Sam Altman’s ambitious identity-tech project, formerly known as Worldcoin and now called World, is making a bold move into the US. Backed by some of Silicon Valley’s biggest names, the startup has announced a wide-reaching expansion that brings biometric verification, crypto transactions, and even a World-branded Visa debit card into one ecosystem.
As of May 1st, Tools for Humanity, the company behind World, will begin rolling out physical locations in major US cities, starting with six Apple-style stores, including one in San Francisco. The aim? To get more people verified using their flagship device, the Orb.
What is the Orb?
The Orb is a silver, spherical device designed to scan your iris. This scan creates a unique digital ID tied to your identity, which is stored on the blockchain. It’s part of World’s plan to combat the growing problem of deepfakes, identity fraud, and bot manipulation, challenges that have accelerated in the age of AI.
World believes that offering a verified human identity can power safer financial transactions, voting systems, and social apps where trust matters.
Expanding Access: Stores, Cafés, and Mini Orbs
To make its technology more accessible, World is going beyond just flagship stores. The company is:
- Installing Orbs in Razer stores nationwide.
- Exploring installations in cafés, universities, and public spaces.
- Building an Orb assembly facility in Texas.
- Aiming to distribute 7,500 Orbs across the US by the end of 2025.
And in 2026, a handheld “Orb Mini” will debut, bringing portable iris scanning to the masses.
Introducing the World Debit Card
A major component of World’s next phase is its push into payments. Later this year, the company plans to launch a Visa-backed World debit card in the US. This card would allow users to spend their World crypto tokens like regular money anywhere Visa is accepted.
While still labeled as “proposed,” the card may offer rewards for AI services like ChatGPT Plus, hinting at a tighter link between Altman’s ventures (World and OpenAI).
Additionally, the World app is being upgraded to handle more stablecoins and is teaming up with Stripe to enable crypto payments at mainstream online retailers.
From Games to Dating: Identity in Everyday Apps
World is also betting big on “mini-apps,” small tools and games that live inside the World app. These include:
- Playing Wordle against verified users.
- Placing bets on prediction platforms like Kalshi.
- Verifying identities on dating platforms like Tinder Japan to prevent catfishing and scams.
All of these use your verified Orb ID, linking your real-world identity to digital platforms.
Privacy Concerns: Why Some Users Are Still Skeptical
Despite its promise of solving online trust issues, World faces significant criticism, especially around biometric data collection.
Here’s why users remain cautious:
- Biometric data is permanent – Unlike passwords, you can’t change your iris. If it’s ever compromised, the consequences are irreversible.
- Who controls the data? Even though World claims its identity system is decentralized and anonymized, some users remain uncomfortable with a private company handling such sensitive information.
- Global misuse history – Past reports show that World initially targeted unbanked populations in countries like Kenya and India with free tokens in exchange for scans. Critics called this exploitative, especially where data laws are weak.
- Regulatory uncertainty – Countries like Brazil, Hong Kong, Kenya, Portugal, and Spain have blocked or suspended Worldcoin due to privacy violations and data security concerns.
Even in the US, World services are not available in New York or other restricted regions, hinting at regulatory friction ahead.
A Global Vision, Still Under Watch
World says its goal is to build a globally inclusive financial network, blending verified identity with crypto-enabled payments accessible from a phone.
With 26 million users globally (and 12 million verified via Orb), the project has scale. But it has yet to prove that its futuristic vision can win over users and regulators, especially when it asks for something as sensitive as your iris scan.
For now, the World is watching. And the Orb is watching back.
