Overview
ForkDelta is a decentralized exchange born as a fork of EtherDelta. It rose from a phishing mishap in 2017 and still uses the original smart contracts, offering access to hundreds of ERC20 tokens via a minimal, trustless frontend.
Why it still clicks
ForkDelta survives because it’s familiar - and it works. It picked up where EtherDelta left off after a DNS hack. Users who trusted the code stuck around, and the fork kept that trust alive. It runs the same smart contract backend, updated interface, but still attracts those chasing obscure ERC20 tokens.
How it functions
You trade directly from your wallet, not a centralized account. You deposit ETH or tokens into a smart contract, place your order, and wait for a match. It’s not polished, and it’s not for beginners. The interface is utilitarian. The magic is in the code - transparent, open, and unchanged.
Volume and visibility
Today, ForkDelta registers minimal activity. Volume listings are untracked across major trackers. Some sites show zero access, zero markets, zero volume. It still lists new ERC20 tokens for free, but actual trading is scarce. It exists - quietly.
Strengths and risks
| Strengths | Risks |
|---|---|
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Summary table
| Component | Details |
|---|---|
| Platform Type | Decentralized exchange using EtherDelta smart contract |
| Launch Origin | Fork from EtherDelta post-2017 DNS hack |
| Interface Style | Bare-bones, developer-friendly, not beginner-friendly |
| Token Coverage | Hundreds of ERC20 tokens, token listing still open |
| Activity Level | Extremely low - untracked volume, minimal market depth |
| Strengths | Transparent, open, broad listings, retains community trust |
| Risks | Poor UX, low liquidity, outdated design, niche usage only |
Final word
ForkDelta isn’t sleek or modern. It doesn’t boast volume or flashy tools. But it retains a kind of purity. It’s still a living artifact of early DeFi - trust in code, not gatekeepers. If you need deep access to obscure tokens with zero overhead, it exists. For most users, it feels like a relic. But relics carry lessons about transparency that polished tools sometimes forget.