World Launches in U.S., 26M Downloads, 12M Verified Users

World, a human identity crypto project co-founded by OpenAI’s Sam Altman, has officially launched in six U.S. cities: Los Angeles, Miami, Austin, San Francisco, Nashville, and Atlanta. This expansion allows Americans to earn WLD tokens by verifying their personhood and securing a World ID. The project aims to create a global human verification network to distinguish real people from AI-generated actors. The launch comes at a time when the U.S. government is showing renewed openness toward crypto innovation under President Donald Trump.

With the official U.S. launch, Americans can now earn WLD tokens by scanning their irises to prove they are real individuals. The verification process grants users a World ID, which allows access to various digital services. World states that biometric data is not stored, only used to confirm personhood. The project, formerly known as Worldcoin, already has 26 million app downloads and 12 million verified users worldwide. By rewarding identity verification with crypto incentives, World intends to combat growing threats from bots and deepfakes while encouraging digital integrity across global platforms.

World plans to launch a World Visa card later this year, linking directly to users’ World App wallets. This will allow holders to spend WLD tokens and other crypto assets wherever Visa is accepted, while merchants will receive fiat without needing to interact with crypto. This development bridges decentralized finance and everyday commerce, addressing one of the space’s biggest usability challenges.

At the same time, World is partnering with Match Group’s Tinder for a pilot program in Japan to verify user authenticity. The initiative seeks to eliminate fake profiles and bot interactions, ensuring that dating app users connect only with real people through secure, decentralized identity protocols. The move underscores World’s broader ambition to embed digital identity verification into widely used social platforms.

To onboard the next wave of users, World is developing mini-Orbs, portable biometric devices that will replace the original large Orbs used for identity verification. These smaller tools will accelerate scaling to the project’s 1 billion user goal. Meanwhile, World App now includes a Kalshi Mini App, allowing verified users to engage with prediction markets directly. This functionality introduces new use cases for World ID and WLD token, making them more than just onboarding incentives. Combined with partnerships in gaming and retail through Razer stores, World is rapidly diversifying its real-world relevance.

With the U.S. onboard and millions already verified, World is positioning itself as the standard for online human verification. Its integration with mainstream services like Tinder and Visa signals growing institutional trust. As AI actors flood the internet, World’s mission to validate real people has never been more urgent. Next steps include scaling mini-Orbs globally, expanding merchant use of the World Visa card, and building robust infrastructure for WLD token utility. Whether in social apps or global markets, World’s progress marks a critical evolution in digital identity infrastructure.