- Worldcoin co-founder Sam Altman shared a video of people in Japan lining up to exchange iris scans for “free” Worldcoin (WLD) tokens, suggesting interest in the project.
- Participants received 25 WLD tokens (worth $50) after an 8-second iris scan using the Orb, a biometric verification device, to distinguish humans from bots.
- Worldcoin has set up three Orbs in Hong Kong, collecting over 600 sign-ups, and plans to expand globally to streamline onboarding worldwide.
The co- founder of Worldcoin, Sam Altman, has shared a video of people in Japan lining up to exchange their iris scans for “free” Worldcoin (WLD) tokens.
In the video, participants are seen receiving 25 WLD tokens,valued at $50, after undergoing an iris scan to confirm their identification. This occurrence highlights the waning enthusiasm for Worldcoin, a blockchain project dedicated to building a user identity network.
Worldcoin’s Orb Expansion Sparks Mixed Reactions
According to Altman, the Orb, a biometric verification device, can verify one person within 8 seconds. The Orb provides users with a unique World ID upon successful verification and biometric data collection.
The company has already set up three Orbs in Hong Kong, which have collected over 600 sign-ups collectively. However, the company plans to set up Orb venues worldwide to streamline onboarding. This has sparked interest in Worldcoin by Japanese investors even though Hong Kong citizens showed less enthusiasm.
Worldcoin signups indicate progress toward crypto adoption. However, influential entrepreneurs like Jack Dorsey and Vitalik Buterin have also expressed concern. They believe that implementing the proposed system could be catastrophic as it might go against the fundamental principles of the crypto ecosystem, such as privacy, accessibility, and decentralization, on which it was built.
According to Buterin, Worldcoin’s promise of continued decentralization will help it avoid relying on centralized authorities and limit the disclosure of unnecessary information. However, if they fail to solve the issue of proof of personhood, wealthy actors, including hostile governments, could more easily take control of decentralized governance.
Buterin actively addressed the major concerns surrounding such solutions, summarizing them into four key points: privacy, accessibility, centralization within the Worldcoin Foundation, and security. He also emphasized the need for community accountability through audits, checks, and balances.
ICO spokesperson clarified:
“We have not made any public announcements confirming or denying our investigation into Worldcoin. As such, we can only provide comments once any official statement is released.”
Worldcoin might encounter opposition from data regulators in the United Kingdom (UK), with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) expressing concerns about privacy and the safety of critical biometric data. Worldcoin World ID sign-ups have exceeded 2 million.
