World Expands US Operations, WLD Token Gains 12%

World, formerly known as Worldcoin, has expanded its operations into the United States, launching in six major cities: Atlanta, Austin, Los Angeles, Miami, Nashville, and San Francisco. This move marks a significant shift from its previous international focus to a domestic presence in key technology and cultural hubs. The project, developed by Tools for Humanity and co-founded by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and CEO Alex Blania, enables users to verify their identity through a World ID, receiving WLD tokens in exchange.

The US launch coincides with a more welcoming regulatory environment for crypto-related businesses under the current administration, which may help the project gain traction in the American market. As part of its US rollout, World announced plans to release a Visa card later this year. This card will allow users to spend their WLD tokens and other cryptocurrencies at any merchant that accepts Visa payments, connecting directly to users’ World App wallets for a seamless experience.

World is also forming strategic partnerships to expand its use cases. A collaboration with Match Group, the company behind popular dating platforms, will begin with a pilot program on Tinder in Japan. The partnership aims to verify that users on dating platforms are real individuals, addressing common concerns about fake profiles in online dating spaces. Additionally, World has integrated with the Kalshi prediction marketplace through a new Mini App within the World App, allowing users to participate in forecasting events based on verified human identities.

World continues its work with specialized biometric devices called Orbs, which confirm a user’s humanity through iris scans. The company emphasizes that it does not store users’ biometric data, using the information only to verify personhood. Plans are in development for a smaller “mini-Orb” device that would allow faster onboarding as the company works toward its goal of reaching 1 billion users.

In a recent development, World announced plans to integrate Circle’s USDC stablecoin and Cross Chain Transfer Protocol (CCTP) V2 on the World Chain network. This move aims to improve global transfers across the platform. Currently, users can access bridged USDC on the network, but an upgrade to issue the stablecoin directly is coming soon. When implemented, all existing bridged USDC on World Chain will convert to native USDC, providing users with coins that are fully backed by highly liquid cash and cash-equivalent assets. The CCTP V2 upgrade will make cross-chain transfers more seamless and cost-effective.

World’s user base now exceeds 26 million World App users, with approximately 12 million confirmed as “unique humans.” The project continues to expand its utility in digital identity, payments, and Web3 user verification. The WLD token, which powers the World ecosystem, is showing positive market movement. At the time of reporting, WLD was trading at $1.04, with a weekly increase of 12%. The combination of US expansion, new payment features, and strategic partnerships appears to be fueling positive sentiment around the World project and its native token.