Velocore Crypto Exchange Review: Is This zkSync Era DEX Worth Your Time?

19 July 2025 16 Comments Michael Jones

Velocore Fee Comparison Calculator

Compare trading fees between Velocore on zkSync Era and Ethereum mainnet DEXes. Velocore's Layer-2 technology enables near-zero fees compared to Ethereum's high gas costs.

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* Typical trade amounts range from $50 to $5,000 for most users

When you hear "crypto exchange," you probably think of Binance, Coinbase, or even Uniswap. But what if there’s a new player built on a faster, cheaper layer of Ethereum that’s trying to do things differently? That’s where Velocore comes in. Launched in 2023, Velocore isn’t just another decentralized exchange. It’s a smart, experimental take on liquidity, built specifically for zkSync Era - and it’s got some bold ideas that could change how DeFi works.

What Exactly Is Velocore?

Velocore is a decentralized exchange (DEX) that runs entirely on zkSync Era, a Layer-2 scaling solution for Ethereum. Unlike centralized exchanges where you hand over your crypto to a company, Velocore lets you trade directly from your wallet. No KYC. No middleman. Just you, your keys, and the code.

It’s built on something called the ve(3,3) model - originally created by Solidly - but Velocore improved it. Think of it like upgrading an old car engine. Solidly had the right design, but it was slow and expensive. Velocore fixed the leaks, tightened the belts, and made it run smoother. The result? Lower fees, faster trades, and better capital efficiency for liquidity providers.

One of its standout features is Protocol Owned Liquidity (POL). Most DEXes rely on users to lock up their tokens to provide liquidity. Velocore does that too - but it also uses its own treasury to add liquidity. That means the protocol itself is a market maker. This helps stabilize prices, reduces impermanent loss for traders, and gives the platform more control over its growth.

How Does Velocore Compare to Other DEXes?

Let’s cut through the noise. Here’s how Velocore stacks up against the big names:

Velocore vs. Top DEXes at a Glance
Feature	Velocore	Uniswap V3	SushiSwap
Network	zkSync Era (Layer-2)	Ethereum Mainnet	Ethereum Mainnet
Trading Pairs	6 (as of 2025)	Over 1,000	500+
Transaction Fees	Very low (zkSync L2)	High (Ethereum gas)	High (Ethereum gas)
Liquidity Model	ve(3,3) + Protocol Owned Liquidity	Concentrated Liquidity	Traditional AMM
Token Symbol	VC	UNI	SUSHI
Market Cap Rank	#7372	#12	#150

The numbers tell a clear story: Velocore is tiny compared to Uniswap or SushiSwap. But it’s not trying to beat them on volume. It’s trying to beat them on efficiency. If you’re trading within the zkSync ecosystem - especially stablecoins or native zkSync tokens - Velocore’s low fees and fast confirmations make it a strong choice.

But here’s the catch: if you want to trade Solana tokens, Bitcoin on Layer-2, or obscure altcoins, you won’t find them here. Velocore’s focus is narrow. That’s both a strength and a weakness.

The VC Token: What You Need to Know

Velocore’s native token is VC. It’s not a payment token like ETH or USDC. It’s a governance and liquidity incentive token. If you lock up VC, you earn voting power and a share of trading fees. The more you lock and the longer you lock it, the more influence you have.

But there’s a problem - price confusion.

On KuCoin, VC trades at around $0.0139. On Bitget, it’s $0.0024. That’s an 83% difference. Why? Because VC isn’t listed on major DEXes yet. Most trading happens on centralized exchanges, which means the price isn’t set by market forces - it’s set by order books and liquidity gaps. That’s risky. If you’re thinking of buying VC, don’t assume the price you see on one exchange reflects its true value.

CoinMarketCap lists VC as the 7,372nd largest crypto by market cap. That’s not a ranking you want to see if you’re looking for stability. It’s early-stage. Volatile. Experimental.

A giant VC token on a seesaw between two cartoon exchanges with wildly different price tags, a confused trader below.

How to Use Velocore: A Simple Step-by-Step Guide

You can’t just sign up and start trading. Velocore is a Web3 tool. You need to do a few things first:

Get a Web3 wallet like MetaMask or WalletConnect.
Buy ETH or USDC on a centralized exchange like Coinbase or KuCoin.
Transfer your ETH or USDC to your wallet.
Bridge your funds to zkSync Era using the official zkSync bridge (or a trusted third-party like SyncSwap).
Go to app.velocore.xyz and connect your wallet.
Choose a trading pair - right now, it’s mostly stablecoins and zkSync-native tokens like ZK, WETH, and USDC.
Set your slippage tolerance between 0.5% and 1% (higher if the pair is illiquid).
Confirm the transaction in your wallet and wait for the zkSync confirmation - usually under 10 seconds.

That’s it. No paperwork. No waiting. But remember: you’re responsible for everything. If you send funds to the wrong address, lose your seed phrase, or set slippage too high, there’s no customer service to fix it.

Pros and Cons: Is Velocore Right for You?

