Sam Altman’s Eye-Scanning Crypto Project ‘World’ Launches in Six U.S. Cities

Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, has officially launched his digital identity project,World(formerlyWorldcoin), across six major U.S. cities: Atlanta, Austin, Los Angeles, Miami, Nashville, and San Francisco. Announced on April 30, the project is targeting what it describes as “key innovation hubs” as it expands its controversial biometric verification system into the American market.

World aims to verify human identity in the age of artificial intelligence by scanning users’ irises and faces through its signature spherical device, theOrb. In return, verified users receive the project’s native token,Worldcoin (WLD). The company also unveiled plans to launch a“World Visa Card”later this year in partnership with Visa, allowing users to spend WLD and other cryptocurrencies available only to those who have completed Orb verification.

Previously hesitant to launch in the U.S. due to regulatory uncertainties, World’s expansion appears to coincide with a more crypto-friendly environment under the Trump administration.

Users verified through World’s Orb receive aWorld ID, a digital credential designed to confirm their humanity across supported platforms like Reddit, Telegram, Shopify, Discord, and even Minecraft. However, the project continues to face global scrutiny over privacy and biometric data practices. Regulators in several countries, including Spain and Portugal, have suspended World’s operations amid ongoing investigations into its data collection policies.