Sam Altman’s Eye-Scanning Crypto Project ‘World’ Debuts in U.S.
May 1, 2025 — by ahmadumer
Sam Altman, OpenAI’s CEO, has officially launched his eye-scanning crypto venture, World (formerly Worldcoin), in six U.S. cities: Atlanta, Austin, Los Angeles, Miami, Nashville, and San Francisco.
At the heart of the project is the Orb, a futuristic device that scans users’ eyes and faces to confirm they’re human—offering Worldcoin (WLD) tokens in return. The aim: combat the rise of AI bots by verifying real identities.
World is partnering with Visa to release a World Visa card later this year, making it easier for users to spend their WLD and other cryptocurrencies.
Apps like Tinder, Hinge, Reddit, and Discord are testing World ID, a tool that authenticates users as real people to reduce fake accounts and bots.
Despite rapid growth—with over 26 million sign-ups and 12 million eye scans—the project has stirred controversy. Privacy concerns have led countries like Spain and Portugal to halt World operations.
Following the U.S. launch, WLD token prices nudged upward but remain well below their March 2024 peak.
