Sam Altman’s digital identity verification system, World (formerly Worldcoin), is officially launching in the United States today, debuting in six key cities: Atlanta, Austin, Los Angeles, Miami, Nashville, and San Francisco.
Americans can now verify their digital IDs through the project’s biometric devices, known as Orbs.
What is Sam Altman’s World?
The World is a digital identity verification system that uses biometric iris scans via “Orbs” to create unique IDs, developed by Tools for Humanity. The system distinguishes real humans from AI and integrates with apps in finance, gaming, and social media. It also uses its own cryptocurrency, Worldcoin (WLD) , and offers it to those who verify their identity by scanning their irises.
Sponsored
As Sam Altman said during the “At Last” event in San Francisco this week, the U.S. launch is part of a strategic expansion that capitalizes on the country’s leadership in AI and favorable regulatory conditions. World plans to roll out 7,500 new Orbs by year-end and open a manufacturing line in Texas to produce them.
The company expects to generate revenue by charging apps that use its identity verification services, beginning later this year.
Announces New Partnerships
Alongside the US launch, World announced several key partnerships aimed at embedding World ID into real-world applications.
Gaming giant Razer and Match Group, the parent company of Tinder, will integrate World ID to combat AI bots.
Razer will offer Orbs in its stores, and both companies will work together to enhance human authentication in gaming through Razer’s camera hardware.
Tinder will pilot World ID in Japan for age and identity verification, with plans to expand to additional platforms and markets.
Visa Card Launch
In a significant move, World unveiled the upcoming World Visa Card, developed in partnership with Visa.
Expected to be released later this year, the card will support payments in Worldcoin (WLD) and other digital assets, and will be available exclusively to verified users.
Expansion into Digital Finance
World has also secured partnerships with Kalshi, a CFTC-regulated prediction market platform, and Morpho, a decentralized lending protocol, expanding its reach in the digital finance space.
The network claims its user base has nearly doubled in the past six months, now reaching around 26 million users, with 12 million verified through the Orb.
On the Flipside
- Worldcoin has faced regulatory scrutiny, particularly in the EU, due to concerns about its biometric data collection and privacy compliance.
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