During a recent event, the focus was on the biometric-scanning Orb and the World network, with little mention of “crypto.” Instead, Sam Altman and Alex Blania highlighted World’s blockchain services, digital asset management, and virtual communication tools.
Blania expressed, during a press briefing, World’s ambition to create the “largest finance network” globally in the future. In an interview with WIRED, Blania explained how he and Altman were motivated by regular Sunday meetings that drew inspiration from the rise of PayPal. They envisioned developing a distributed network for tokens, akin to the pioneering efforts of Peter Thiel and Max Levchin in the digital payment sector.
Currently, the World app is available for free, including its eye-scanning feature. Tools for Humanity, the company behind the project, is venture-backed and is striving to expand its footprint in the modern identity verification market by scaling rapidly. Blania mentioned that the organization may eventually generate revenue through processing fees.
Most of Tools for Humanity’s current expansion efforts are aimed at regions outside the United States due to unclear cryptocurrency regulations domestically, as communicated by a spokesperson. In the US, the Orb and compatible apps can scan and store iris data without generating a crypto token.
Two and a half years ago, the Worldcoin project faced criticism for alleged deceptive recruitment practices involved in iris scanning. At that time, Blania attributed these issues to the organization’s “startup” phase. He stated in an interview with WIRED that the company is taking numerous steps to ensure a better consent process, including hiring an operational team in every market. The World app will also provide explanations of how the product operates.
Blania assured that no data is stored in a centralized location. Despite efforts, the service was being investigated in 2023 by governments in Germany, Brazil, India, South Korea, and Kenya over concerns related to biometric data handling. Kenya suspended Worldcoin enrollment, while South Korea imposed a fine on the company. Worldcoin voluntarily suspended operations in India, Brazil, and France.
Blania conveyed optimism about a potential relaunch in Kenya “sometime soon.” When questioned about a perceived focus on Latin America for expansion, driven by a partnership with Rappi for orb deliveries, Blania refuted the notion of prioritizing the region over others. He clarified that resource limitations and natural sequencing were the reasons, and emphasized the intention to also expand in Asia and other regions, noting the growth in the Argentine market.
Following the keynote, Altman briefly appeared in the press room to wave and apologize for his inability to stay, before departing swiftly.