Pros:

Extremely low fees thanks to zkSync’s Layer-2 tech
Fast transaction times - trades settle in seconds
Protocol Owned Liquidity reduces impermanent loss
Strong technical foundation with a proven ve(3,3) model
Full self-custody - you control your keys

Cons:

Only 6 trading pairs - very limited selection
VC token price is inconsistent across exchanges
No mobile app or easy on-ramp for beginners
Still early - low liquidity means higher slippage on big trades
Not widely recognized - few analysts or media cover it

If you’re a DeFi veteran who already uses zkSync, Velocore is worth testing. It’s one of the cleanest implementations of ve(3,3) out there. But if you’re new to crypto or just want to trade Bitcoin and Ethereum, stick with Uniswap or a centralized exchange.

A cartoon wallet driving a vintage car through a zkSync bridge to a futuristic gas station labeled '0.0001 ETH Fee'.

Who Should Avoid Velocore?

Don’t touch Velocore if:

You don’t understand how wallets, bridges, or Layer-2s work
You’re looking for a wide selection of altcoins
You want to trade with fiat (USD, EUR) directly
You’re risk-averse and can’t handle price swings
You expect customer support or chargebacks

Velocore isn’t a beginner-friendly app. It’s a tool for people who already know how to navigate DeFi. If you’re not comfortable checking gas fees, bridging assets, or reading smart contract risks, this isn’t the place to start.

The Bigger Picture: Is Velocore the Future?

Velocore isn’t trying to replace Uniswap. It’s trying to prove that Layer-2 DEXes can outperform Ethereum mainnet ones - not just in speed, but in economics. The POL mechanism is the real innovation. By having the protocol itself act as a liquidity provider, Velocore creates a self-reinforcing loop: more trading → more fees → more liquidity → better prices → more users.

If zkSync Era becomes the dominant Layer-2 for DeFi - and it’s gaining serious traction - Velocore could be one of its flagship apps. But that’s a big "if." Right now, most DeFi activity still happens on Ethereum mainnet. Velocore’s success depends entirely on zkSync’s ability to pull users away.

Right now, it’s a gamble. But it’s a smart one.

Is Velocore safe to use?

Velocore is a decentralized exchange, so your funds stay in your wallet - that’s safer than centralized platforms. But like all DeFi apps, it’s not risk-free. Smart contracts can have bugs, and liquidity pools can be exploited. Always audit the contract if you’re adding large amounts of liquidity. Never invest more than you can afford to lose.

Can I buy Velocore (VC) with USD?

You can’t buy VC directly with USD on Velocore. You need to first buy ETH or USDC on a centralized exchange like Coinbase or KuCoin, then transfer it to your Web3 wallet and bridge it to zkSync Era. Once there, you can swap for VC on the Velocore DEX.

Why is the VC token price so different on KuCoin and Bitget?

VC is listed on centralized exchanges, not on its own DEX yet. That means prices are set by order books and trading volume on each platform, not by a unified market. KuCoin and Bitget have different liquidity pools, user bases, and trading activity - leading to large price gaps. This is common for new tokens and indicates a fragmented, early-stage market.

Does Velocore have a mobile app?

No, Velocore doesn’t have a dedicated mobile app. You can access it through your mobile browser by connecting a Web3 wallet like MetaMask. The interface works on mobile, but it’s not optimized for touch. For now, it’s best used on desktop for better control and visibility.

What’s the difference between Velocore and Uniswap?

Uniswap runs on Ethereum mainnet, so it’s slower and more expensive. Velocore runs on zkSync Era, which means faster trades and near-zero fees. Uniswap has thousands of trading pairs; Velocore has only six. Uniswap uses concentrated liquidity; Velocore uses ve(3,3) with Protocol Owned Liquidity. They serve different purposes - Uniswap is the Swiss Army knife; Velocore is a precision tool for zkSync users.

Can I earn rewards by providing liquidity on Velocore?

Yes. When you provide liquidity to a Velocore pool, you earn trading fees. You can also lock VC tokens to boost your rewards and gain voting power. The protocol’s POL mechanism means even if you don’t provide liquidity, the protocol itself is adding liquidity - which indirectly benefits all users by improving pool depth and reducing slippage.

Final Thoughts: A Quiet Contender

Velocore isn’t flashy. It doesn’t have celebrity endorsements or viral TikTok campaigns. But it’s one of the most technically sound DEXes in the zkSync ecosystem. If you’re already in zkSync, using it is like upgrading from a bicycle to an electric scooter - the difference in speed and cost is obvious.

But if you’re just starting out in crypto, or you want to trade everything from Bitcoin to Dogecoin, Velocore won’t help you. It’s not a general-purpose exchange. It’s a specialist - and specialists only shine when you need exactly what they offer.

Right now, Velocore is a bet on zkSync’s future. If zkSync grows, Velocore could grow with it. If zkSync stalls, Velocore will stay small. That’s the reality of building on a new layer. It’s not the safest play - but for those who understand the tech, it might be the smartest one.