Sam Altman World: biometrics for tokens and digital identity controversy

​The crypto project World (formerly Worldcoin) is launching in the U.S. It’s an ambitious attempt by OpenAI CEO and ChatGPT creator Sam Altman to merge cryptocurrency, digital identity, and the fight against bots.

Users who agree to undergo biometric verification via iris scanning receive WLD tokens and a unique World ID. In the future, this ID could be used to log in to online services — including social networks, dating apps, and even payment systems.

The idea is bold and, as usual for Altman, aimed decades ahead. But it raises a fair question: is the price of proving your human too high?

How World works and why people are asked to scan their irises

The project, originally known as Worldcoin, was conceived as a way to implement a form of universal basic income (UBI) in an age when AI might displace millions of workers. But before you can start handing out money to everyone on Earth, you need to be sure each person is real.

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Enter the Orb — a silver sphere that scans your iris and generates a unique digital identifier that cannot be forged, copied, or used more than once.

Each person receives their World ID, confirming they are a real human being — and in exchange, they get WLD tokens. According to the creators, these IDs could one day serve as the backbone of global authentication systems: for voting, accessing social platforms, fighting bots, spam, fraud, and disinformation — all while supposedly preserving user privacy.

Bold vision, controversial technology

World has already launched pilot programs in dozens of countries — from Kenya and Indonesia to Argentina and Germany. More than two million people have agreed to have their irises scanned. But this is where the controversy begins.

In 2022, MIT Technology Review published an investigation revealing that in several countries, data collection was carried out without clear or informed consent. Meanwhile, Edward Snowden publicly condemned the project, writing:

“Don't catalogue eyeballs. Don't use biometrics for anti-fraud. In fact, don't use biometrics for anything.”

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World’s creators insist that all biometric data is encrypted and deleted after scanning, leaving behind only a numerical string. But can the average person trust that — without reading the project's white paper?

The token launch: Lots of hype, little trust

On July 24, 2021, World officially launched its native token — WLD. Its price spiked immediately, as expected with any high-profile crypto debut, but quickly dropped again. Perhaps users didn’t buy into the model’s sustainability. Or maybe it was Vitalik Buterin’s blog post — the Ethereum co-founder raised several major concerns.

First: the possibility of collecting more data than necessary. Second: the risk that someone could scan another person’s iris and check if they have a World ID. And third: the threat of centralization — if control of Orb devices ends up in a few hands, then “unique IDs” might not stay so unique. Still, Buterin acknowledged that a successful system for verifying real human identity will likely be in high demand in the future.

Tokenomics only insiders can trust?

At the time of launch, only around 143 million WLD tokens were in circulation — out of a total planned supply of 10 billion. Of those, 100 million were allocated to market makers to “ensure liquidity.” The majority of tokens will be distributed over the next 15 years, while company insiders and investors have agreed not to sell their shares for at least 12 months.

Critics, including Hacken co-founder Dmytro Budorin, have called it a textbook pump scheme: launch with a tiny circulating supply, offer a vague use case, and retain control over the distribution. According to him, World is nothing more than Altman's meme coin — a toy that doesn’t actually do anything.

A similar view is shared by investor Ari Paul of BlockTower Capital, who argues that World’s token lacks any real utility beyond speculative trading.

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While the crypto community debates and investors track price charts, regulators across Europe and Africa have started to act. In the UK, Germany, and France, World has become the subject of investigations by data protection authorities. Kenya suspended the project, citing concerns about violations of its data privacy laws.

Notably, users in the U.S. were initially barred from iris scans altogether due to local privacy regulations. Nevertheless, World continues to expand: a new phase of the project has launched in the U.S., and recent integrations suggest that this is no longer a theoretical experiment — it's becoming a full-fledged infrastructure play.

World’s roadmap: Mini Apps, rewards, and its own Visa card

A recent announcement from the World team reveals a new feature: through the World App, users will now have access to a mini-application from Morpho Labs, allowing them to lend, borrow, and earn rewards — with priority given to verified humans.

What’s more, World plans to launch the World Card — a full-fledged Visa crypto card that can be used both online and offline, anywhere traditional payment cards are accepted. In essence, this could become one of the core applications of World ID: you don’t just prove you're human — you start receiving privileges for it.

A tool of the future or a digital trap?

The World project is moving in many directions at once:

- biometric identification

- universal basic income

- access to DeFi rewards

- payment infrastructure

- social authentication

But behind this ambitious feature set lies a deeper question of choice. World is built on a simple promise:

“We will create a safe digital identity that unlocks the future.”

Yet in a world where data is the new oil, one must ask — is it worth trading your biometric data for a few tokens and a rewards program?