World Launches in U.S. with Eye-Scanning and Worldcoin

Worldcoin, the cryptocurrency project co-founded by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, is rolling out in six major U.S. cities, marking a key milestone in its global expansion.

The company announced the launch on April 30, saying that it’s deploying its Orb scanners and decentralized identity system in Atlanta, Austin, Los Angeles, Miami, Nashville, and San Francisco.

Here's How Worldcoin Is Deploying Its Eye Scanners and Crypto Token in the U.S.

The goal? To scan humans’ eyeballs and link them to a decentralized identity system, rewarding them with crypto.

World’s main pitch is that, as AI continues to blur the line between human and machine, we need a reliable way to prove that we’re human online. So, World does this by scanning a person’s eyes and face through the Orb. Once verified, users receive a “World ID” and are eligible to claim the project’s native token, Worldcoin (WLD). This ID can then be used to authenticate identity across popular platforms like Telegram, Discord, Shopify, Minecraft, and Reddit.

World is live in the USA. Verify your World ID in six key cities now. pic.twitter.com/cju65pn7L7

— World (@worldcoin) May 1, 2025

While previously cautious about entering the U.S. due to regulatory concerns around issuing a crypto token, World now seems more confident amid shifting political winds and a potentially more crypto-friendly stance from the Trump-aligned GOP.

Despite pushback in other countries—Spain and Portugal have temporarily suspended World’s activities over data privacy concerns—the U.S. launch signals renewed momentum.

A Visa Partnership and Real-World Use Cases

World also announced a partnership with Visa to launch the “World Visa Card” later this year. The card will let users spend WLD and other cryptocurrencies as if they were regular money.

This move signals a broader trend of crypto projects integrating with traditional financial infrastructure—an endeavor to bridge the gap between blockchain technology and everyday spending. Other projects, like Coinbase’s Visa debit card, have already shown that there’s an appetite for crypto-powered payment methods. However, Altman’s unique angle of tying the whole system together with biometric data gives World an added layer of intrigue.

Personal finance 🤝 Rewards for verified humans.

The World Card will let verified humans spend straight from World App and access rewards. Online, IRL, anywhere @Visa is accepted later this year. 💳 Convenient.

— World (@worldcoin) May 1, 2025

World claims to have over 5 million users globally and is continuing to expand despite criticism. Concerns around biometric data security and surveillance remain front and center for skeptics and regulators.