China has officially joined the growing list of countries raising alarms over the controversial practices of Worldcoin – a project that rewards users with WLD cryptocurrency tokens in exchange for their biometric data. According to China’s Ministry of State Security, this method of data collection could pose a serious threat to personal information and national security.
A Warning from the Top
In a public statement on WeChat, the ministry highlighted the risks of mass biometric data collection – from fingerprints and facial scans to iris and body-shape recognition.
While not naming Worldcoin directly, officials pointed to “a foreign company that, under the pretext of distributing cryptocurrency tokens, collects iris scans worldwide and transfers this data abroad.”
“Biometric identification may bring convenience, but security must come first. Citizens should carefully consider who they share their data with and take active steps to prevent leaks,” the ministry stated.
Global Pushback Against Worldcoin
China now joins countries like Spain, Germany, and South Korea, which are already investigating the project.
Some nations have gone even further, completely halting Worldcoin’s operations – for example, Kenya suspended the project in 2023 over espionage concerns. In May this year, a Kenyan court ordered the Worldcoin Foundation to delete all collected data and banned further processing of biometric information from Kenyan citizens.
Similar actions have taken place in Brazil, France, and India.
Brazil’s data protection authority ruled that offering tokens in exchange for biometric data is illegal. In India, the project quietly shut down its iris-scanning orbs since the government already collects such identifiers through the Aadhaar national ID system.
Critics: “A Dystopian Model Targeting Weaker Markets”
Worldcoin has long faced sharp criticism for focusing on emerging economies where privacy laws are weaker.
“We’re seeing this technology deployed in third-world countries where identity and privacy rules are not as strict as in the EU or the U.S.,” warns Santiago Siri, a board member of the Proof of Humanity project.
Tech News: AI Meets DeFi
While Worldcoin is under fire globally, other areas of the blockchain industry are moving forward.
Openledger has announced a partnership with Trust Wallet to create the first AI-powered wallet interface.
This will allow users to:
Control DeFi commands in natural language
Deploy AI agents to automate blockchain tasks
Receive personalized recommendations for the best-value transactions and airdrop reminders.
All actions will be fully auditable on-chain, ensuring maximum user trust.
It seems the future of blockchain will be increasingly intertwined with artificial intelligence – and with privacy concerns that projects like Worldcoin place squarely at the center of the global debate.
#Worldcoin , #china , #BiometricData , #defi , #CryptoSecurity
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