Worldcoin rebrands as World, targets 1 billion users with new blockchain and biometric tech

Worldcoin, the Sam Altman-backed digital identity initiative, announced a major rebrand as World and unveiled ambitious plans to grow its user base to 1 billion people during a keynote address on Oct. 17.

The keynote, led by co-founders Altman and Alex Blania, marked a significant shift in the project’s trajectory after it announced a series of key updates designed to drive global adoption of its decentralized identity platform.

The updates included the launch of World Chain, an Ethereum-secured Layer 2 blockchain, and the unveiling of a new version of the project’s biometric Orb devices.

The rebranding highlights World Network’s evolving mission, transitioning from its original identity verification model to a broader, more decentralized network.

With 15 million users currently, including 7 million verified through its Orb technology, the platform has set its sights on dramatically increasing that number as it looks to onboard a billion verified human users.

Blania, who is also the CEO of Tools for Humanity, noted that the project is now focused on scalability and decentralization. He said:

“Today, we are taking the next big step in our mission — scaling the World Network to reach 1 billion users.”

World’s new version of the Orb, which scans a user’s iris to verify their identity, is central to the project’s ambition to grow its global footprint. Blania said World will triple its production capacity and expand into new countries, including flagship locations in Buenos Aires and Mexico City.

The updated Orbs will be made available in public spaces such as cafes and will even be deliverable on demand, part of a wider effort to make verification more accessible. The rollout of these new Orbs is expected by spring 2025.

Alongside the expansion of its biometric capabilities, World officially launched World Chain, a Layer 2 blockchain built on the Ethereum network.

The blockchain is designed to support millions of users. On its first day, the project claimed 15 million registrations globally. According to the company, this makes World Chain one of the largest human verification blockchains in existence.

The World App, a central component of the project, is being updated to Version 3.0. This update will allow users to manage their World ID credentials and access other services, such as World Pay, a decentralized payment system, and World Chat, a messaging tool.

The app will also introduce games and a messaging system called World Chat to further engage users and onboard more participants. Altman, who also leads OpenAI, said World aims to be “the anonymous human layer for the internet,” helping people distinguish themselves from AI actors.

He further emphasized the growing importance of human identity verification as AI continues to advance. According to the OpenAI CEO:

“As AI becomes more integrated into our lives, having a trusted human verification layer is critical.”

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