World Network Raises $135 Million Boosting WLD Token 14%

World Network, a prominent player in the digital identity verification space, has successfully raised $135 million through a private sale of its WLD token. The sale, which took place at market prices, was conducted with the support of longstanding investors Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) and Bain Capital Crypto. This funding round underscores the growing investor confidence in World Network's Orb-based identity verification system, which is designed to differentiate humans from AI in the era of artificial general intelligence (AGI).

The funds raised will be used to expand the network across the U.S. and globally, particularly to meet the rising demand for Orb-verified World IDs. The announcement comes as World Network begins to roll out new in-app functionalities and has recently made WLD available to users in the U.S. for the first time. The news of the funding round pushed the value of WLD up by 14% on the day of the announcement.

World Network's identity protocol is positioned as a solution for the age of AGI, aiming to distinguish humans from machines as AI tools become more sophisticated. The project has over 26 million participants, with more than 12.5 million users having received an Orb-verified World ID. This verification is a key requirement for accessing parts of the network. The project's backers believe that the tools to distinguish humans from machines should scale at a similar pace to prepare humanity for the AGI era.

The funding round is part of World Network's long-term strategy to become one of the first self-sustaining protocols through mechanisms like protocol fees. Previous investors in the project include Selini Capital, Mirana Ventures, and Arctic Digital. The team has not disclosed any timeline for further token sales or expansions, but the latest capital raise shows continued investor confidence in World’s vision for a global, biometric-powered identity network.

World Network's expansion into the U.S. marks a significant milestone, as the project has until now operated only in select international markets. Users in several U.S. cities can now scan their irises using the project’s Orb devices and receive WLD tokens through the World App. This launch follows years of regulatory delays and privacy concerns over biometric data collection, which have now reportedly been resolved.

Alongside the U.S. debut, World Chain, the blockchain powering Worldcoin, has integrated USDC and Circle’s Cross-Chain Transfer Protocol (CCTP). This upgrade allows World’s 25 million users to move stablecoins across chains without relying on centralized exchanges or third-party bridges. Nearly two million users already hold bridged USDC in their World App wallets, which are now set to upgrade to native USDC issued directly by Circle.

In another move to scale its digital identity network, Worldcoin has partnered with gaming brand Razer. The “Razer ID verified by World ID” feature, now live in 22 countries, allows gamers to confirm their humanness and securely join AI-powered gaming platforms. This partnership further solidifies World Network's position in the digital identity verification space and its commitment to expanding its user base globally.