After much anticipation, Sam Altmanās iris-scanning crypto project, World, has officially launched in the United States. In this article, I break down what this means for the crypto space and how users can get involved.
Starting this week, people in several US cities can now visit World orbs to scan their irises and receive Worldcoin (WLD) ā the native cryptocurrency of the project. This marks the first time the service has been made available in the US, after previously operating in selected international markets.
The US rollout had been delayed due to regulatory scrutiny and privacy concerns regarding biometric data. Understandably, the idea of scanning usersā eyes raised a lot of questions, especially in a country with strict data protection laws. But now, those hurdles seem to have been cleared.
Free WLD Tokens: What Users Get
As part of the US launch, users who scan their eyes at a World orb will be rewarded with 16 WLD. If youāre already registered through the World app, you can also claim a āpioneer grantā of 150 WLD. These tokens can be used within the World wallet app, where users can also chat privately and transfer crypto.
Visa Partnership Makes WLD Spendable Like Cash
One of the most exciting updates in mine article is Worldās partnership with Visa to introduce a debit card that converts WLD into fiat currency at the point of sale. This is a major step toward making cryptocurrencies usable in everyday life.
How the Iris Scan Works
The scanning process is straightforward: users approach the orb, which takes about 30 seconds to scan their face and iris. This generates a unique IrisCode, ensuring each user can only register once. Currently, orbs are being deployed in Austin, Atlanta, Los Angeles, Nashville, Miami, and San Francisco.
A smaller version called the āorb miniā is also being introduced. Itās portable and resembles a smartphone, which could make adoption even easier.
Worldās Expanding Ecosystem
Beyond the hardware and wallet, World is also building an ecosystem of over 150 mini-apps, including a prediction market app by Kalshi. Partnerships with major platforms like Stripe, Match Group (which owns Tinder), and Razer are also in the works, indicating broader integration into both financial and social platforms.
Sam Altman, who co-founded World in 2019 under the name Worldcoin, had a vision of creating a decentralized global identity system. The goal? To fight bots and fraud online by tying a personās digital presence to a secure, verifiable identity.
As World expands across the US, more people will get the chance to register, verify their identity, and claim their WLD. This could be a huge shift in how we think about digital identity, payments, and crypto adoption.
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