World Launches Iris-Scan ID in Six U.S. Cities

Tools for Humanity, led by Sam Altman, has launched its iris-scanning digital identity project, World (formerly Worldcoin), in six major U.S. cities: Atlanta, Austin, Los Angeles, Miami, Nashville, and San Francisco. The program uses 'Orbs' to scan irises and issue unique World IDs, letting users prove their humanity online and receive WLD cryptocurrency tokens. World plans to deploy 7,500 Orbs across the U.S. by the end of 2025, with a goal of reaching 180 million Americans, and has already verified 12 million users globally. The company has partnered with Visa to release a World Visa debit card and with Match Group to pilot age and identity verification on Tinder in Japan. Despite emphasizing privacy and decentralized data storage, World continues to face regulatory scrutiny, especially in Europe. The U.S. launch leverages a more favorable regulatory environment for digital ID and crypto innovation.