Sam Altman's Iris-Scanning Crypto Project Launches in Six US Cities

Sam Altman’s iris-scanning crypto project, World (formerly Worldcoin), has officially launched in the United States, deploying its biometric orbs in six major cities including Atlanta, Austin, Los Angeles, Miami, Nashville, and San Francisco. Americans can now verify their identities by scanning their irises to receive Worldcoin (WLD) tokens, a feature previously restricted due to regulatory and privacy concerns. To further integrate crypto into daily life, World is partnering with Visa to launch a debit card that will convert WLD into fiat currency at checkout, and has announced a forthcoming handheld device, Orb Mini, for portable identity verification. The project claims to prioritize user privacy, with biometric data remaining on users’ devices rather than being stored by the company, in response to global backlash and regulatory scrutiny over privacy risks. Globally, over 12 million people have enrolled, but the initiative remains banned in several countries due to ongoing concerns. World’s founders argue that digital proof of personhood is increasingly vital in an AI-dominated landscape, although critics remain wary of potential risks to personal data.