What Is Worldcoin? Sam Altman’s Bold Identity Project Explained
Imagine getting paid just for being human. That’s the core promise behind Worldcoin, Sam Altman’s latest venture beyond ChatGPT. You walk up to a metallic orb, stare into it for a few seconds, and receive cryptocurrency tokens in return. The concept challenges everything we know about earning money in the digital age. Want to learn more about this revolutionary project? Read on.
How It Works: The Orb and World ID
To join Worldcoin, you must schedule an in-person session at its Orb station. The Orb is a baseball-sized sphere equipped with infrared cameras and sensors. When you stand in front of it, it flashes lights, and high-resolution cameras capture images of both your eyes.
Thereafter, the Orb’s software then performs checks to ensure the person is alive and not a photo or mask. Next, it generates an iris code. This code is a compact binary fingerprint like 01101. One eye image yields one code. This code is hashed and encrypted to form your permanent World ID.
Most importantly, Worldcoin says it does not store your actual eyeball photo. All raw images are deleted immediately, and only the code, which cannot be reversed to recover the eye image, is kept.
Once the Orb produces your code, it checks it against Worldcoin’s database. If this code already exists, meaning someone with the same iris has signed up before, it refuses a second registration. In other words, the system is designed to enforce one World ID per human. This proof of personhood prevents Sybil attacks and guarantees that each World ID truly represents a unique individual.
After scanning, the encrypted World ID is sent to the user’s mobile World App. Through cryptography, the App can later prove to third-party services that the user has a valid World ID without revealing the ID itself or any biometric data. So, how can you prove you’re a registered person? The user’s App then generates a ZK proof, satisfying the check while keeping their identity private.
This approach lets Worldcoin bill itself as a privacy-preserving login network. You prove you’re human, but the system doesn’t expose any names, emails, or physical identifiers.
Key features of the Orb/ID process
- One-time registration: You only need to scan your eyes once in the Orb. Afterwards, the system stores your encrypted ID for life. Every future login uses that single ID.
- Anonymity: Even Worldcoin itself cannot tie your World ID back to your name or personal info. The Orb creates only an anonymous hash.
- Liveness check: The Orb’s cameras and sensors help confirm the user is a live human. This guards against someone spoofing the scan with a photograph or a dummy eye.
- Hardware design: Worldcoin engineered the Orb from scratch after finding no off-the-shelf device met its needs. It’s built to be rugged and mobile, with later versions even having battery packs. As such, sign-up booths can travel or pop up at events.
Launch, Token, and Adoption
Worldcoin was conceived in 2019 and announced publicly in 2021. The project raised hundreds of millions and built thousands of Orbs.
Official Launch and Global Sign-Up Campaign
The project formally launched its token and global sign-up campaign in July 2023. The rollout involved events in dozens of cities across dozens of countries, often in branded pop-up booths or World Spaces stores. By the end of 2023, Worldcoin had signed up millions of users. For example, Altman tweeted that the system was registering a new user every 8 seconds during the launch tour.
Integration with Online Platforms
Companies have also started integrating Worldcoin’s login system. For example, Okta was the first major platform to allow sign-ins with World IDs. Other online services like Reddit, Discord, and fintech apps have explored using World ID to reduce fake accounts or automate age verification. Worldcoin’s idea is to enable acceptance of the World ID for verification purposes, e.g., for logins, voting, ticketing, or even ride-sharing.
Adoption Growth and Key Statistics
By 2024, reported adoption figures had climbed. Business Insider noted about 6 million users by late 2024. A Cointelegraph report in April 2024 put that number even higher, at roughly 10 million registered users on the World App. These users had collectively claimed over 211 million WLD tokens by then.
In Kenya, for example, Worldcoin was hugely popular. One report says hundreds of thousands signed up there before regulators intervened. In the U.S., Worldcoin rebranded as World, opened physical storefronts starting in mid-2025. The first was in San Francisco, each filled with new Orb devices for walk-in sign-ups.
