Worldcoin, the digital identity and cryptocurrency initiative co-founded by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and which has now been rebranded into ‘World’, has launched in six major U.S. cities: Atlanta, Austin, Los Angeles, Miami, Nashville, and San Francisco. At the heart of the project are “Orbs,” spherical biometric devices designed to scan individuals’ irises and issue them a World ID—a unique proof-of-personhood credential aimed at distinguishing real humans from artificial intelligence in an increasingly automated digital world.
New users who complete an iris scan at a Worldcoin Orb location receive 16 WLD tokens as an onboarding incentive. Meanwhile, early adopters who previously signed up through the World App are eligible for a larger “pioneer grant” of 150 WLD tokens. These incentives are part of Worldcoin’s broader strategy to drive mass adoption and test the scalability of biometric identity infrastructure.
To support the nationwide rollout, Worldcoin intends to deploy 7,500 Orbs across the United States by the end of 2025. This expansion is being facilitated by a new manufacturing facility in Richardson, Texas, which will produce the Orbs domestically and reduce supply chain dependencies.
App Integrations and Industry Collaborations
The World App—Worldcoin’s primary interface—has also undergone major enhancements. Users can now access crypto-backed loans through Morpho, engage in decentralized prediction markets powered by Kalshi, and utilize a newly integrated Visa debit card that allows seamless conversion of WLD tokens to fiat currency for everyday purchases.
On the partnership front, Worldcoin is collaborating with a variety of companies to push the use of World ID across multiple industries. In Japan, it has teamed up with Match Group to pilot age verification systems on dating apps like Tinder. In the gaming sector, a partnership with Razer is focused on integrating World ID for player identity verification and account security.
Balancing Innovation with Privacy Concerns
Despite its growing global user base—now exceeding 12 million people—Worldcoin continues to face intense scrutiny over its use of sensitive biometric data. Critics argue that even anonymized biometric information could be vulnerable to misuse or breaches. In response, Worldcoin maintains that it does not store raw biometric data and has implemented advanced cryptographic protections to secure users’ personal identifiers.
Regulatory challenges remain a key hurdle, particularly in the United States. WLD tokens are currently restricted in New York State due to unresolved legal and compliance issues. Nonetheless, the company is pressing ahead with its vision to become a decentralized, privacy-preserving identity solution in an AI-driven digital economy.
Worldcoin’s launch in the U.S. marks a significant milestone not just for the company, but for the broader conversation around digital identity, financial inclusion, and the ethical use of biometric technology. Whether it can overcome public skepticism and regulatory headwinds will likely determine its long-term success and legitimacy.