Worldcoin rolls out its iris-scanning technology in Singapore
Worldcoin – founded by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman – has expanded its identity verification services to Singapore, following a pause on its operations in India. The company announced in a blog post that its scanning orbs are now available at five locations in the city-state.
The expansion of Worldcoin’s iris-scanning technology comes amid a broader effort to increase its global presence. As of now, the verification locations are available in 11 countries, including the United States. However, the project has faced challenges in some regions. For instance, authorities in Kenya suspended Worldcoin operations due to privacy concerns.
Worldcoin started its identity verification process in 2021, and by the official launch in July 2023, over two million people had signed up. The company claims that more than five million people have created accounts using their identity, which is about 0.06% of the world’s population.
Gm Fukuoka
福岡のシェアオフィス・コワーキングスペース「The Company」でオーブの登録受付を開始しました！
★The Company キャナルシティ博多前店
平日のみ 11:00-18:00
★The Company ミーナ天神店
平日、土日祝 11:00-18:00登録予約はアプリから可能です！
詳しくはこちら@worldcoin pic.twitter.com/0SbtmNKjVv
— Antony Normand (@antonynormand5) December 27, 2023
Sam Altman, the co-founder and CEO of OpenAI, is the creator of Worldcoin. He faced a brief dismissal from his position at OpenAI in November, which led to resignations in protest by his colleagues. Altman was reinstated 12 days later.
The Worldcoin Orb, a helmet-shaped device, is used by customers to verify their IDs. To use it, users need to download the Worldcoin app and a compatible wallet, then visit an Orb location for an eyeball scan as part of the identity verification process.
Despite the recent pause in services in India, Brazil, and France, and a subsequent price dip of its WLD token, Worldcoin considers 2023 a successful year, with the World App surpassing five million users and 30 million transactions. The company plans to continue its expansion, targeting cities in Spain, Germany, Chile, Argentina, and Japan.
“Last week, Sevilla and Bilbao joined a growing list of cities across Spain from Malaga to Mallorca to Madrid offering World ID verifications. Meanwhile, new launches in Cologne and Leipzig have brought Germany’s list of cities with Orb locations to four (including Berlin and Nuremberg),” the statement reads.
Worldcoin, launched in July, aims to create an inclusive digital economy by providing users with a secure and privacy-enhancing digital verification of their uniqueness and humanity through a World ID. World IDs are stored on users’ phones, and the World App has garnered 4.1 million users worldwide, with 2.4 million holding Orb-verified World IDs.
Nevertheless, Worldcoin’s approach to identity verification using biometric data has sparked debates about privacy and the ethical use of personal information in the tech and cryptocurrency sectors.