The WLD Token: Market Performance and Role
The WLD token itself has floated on exchanges. It debuted around mid-$1 levels in July 2023, with an initial all-time high near $7, but has since traded in the low single digits and under $1 as of 2024. In principle, WLD can be transferred like any crypto.
Worldcoin has said the token serves as both a reward mechanism and the foundation of a new economy. It’s potentially funding a universal basic income. Altman envisions the token’s value rising as more people believe in the project’s future. To date, roughly 1 billion WLD, about 13% of the total supply, have been unlocked. Most of these are verified users and community pools.
Promises and Use Cases
Tackling Sybil Resistance in an AI-Dominated Future
Worldcoin’s promoters highlight several potential benefits. The primary goal is sybil resistance. In a future with advanced AI and bot networks, World IDs would prove that someone is a real human. This could improve security on platforms plagued by fake accounts or impersonators. For example, only verified humans could vote in an election or post on a forum. Supporters argue that this approach would reduce fraud.
Identity Infrastructure
Worldcoin also sees itself as an identity infrastructure. It’s a way for people without official IDs to gain digital access. By giving free tokens upon sign-up, it attempts to democratize crypto. Users in developing regions get a starter balance of WLD to access global markets. In the longer run, Altman suggests it could fund a form of universal basic income distributed to verified citizens, although details on this plan remain vague.
Privacy as a Core Feature
Another selling point is privacy. Worldcoin claims its system lets you verify your humanity without revealing identity. Unlike Google or Facebook logins, a World ID login does not tie back to your name, location, or other accounts. The use of cryptographic proofs means a website only learns this person has a valid World ID, not who they are.
Secure and Password-Free Authentication
Supporters say this could make online logins more secure. There will be no password exchange, or no more sharing of external data beyond the fact of humanity. In early 2024, Worldcoin unveiled a Face Auth option, allowing users to unlock their World ID on mobile devices via a smartphone camera in a privacy-preserving way, similar to Apple’s Face ID.
Also, its proponents argue the technology could underpin future apps too, from bot-resistant social networks to age-checking for finance apps. Investors like venture capital firms see it as a foundational project for a new internet infrastructure. But amid the promise, the project’s bolder ambitions, global identity + currency, have raised many concerns.
Controversies and Concerns
Worldcoin has been highly controversial since before launch. Here are some notable controversies and concerns:
Privacy and Data Risks
Biometric data, such as iris scans, is extremely sensitive. Unlike a password you can change, your iris pattern is permanent and uniquely identifies you. Privacy experts stress that if such data were ever leaked or misused, it could be catastrophic.
Edward Snowden tweeted bluntly about Worldcoin, saying, “You don’t have to be a privacy expert to know biometrics are a bad idea. The human body is not a ticket-punch.” Groups like the Electronic Frontier Foundation emphasize that iris scans require strict protection and informed consent.
Regulatory and Legal Challenges
Governments have intervened wherever Worldcoin tries to operate. Regulators cite privacy, consumer protection, and children’s safety concerns. As of 2024, Worldcoin, now simply World, faced bans or investigations in multiple countries:
Spain (Mar 2024)
Spain’s data protection agency (AEPD) issued an emergency ban on Worldcoin scanning. It found Worldcoin’s operators had collected data from minors and insufficiently informed people, violating GDPR. The Spanish national court upheld the ban, stating “the right to data protection must prevail” over Worldcoin’s economic interests.
Portugal (Mar 2024)
Following Spain, Portugal’s regulator similarly ordered a halt on the Orb, citing similar complaints, including underage signups.
Germany (2024)
Germany’s Bavarian Data Protection Authority opened a formal probe in mid-2024. Although scanning was allowed to continue pending the investigation, German officials warned that the Orb must meet strict rules, e.g., data deletion or be shut down.
Hong Kong (May 2024)
Hong Kong’s privacy commissioner halted Worldcoin’s operations. In a report, the commissioner cited that holding biometric data up to 10 years, as Worldcoin planned, was unjustified.
