OpenAI CEO Sam Altman’s crypto-tied digital identity project, now rebranded as World, has officially launched in the United States, targeting six major cities: Atlanta, Austin, Los Angeles, Miami, Nashville, and San Francisco. This rollout aims to establish a trusted identity verification system in an era increasingly dominated by artificial intelligence.
The core offering of World is its cryptocurrency, Worldcoin (WLD), which is given to users who validate their identities using The Orb—a spherical device designed to scan the user’s face and eyes. This biometric data is utilized to create a World ID, facilitating user verification and enabling access to integrated platforms such as Minecraft, Reddit, Telegram, Shopify, and Discord.
In tandem with its US launch, World has announced a partnership with Visa for a forthcoming ‘World Visa card.’ This innovative card will allow users who have completed the eye-scanning process to make payments using WLD tokens and a range of other cryptocurrencies.
Ensuring Authentic Connections in Online Dating
In a noteworthy application of its verification technology, Match Group, the parent company of popular dating platforms like Tinder, Hinge, Match.com, and Plenty of Fish, has initiated a pilot program to test World ID across its apps. This collaboration aims to provide a safer dating environment by allowing users to confirm that the profiles they interact with belong to genuine individuals seeking authentic connections.
World has also established partnerships with prediction market platform Kalshi and decentralized lending service Morpho, further expanding its ecosystem and applications beyond mere identity verification.
Initially created in 2019 under the name Worldcoin, the project aims to combat fraud and the proliferation of bots using blockchain technology. With a current user base of 26 million globally, 12 million of whom have been verified through the Orb scans, World aims to set a new standard for digital identity verification.
Following the announcement of its US expansion, the price of WLD briefly surged around 15%. However, these gains have since dissipated, with the token’s value declining more than 5% in the past 24 hours, trading just above $1 at the time of writing. This marks a significant decrease from its all-time high of $11.74 in March 2024, as reported by CoinGecko.
The launch of World in the United States signifies a crucial step toward the mainstream adoption of digital identity verification using cryptocurrency, reflecting ongoing trends and innovations in the intersection of technology and finance.
