What is Worldcoin (WLD) and the World app?

Worldcoin is a project, renamed World in October 2024, that aims to prove who is a real person online. It scans people's eyes with a device called the Orb, gives each verified person a digital World ID, and distributes a crypto token called Worldcoin (WLD). It was co-founded by Sam Altman, Alex Blania and Max Novendstern.

Who is behind Worldcoin and Sam Altman?

The project has been developed since 2019 by Tools for Humanity, a private technology company where Sam Altman is chairman and Alex Blania is CEO. The protocol launched out of beta on July 24, 2023, after Tools for Humanity handed it to the World Foundation, which acts as its steward. The two organizations are governed separately.

World launched in the United States on May 1, 2025. At the 2023 launch, WLD was not offered to US residents.

How does the Worldcoin Orb and World ID work?

The Orb photographs a person's face and eyes and checks on the device that they are human. According to World's FAQs:

• The images are sent in encrypted form to the user's phone and are deleted from the Orb by default.
• The iris image is turned into a numerical code, which is split into random fragments held by separate parties so it is never stored whole.
• Neither the World Foundation nor Tools for Humanity keeps iris information.

The result is a World ID, which lets someone prove they are a unique person without sharing their name or email. The ID is kept in World's app on the user's phone.

What is World coin crypto (WLD) used for?

WLD is the network's token. Its supply is fixed at 10 billion for at least the first 15 years, with 75% set aside for the community over time and the rest for the development team, investors and a reserve, according to Decrypt's report on the launch. Verified users can receive WLD, though eligibility depends on country, age and other factors. People who help others verify with an Orb can also earn it.

WLD also runs on World Chain, an Ethereum layer 2 built with the OP Stack from Optimism, which launched its mainnet on October 17, 2024. World says verified humans get a free gas allowance there and are eligible for WLD airdrops.

Why have regulators acted against Worldcoin?

Collecting biometric data has drawn wide scrutiny. In March 2024, Spain's data protection agency, the AEPD, ordered a temporary halt of up to three months to Worldcoin's data collection in Spain, citing complaints about data from minors, users being unable to withdraw consent and poor information. A Spanish court upheld that order.

In December 2024, Bavaria's data protection authority found GDPR violations and ordered deletion of all iris codes stored since the project began. World appealed and said the findings concerned outdated practices. Kenya, Indonesia, the Philippines and Thailand have also suspended operations or ordered data deleted at different times.