Worldcoin Expands to UK With Eye-Scanning ID and Crypto Rewards

OpenAI’s Sam Altman is taking his controversial identity-verification venture, Worldcoin, to the United Kingdom, beginning with a launch in London.

The project, aimed at distinguishing real people from AI bots, uses an orb-shaped device to scan users’ irises — assigning them a unique digital ID called a “World ID.”

This biometric signature acts as proof-of-personhood in an increasingly AI-saturated digital world. In exchange, users are rewarded with WLD tokens, Worldcoin’s native cryptocurrency, as an incentive to participate and interact with decentralized applications that accept this ID.

The UK rollout won’t stop in London — other cities like Manchester, Cardiff, and Glasgow are next. The team behind the project, Tools for Humanity, says interest is surging among both companies and regulators, as fraud and identity manipulation become more sophisticated.

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To ease privacy concerns, the company claims no raw iris data is stored. The information is encrypted and deleted after the scan, and verification is performed locally on the user’s device, reducing dependency on centralized databases.

Regulators have taken notice. Worldcoin is actively engaging with UK data authorities to ensure compliance, even as critics question the ethics of using biometric data in exchange for crypto.

Globally, Worldcoin has already verified 13 million users and continues to expand into major U.S. cities like San Francisco and Austin. Whether this signals a new era of digital identity — or raises deeper surveillance worries — the UK is now part of the experiment.

Alexander Stefanov

With over 8 years of experience in the cryptocurrency and blockchain industry, Alexander is a seasoned content creator and market analyst dedicated to making digital assets more accessible and understandable. He specializes in breaking down complex crypto trends, analyzing market movements, and producing insightful content aimed at educating both newcomers and seasoned investors. Alexander has built a reputation for delivering timely and accurate analysis, while keeping a close eye on regulatory developments, emerging technologies, and macroeconomic trends that shape the future of digital finance. His work is rooted in a passion for innovation and a firm belief that widespread education is key to accelerating global crypto adoption.