Worldcoin Aims for Global Biometric Verification Expansion

Worldcoin’s primary objective is to expand biometric verification using iris-scanning orbs globally. This was stated by Alex Blania, CEO of Tools for Humanity, the company behind the project, as reported by The Block.

“Projects like PayPal or Facebook, which emerged over the past couple of decades, became useful after reaching a certain scale. All we care about is global expansion and the number of users who have been verified and are using the service,” explained the top manager.

The project’s main product, the World ID protocol, is based on zero-knowledge proofs. It serves as a tool allowing people to undergo identification using biometric data or a phone number.

In December 2023, Worldcoin introduced World ID 2.0, which is integrated with several platforms, including Telegram, Reddit, Shopify, and Minecraft, for passwordless authentication.

According to the company, the project currently has 6.5 million verified World IDs in over 160 countries worldwide.

Blania mentioned that in the “coming weeks,” the company will unveil next-generation devices.

“The updates will affect operational models. In other words, how these devices will be used — there will be adjustments that […] could be quite significant,” he explained.

The top manager also mentioned discussions with participants in South Korea’s gaming industry regarding potential collaboration and noted preparations for the launch of World Chain. The latter is an L2 solution for Ethereum based on Optimism’s OP Stack.

In December 2023, Worldcoin disabled the biometric verification feature using orbs for users in India, Brazil, and France.

The project has attracted interest in Argentina, Colombia, the UK, France, and Germany. Authorities in Portugal and Spain have ordered the halt of personal data collection.

In June 2024, the Kenyan prosecutor’s office ended its investigation into Worldcoin. The company received permission for iris scanning and other operations in the country.

In April, Worldcoin added new features to enhance personal data protection. In particular, users gained the ability to revoke World ID verification.