdrop. That’s a job interview. And you’re acting like this was noble? Crypto was supposed to be about decentralization, not turning users into unpaid testers. You’re romanticizing labor exploitation. The fact that people still think this was ‘fair’ is why crypto is broken. Give me a simple token drop any day. No essays. No gatekeeping. Just free money. This post reads like a corporate blog written by a grad student who thinks ‘community’ means ‘free workforce’.
Calen Adams
Man, this is the blueprint. ZKSwap V3 didn’t just airdrop tokens - they airdropped credibility. 500 ZKS for a detailed review? That’s not a giveaway - that’s a filter. You want to know who the real builders are? Look at who wrote the 300-word feedback. Not the people spamming 10 wallets. Not the bots. The ones who actually used the product and told them what sucked. That’s how you build a product people love. And yeah, ZKB is totally separate - I’ve seen the ZKBase docs. They’re building infrastructure, ZKSwap is the DEX. Two different chains, two different teams. Don’t let the names fool you. This is how you do it right.
Valencia Adell
Another crypto fairy tale. The ‘no team airdrop’ line is the most transparent lie in DeFi. The team got their tokens in the Feb 2021 dump - 80M ZKS. Then they ran this ‘community’ airdrop to create the illusion of fairness. The 260 reviewers? Probably 200 of them were shills. The rest were people who didn’t know any better. And now you’re here acting like this was some ethical masterpiece? Wake up. This is how you launder reputation. ZKSwap didn’t care about users - they cared about their token price. And now they’re using this post to make you feel guilty for asking for free tokens. Classic.
Sarbjit Nahl
The distinction between ZKS and ZKB is critical for regulatory clarity. ZKBase operates under a different legal framework as a blockchain infrastructure provider, while ZKSwap functions as a decentralized exchange. The tokenomics reflect this: ZKB serves as a utility token for ecosystem services, whereas ZKS is a governance and liquidity incentive token. The V3 airdrop mechanism, requiring written feedback, aligns with principles of participatory governance. This model demonstrates a mature approach to community engagement, contrasting sharply with the speculative airdrops prevalent in the market. One must exercise due diligence when evaluating token relationships to avoid systemic confusion.
Paul Johnson
so zks was the token and zkb is something else?? wow i never knew that. i thought they were the same. i lost money on zkb thinking it was zks. dumb. so many people got scammed. why didnt anyone say this earlier. the team shouldve made a bigger announcement. i just saw a telegram group selling zkb from zks airdrop. i almost sent them eth. thanks for the warning. i hope this helps other people.
Meenakshi Singh
Let me just say - ZKSwap V3 was the last honest airdrop. After that, everything became a scam. They didn’t just give tokens. They gave recognition. I was one of the 200 who got 100 ZKS. I wrote a 400-word review on how the NFT minting screen lagged on mobile. They fixed it in V3.1. That’s more than any other project ever did for me. And yeah, ZKB? Totally unrelated. I bought ZKB last year thinking it was the same thing. Lost 80% of my investment. Don’t be me. Check the official docs. Not Telegram. Not Twitter. Not some guy with a blue check.
Kelley Ramsey
This is so important! I’m so glad someone finally explained this clearly. I was so confused about ZKB vs ZKS - I even asked my crypto group and everyone had a different answer. The fact that ZKSwap didn’t reward insiders during the V3 airdrop? That’s huge. Most projects do the opposite. And the IP restriction? Genius. No more multi-wallet spam. I wish every project took this approach. Also, the NFT trading upgrade was a game-changer - I remember testing it and being blown away. Thank you for writing this. Please write more posts like this!
Michael Richardson
Wow. So you’re saying people wrote essays for $60? That’s not airdrop culture. That’s wage theft. Crypto’s supposed to be about freedom. Not forced labor with a blockchain logo. ZKSwap didn’t reward users - they exploited them. And now you’re praising them? Pathetic.
Natalie Kershaw
I was one of the 200 who got 100 ZKS. I wrote my review on a rainy Sunday afternoon. Didn’t think much of it. Then I got the email saying I qualified. That $60 felt like a win - not because of the money, but because someone actually read my feedback. They even replied to my comment on the forum with a ‘thanks, we’ll fix that’. That’s rare. ZKSwap didn’t just want users - they wanted partners. And ZKB? Totally different. I bought ZKB once thinking it was ZKS. Lost half my portfolio. Don’t make the same mistake. Check the contract addresses. Always.
Jacob Clark
Let me just say - this whole post is a masterpiece of crypto storytelling. I mean, really - 260 people writing 300-word essays? And you’re telling me they didn’t get paid in ZKB? But wait - didn’t ZKBase acquire ZKSwap in 2020? And didn’t the ZKB tokenomics include a 1:1 swap mechanism? And didn’t the team quietly migrate all ZKS holders to ZKB in early 2022? Oh wait - no, they didn’t. Because that would’ve been honest. But instead, they let people believe they were getting something special. And now you’re writing a 2000-word article to convince people that this wasn’t a lie? You’re not educating. You’re gaslighting. And I’m not mad. I’m just… disappointed.
Jon Martín
Bro. This is the crypto dream. Not mooning. Not flipping. Not rug pulls. This - writing a review, getting feedback, getting rewarded for actually helping build something? That’s real. I didn’t get in on the V3 airdrop - I was too late. But I read every single one of those 260 reviews. They were gold. One guy found a gas leak in the liquidity pool code. Another suggested a UI flow that became the default. That’s how you build. Not with hype. Not with influencers. With people who care. And ZKB? Nah. Different team. Different chain. Different story. Don’t get fooled by the names. This was a moment. A rare one. And it’s still worth remembering.
Danyelle Ostrye
I didn’t know ZKB and ZKS were different until I read this. I thought they were the same. I lost money. Thanks for the clarity. I’m just chill now.
Dennis Mbuthia
Let me break this down for the slow ones - ZKSwap V3 was a testnet. Testnets are for testing. Not for getting rich. The 50k ZKS was a token reward for feedback. Not a free lottery. And ZKB? That’s ZKBase’s token. Different blockchain. Different team. Different everything. You think because two things have ‘ZK’ in the name they’re related? That’s like saying Bitcoin and Ethereum are the same because they both use SHA-256. Dumb. And now you’re mad you didn’t get ZKB? You never had a right to it. ZKSwap didn’t owe you anything. They gave you a chance. You didn’t take it. Move on. Stop blaming the project. Take responsibility. And stop following Telegram scammers who say ‘claim your ZKB now’ - they’re not giving you tokens. They’re stealing your wallet.
sathish kumar
It is imperative to underscore the technical and jurisdictional distinctions between ZKSwap and ZKBase. ZKSwap, as a Layer-2 decentralized exchange, operates on Ethereum with ZK-Rollup technology, while ZKBase functions as a sovereign blockchain infrastructure provider headquartered in China. The ZKS token is native to the ZKSwap ecosystem and was distributed exclusively via the V3 testnet feedback mechanism. ZKB, conversely, is the governance token of ZKBase and has never been subject to any public airdrop linked to ZKSwap activities. Any conflation of these entities constitutes a fundamental misunderstanding of blockchain architecture and tokenomics. Investors must consult official documentation and avoid speculative narratives propagated by unverified sources.