Kenya (Aug 2023 & Mar 2025)
Kenya suspended Worldcoin in Aug 2023 for an investigation. In March 2025, its High Court ordered that all iris data from Kenyan users be deleted within 7 days and banned further collection. Kenyan courts and activists said Worldcoin’s data handling violated the country’s 2019 Data Protection Act. Kenya had become one of Worldcoin’s largest user bases (hundreds of thousands signed up) before the shutdown.
Brazil (2025)
In January 2025, Brazil’s data authority banned Worldcoin, ruling that its consent procedures violated local law.
South Korea (2023)
Korean officials reportedly fined Worldcoin $1 million for allegedly transferring personal data offshore without authorization.
Italy (2024)
Italian regulators have joined Spain/Portugal in tough measures. There’s a potential ban under discussion as part of an EU one-stop-shop enforcement process.
Other countries
At least a half dozen other jurisdictions, including India, Indonesia, the Philippines, etc., have launched probes or temporarily suspended Worldcoin’s local activities over data/consent concerns. Indonesia, for example, paused operations in mid-2025 for registration issues.
Recent Developments (2024–2025)
Global Pivot
Facing stiff regulations in Europe, Worldcoin’s leadership admitted that EU markets are very challenging under GDPR. In late 2024, the company confirmed it is refocusing on Asia, Latin America, and the US, where regulators have been less prohibitive.
Its European office in Germany reportedly sees the continent as a secondary priority now. The firm insists it still wants to stay in the conversation with Europe. However, it admits that legal issues are slowing progress.
Open-sourcing & Privacy Efforts
In response to criticism, Worldcoin open-sourced much of its Orb software and cryptography. It published a Privacy White Paper outlining principles like security by math and your data, your rules. The Orb’s code and the multi-party computation that protects the iris code were made public. Users can now use a personal custody mode in the World App to keep their encrypted keys, putting more control in users’ hands.
Regulatory Engagement
Worldcoin has engaged with regulators, claiming its system is inherently privacy-preserving and inviting audits. Still, actions continue: in mid-2025, Kenyan courts rejected Worldcoin’s appeal and ordered the deletion of all local data. Spain and Portugal remain off-limits for Orbs as long as their bans stand. Germany’s Bavarian DPA is expected to issue a final decision by mid-2025 on whether Worldcoin must cease operations in the EU.
New Markets & Products
Despite obstacles, Worldcoin has expanded in other regions. In 2025, it opened its first U.S. World Space stores and plans to open in at least six U.S. cities. It has rolled out a smaller Orb Mini device, the size of a smartphone, to facilitate mobile signups.
In Mexico, the service launched statewide in Puebla by late 2025, showing a continued push into Latin America. The world.org blog claims 7 million verified humans as of late 2024, though independent verification is hard.
Tokenomics Update
In July 2024, Worldcoin announced it would slow the token unlock schedule, extending the release of 80% of the WLD tokens from three years to five years. This was intended to reduce selling pressure on WLD. As of mid-2025, roughly 1.6 billion WLD have been unlocked, which is about 16% of the 10B total supply. With 1.3B in circulation. Most circulating WLD is held by World App users who claimed it during sign-up.
International Warnings
In mid-2025, even regulators in traditionally crypto-friendly countries have raised alarms. China’s security ministry explicitly warned citizens against foreign projects that scan irises for tokens. Although the warning did not name Worldcoin, analysts noted the description exactly matched its model.
China has emphasized the national security risks of sending biometric data overseas, and this fits a global pattern. World regulators now urge people to carefully consider where their biometric data is stored and how it can be erased.
Conclusion
Worldcoin represents a bold experiment at the intersection of biometrics, cryptocurrency, and digital identity. On one hand, it could enable a new form of global login where every person has a cryptographic ID confirming they’re human. This has the potential to improve online security and financial access for billions.
On the other hand, it requires trusting a private company with deeply personal biological data, raising serious privacy and ethical issues. So far, Worldcoin has earned praise for technical innovation but has run into roadblocks from nearly every government and privacy advocate.
