Worldcoin Expands Into U.S. with Biometric Verification, Visa Card, and Tinder Pilot Amid Scrutiny

Biometric Identity Push Sparks Controversy as World Seeks to Scale U.S. Presence

Worldcoin, now rebranded as “World,” officially launched its U.S. operations on April 30, 2025, signaling a major step in its global expansion strategy. The company, co-founded by Sam Altman, is doubling down on its mission to verify human identity through iris scans using a device called the Orb. The rollout comes at a time when the U.S. government, under the Trump administration, is seen as increasingly crypto-friendly, easing regulatory pressure that had long stalled progress in previous years. Initial verification hubs are now live in six major cities—Atlanta, Austin, Los Angeles, Miami, Nashville, and San Francisco—where users can scan their irises to receive a World ID and eligibility for WLD token rewards.

World’s technology, designed to distinguish real people from AI bots, uses facial and iris recognition during the onboarding process. The company insists no biometric data is stored, an attempt to preempt privacy concerns that have followed the project since its inception. The World ID is already compatible with platforms such as Telegram, Discord, Reddit, Shopify, and Minecraft, and is positioned as a gateway to more secure, authenticated digital experiences. Still, transparency issues have reemerged. While World publicly claims to have 26 million app users, only 12.35 million have completed Orb-based identity verification—revealing a gap of over 14 million and sparking criticism over the way the platform reports user metrics. The confusion, rooted in conflating app installations with verified identities, underscores lingering questions about the project’s integrity and transparency.

The company’s U.S. launch isn’t without additional skepticism. According to Protos, World’s claim of having verified 824,100 “unique humans” in the U.S. alone raised eyebrows. With only 347 Orbs currently active in the country, the numbers suggest that each device would have had to scan over 2,300 individuals in under 24 hours—a feat many analysts find improbable. These figures come on the heels of World’s earlier failed promise to reach one billion users by 2023. As of now, the project remains 987.7 million users short of that target. Despite the ambitious projections, the company is already pivoting toward scalability, unveiling plans for a smaller “mini-Orb” device to accelerate adoption and reduce the logistical burden of full-sized scanners.

Financial integration is also at the forefront of World’s growth efforts. On May 1, the company announced a partnership with Visa to launch the “World Card,” a crypto-enabled debit card linked directly to the World App wallet. The card will allow users to spend WLD and other cryptocurrencies at any location that accepts Visa, while merchants receive fiat, requiring no familiarity with digital assets. This move ties blockchain identity verification with practical financial tools, and the company claims it will allow verified users to access their funds seamlessly both online and offline. According to World’s official statement, the card will serve as an essential link between the World App and real-world economic activity, enabling users to spend crypto rewards wherever Visa is accepted.

As part of its push into new markets, World has also entered a pilot program with Match Group, the parent company behind Tinder, Hinge, and other dating platforms. The pilot begins with Tinder users in Japan, enabling them to verify whether a profile belongs to a real person through World ID integration. The company says the aim is to foster more authentic digital interactions and reduce catfishing or bot-related incidents. Additionally, World has introduced a Mini App integration with Kalshi, a regulated prediction market, allowing users to access financial forecasting tools directly through the World App ecosystem.

Gaming is another frontier World is targeting. A newly announced partnership with Razer, a global gaming hardware company, will bring verified identity tools to Razer retail stores. The integration is intended to help online gamers confirm whether their opponents are actual players or AI bots, building on the same principles of identity assurance that underpin World’s core offering. As part of this strategy, World hopes to expand its identity system into entertainment and competitive gaming environments, tapping into a user base that often faces challenges around fraud and bot manipulation.

World’s token, WLD, saw a modest boost following its addition to Coinbase’s asset roadmap on April 30. The announcement triggered a 3% price increase, briefly lifting WLD to $1.12 before stabilizing in the $1.09 to $1.14 range. The token’s market capitalization currently sits at approximately $1.5 billion, with 24-hour trading volume reaching $330.93 million—a 20.95% surge. Market makers have supported the listing by ensuring technical readiness, while the increased liquidity is expected to further WLD’s integration with Layer-2 networks like Optimism, where much of the token’s trading activity takes place. The listing is widely seen as a legitimizing move for the project, despite its persistent scrutiny from privacy watchdogs and civil liberty organizations.

Still, not all jurisdictions are embracing World’s model. Both Spain and Portugal have temporarily halted the project, citing concerns over how biometric data is collected and handled. Although World maintains that no data is stored during the scanning process, privacy advocates remain skeptical. In the U.S., the project enjoys a supportive political climate but continues to face close monitoring from digital rights groups. The delicate balance between privacy, innovation, and public trust remains at the heart of World’s challenge as it attempts to expand its identity verification protocol to a global scale.

This article has been refined and enhanced by ChatGPT.