TLDR
- Worldcoin (now rebranded as “World”) has launched in six major U.S. cities with iris-scanning “Orbs”
- New users receive 16 WLD tokens after scanning, while early adopters get 150 WLD “pioneer grants”
- The company plans to deploy 7,500 Orbs across the U.S. by the end of 2025
- World has partnered with Visa for a debit card and integrated with Match Group, Razer, and others
- Despite having scanned 12 million users globally, the project faces ongoing privacy and regulatory concerns
Sam Altman’s digital identity and cryptocurrency initiative, formerly known as Worldcoin and now rebranded as “World,” has officially launched in six major U.S. cities. The project, which uses spherical biometric devices called “Orbs” to scan users’ irises and issue unique digital IDs, is now operating in Atlanta, Austin, Los Angeles, Miami, Nashville, and San Francisco.
The U.S. launch comes after World has already established a presence in about 20 countries worldwide. At the heart of the project is the goal to provide a reliable method for distinguishing humans from AI in an increasingly digital world.
New users who complete an iris scan at a World Orb location will receive 16 WLD tokens as an onboarding incentive. Those who previously downloaded and registered with the World App in the U.S. will receive a larger “pioneer grant” of 150 WLD tokens dropped into their wallet.
The company plans to deploy 7,500 Orbs across the United States by the end of 2025. To support this expansion, World is building a new manufacturing facility in Richardson, Texas, which will produce Orbs domestically and reduce supply chain dependencies.
Partnerships and Integrations
World has secured several key partnerships to expand the utility of its technology. The company is working with Visa to release a debit card later this year that will convert WLD tokens to fiat currency at checkout points.
In the dating space, World has partnered with Match Group to pilot age verification systems on apps like Tinder. World ID will be added as an account verification option, potentially reducing fake profiles and improving safety.
Gaming company Razer has also joined forces with World to integrate World ID for player identity verification and account security. These collaborations are part of World’s strategy to push the use of its ID system across multiple industries.
The World App has undergone major enhancements. Users can now access crypto-backed loans through Morpho, engage in decentralized prediction markets powered by Kalshi, and utilize the newly integrated Visa debit card.
The company announced these developments at a press event in San Francisco called “At Last,” where Sam Altman, who serves as chairman of Tools for Humanity (the company behind World), appeared alongside CEO Alex Blania.
World’s Orbs will be available for iris scans at physical “World Space” locations in the six launch cities, as well as in Razer stores. The company has updated the Orb’s physical design and teased a smaller “orb mini” that resembles a smartphone.
To date, World’s Orbs have verified 12 million humans from over 100 countries on its Ethereum-based World Chain. This makes it one of the largest crypto projects globally, despite facing regulatory challenges.
🚨 Latest: Sam Altman’s Worldcoin project officially launches in the U.S., offering $WLD tokens to users creating World IDs.
Also, Coinbase adds $WLD to its listing roadmap.
Nice bull flag on the 4hr Chart… pic.twitter.com/qHwCFxUDfU
— Trader Edge (@Pro_Trader_Edge) May 1, 2025
The timing of the U.S. launch appears strategic. Adrian Ludwig, chief architect at Tools for Humanity, noted that regulatory changes influenced their decision to enter the U.S. market now. The Trump administration has taken a more favorable stance toward cryptocurrencies compared to the previous administration.
Despite its growth, World continues to face scrutiny over its use of sensitive biometric data. Critics argue that even anonymized biometric information could be vulnerable to misuse or breaches. The project has been blocked, probed, or fined in several countries including Spain, Portugal, Hong Kong, South Korea, and France over security and privacy concerns.
In response, World maintains that it does not store raw biometric data and has implemented advanced cryptographic protections to secure users’ personal identifiers. Ludwig emphasized that all biometric data collected is anonymous.
Regulatory challenges remain a hurdle, particularly in the United States. WLD tokens are currently restricted in New York State due to unresolved legal and compliance issues.
Altman, who is also CEO of OpenAI, sees World as a solution to problems created by advanced AI. As AI becomes more sophisticated at mimicking human interaction, tools to verify human identity become more crucial. “It’s a way to make sure humans remained central and special in a world where the internet had a lot of AI-driven content,” Altman said at the launch event.
The company has raised approximately $200 million from venture capitalists including Andreessen Horowitz and Khosla Ventures, as well as from LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman and FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried.
Ludwig estimates that in “18 months or so we will begin to see the costs of operating the network begin to be offset by the fees that are generated by the network.” Until then, World remains unprofitable as it builds out its infrastructure and user base.
