Sam Altman’s Eye-Scanning Crypto Project Expands to Six U.S. Cities with Visa Partnership
World Rolls Out in Atlanta, Austin, Los Angeles, Miami, Nashville, and San Francisco
Sam Altman’s controversial digital identity project, World, has officially launched in the United States, marking a significant milestone in its quest to redefine online identity verification using biometric data. Formerly known as Worldcoin, the startup announced on April 30 that it is now operational in six major U.S. tech hubs: Atlanta, Austin, Los Angeles, Miami, Nashville, and San Francisco.
World offers its native crypto token Worldcoin (WLD) to users who verify their identity via its distinctive “Orb” — a metallic device that scans a person’s face and eyes. With this biometric data, users receive a World ID, which can authenticate their humanity on platforms such as Reddit, Discord, Telegram, Shopify, and even Minecraft.
“The goal is to distinguish real humans from bots in an increasingly AI-driven internet,” said the company, echoing a long-standing concern about digital authenticity.
Privacy Questions and Global Scrutiny
While World claims to be solving a digital trust problem, the project continues to attract heavy regulatory scrutiny, particularly for its biometric data practices. Countries such as Spain and Portugal have suspended the project over privacy concerns, citing inadequate safeguards for sensitive user data.
World had previously delayed its U.S. launch due to regulatory uncertainty, but appears to have gained momentum under the current crypto-friendly policy environment.
Visa Partnership and World ID Dating Integration
In a bold move to merge financial services and digital identity, World has also partnered with Visa to roll out a “World Visa Card” later this year. The card will allow holders to spend WLD tokens and other cryptocurrencies, and will be available to users who have completed an Orb scan.
Further expanding its ecosystem, Match Group — owner of Tinder, Hinge, Match.com, and Plenty of Fish — will test World ID verification on its platforms. The company believes verified identities could help reduce fake profiles and create safer digital spaces for real users seeking real relationships.
The project has also formed alliances with decentralized finance platform Morpho and prediction market startup Kalshi, underlining its ambitions to bridge blockchain infrastructure with mainstream use cases.
From Worldcoin to World: Global Reach and Market Volatility
Co-founded by Altman in 2019, the project rebranded to World in 2024 and now boasts 26 million users globally, with 12 million verified via Orb scans. Despite this growth, its native token WLD remains volatile. After a brief 15% surge following the U.S. launch, the token dropped over 5% in the past 24 hours and is now trading just above $1 — a sharp contrast from its March 2024 all-time high of $11.74, representing a decline of over 90%, according to CoinGecko.
The U.S. rollout and Visa tie-up mark a turning point for the biometric crypto project. But with privacy debates far from resolved, the future of World may depend as much on regulation as on user adoption.
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