Key Points:
- Worldcoin, co-created by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, is expanding to Singapore.
- Singaporeans can now access World ID verifications using the project’s custom hardware device, the Orb.
- In addition to Singapore, World ID verifications are also available in Sevilla, Bilbao, Chile (Concepcion, Curico, Viña del Mar), and Japan (Fukuoka, Tokyo).
- Worldcoin has paused its services in India, France, and Brazil to develop a safer and more orderly process to meet the demand for World ID in India.
- The company plans to relaunch in India in 2024.
- Worldcoin announced World ID 2.0, which brings improvements and app integration to the protocol.
- The project has faced criticism and scrutiny from regulators in Germany and France regarding biometric data collection.
- Worldcoin’s iris biometric scanning has been documented in a previous report by Molly Jane Zuckerman.
Hot Take:
Worldcoin’s expansion to Singapore demonstrates its growing reach in providing secure and efficient identity verification through World ID. However, the temporary pause in services in India, France, and Brazil highlights the challenges faced in ensuring a smooth rollout and regulatory compliance. The development of World ID 2.0 with app integration shows the project’s commitment to enhancing its protocol. While facing scrutiny from regulators, Worldcoin remains a pioneering force in the crypto world, striving to make identity verification more accessible and mainstream.
Julia