The digital identity verification project World (WLD, formerly known as Worldcoin), co-founded by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, announced today its official entry into the US market, alongside several application layouts, including the launch of a Visa card linked to digital asset wallets and a verification matching service trial with dating platform Tinder.
US users who complete identity verification and create a 'World ID' digital identity credential will receive Worldcoin (WLD) tokens as participation rewards.
The first phase of World’s verification service will launch in six major cities in the United States, including Atlanta, Austin, Los Angeles, Miami, Nashville, and San Francisco.
World is live in the USA. Verify your World ID in six key cities now. pic.twitter.com/cju65pn7L7
— World (@worldcoin) May 1, 2025
World's vision is to establish a 'Real Human Network' that can distinguish between real people and AI robots, providing a decentralized and verifiable identity system in the digital age, which is flooded with AI-generated content and fake accounts.
According to official data, there are currently about 26 million World App users worldwide, of which around 12 million users have been verified and identified as 'unique real' users.
Although World has gone live in multiple countries, it has previously raised concerns among some human rights and data privacy organizations, questioning the security of its biometric data.
Interestingly, under Donald Trump's administration, Washington's attitude toward cryptocurrency companies has become more favorable. World’s entry into the US market at this time is seen as a strategically significant milestone and a 'natural' step.
Launching the 'World Card', enabling cryptocurrency payments.
World also announced that it plans to launch the Visa card 'World Card', which combines WLD tokens and cryptocurrency payment features, later this year in the United States. Cardholders will be able to connect directly to the World App wallet to make purchases using WLD or other cryptocurrencies, while merchants will not need to understand cryptocurrency to receive fiat currency, lowering the entry barrier.
World emphasizes that this Visa card will be a key bridge connecting Web3 with traditional payment scenarios, helping users achieve flexible asset utilization and allowing mainstream merchants to seamlessly adopt cryptocurrency payments.
Expanding into dating platforms, Tinder users in Japan will be the first to trial 'real person verification'.
In addition to the payment field, World also announced that it will partner with Tinder's parent company Match Group to initiate identity verification cooperation, with plans to conduct pilot tests in the Tinder Japanese market, aiming to assist users in verifying that their match is a 'real person who desires sincere communication'.
World stated that this collaboration aims to assist users on dating platforms in confirming each other’s identities, avoiding the infiltration of deepfake technology and fake accounts, restoring trust and security in dating, and providing users with a more secure and authentic interaction experience.
Additionally, World users can now use the new Kalshi Mini App to participate in prediction markets directly from the World App.
Targeting 1 billion users, shrinking verification devices, and accelerating expansion.
Since its launch in 2023, World has used the shiny silver 'Orb' device to scan irises and verify identities, a process that has sparked privacy controversies over biometric data. However, World emphasizes that the information collected is only used for verification and not stored, reducing potential risks.
To accelerate user growth to surpass 1 billion, World plans to launch a lightweight version called 'Mini Orb', which will be deployed in more scenarios in the future.
Additionally, World is collaborating with esports brand Razer to allow players to quickly verify in physical stores whether their opponents are real people or AI.
The developer of World is Tools for Humanity, co-founded by Sam Altman and CEO Alex Blania.
"World officially lands in the US: Launch of Visa card and collaboration with Tinder for real person verification matching" was first published on (Blockchain News).