Uniswap v2: What It Is, How It Works, and Why It Still Matters in 2025

When you trade crypto without a bank or broker, you’re likely using a Uniswap v2, a decentralized exchange built on Ethereum that lets users swap tokens directly from their wallets. Also known as Uniswap v2 protocol, it’s one of the first and most trusted systems that removed the need for order books — instead, it uses smart contracts and liquidity pools to match trades in real time. Unlike centralized exchanges like Coinbase or Binance, Uniswap v2 doesn’t hold your money. You keep control. You pay fees to the network, not to a company. And if a token isn’t listed on a big exchange, you can still trade it here — as long as someone else has added liquidity.

Uniswap v2 isn’t just a trading platform — it’s the backbone of DeFi. It enabled liquidity pools, smart contract-based reserves where users deposit pairs of tokens (like ETH and USDC) to earn fees from trades. These pools replaced traditional buyers and sellers with automated math. If you’ve ever swapped DAI for LINK without signing up for an account, you used Uniswap v2. It also made token listings, the process of adding new crypto tokens to a trading platform open to anyone. No approval. No fee. Just deploy a smart contract and add liquidity. That’s why thousands of obscure tokens live on Uniswap v2 — and why so many scams do too.

Uniswap v2 launched in 2020 and quickly became the most used DEX on Ethereum. Even today, despite newer versions like Uniswap v3 and competitors like SushiSwap or PancakeSwap, it still handles billions in daily volume. Why? Because it’s simple, reliable, and deeply integrated into wallets like MetaMask. Most DeFi apps still use its core code. Many new tokens start on Uniswap v2 before moving to bigger exchanges. And while it’s not the fastest or cheapest option anymore, it’s still the most trusted. If you’re learning how crypto trading works without middlemen, Uniswap v2 is where you start.

What you’ll find below are real reviews, deep dives, and warnings about projects built on or connected to Uniswap v2. Some are thriving. Some are dead. Some are outright scams hiding behind the name of a trusted protocol. You’ll see how CherrySwap and PartySwap used similar tech but failed in different ways. You’ll learn why trading volume matters more than hype. And you’ll understand how to tell the difference between a real DeFi project and a ghost token pretending to be one.