- Worldcoin, co-founded by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, raised $115 million in series C funding to build decentralized ID.
- The fundraiser, led by Blockchain Capital, featured Andreessen Horowitz, a16z, Bain Capital Crypto, and Distributed Global.
- The raise is outstanding amid a bear market when venture capitalists are FUD-infused
- For better or worse, the project could transform how we interact online.
Worldcoin (WDC), an eye-scanning technology company, is making headlines with its unique mix of hardware, biometrics, crypto, and AI dynamics. The project has taken the industry by storm, raising $115 million in its series C funding to build a decentralized identity despite the bear market.
Also Read: PEPE price action puts traders on the edge of their seats as pennant gets filled
Worldcoin: Why investors poured $115 Million into the ambitious eye-scanning project
Worldcoin, a crypto project co-founded by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, has gained some traction in China, not the United States, as users rush to source know-your-customer (KYC) verifications on the black market. The project was initially controversial, with much skepticism, particularly among the crypto community, where the hallmark is privacy.
Black Market for Worldcoin Credentials Pops Up in China
— Wen3 (@Wen3_AI) May 24, 2023
The startup looking to create a global blockchain-based identification system using iris scans is getting duped by Chinese users.
Source: CoinDesk pic.twitter.com/yTbzhMHBYv
Nevertheless, project heads say they onboard over 40,000 users weekly and boast an expansive global presence with Argentina and Chile topping the charts in South America. Among the most interesting things about it is that it is a project by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, the man behind ChatGPT, which gives it a layer of credibility.
Worldcoin (WDC) raised an outstanding $115 million in a fundraiser led by Blockchain Capital. Other participating crypto household names include a16z, Andreessen Horowitz, Bain Capital Crypto, and Distributed Global.
In a May 26 Twitter thread, Blockchain Capital CFO Spencer Bogart explained why his company spearheaded the $115 million funding round, claiming that he was initially skeptical of the project but has since changed his opinion about it.
I thought Worldcoin was some dystopian Orwellian nightmare, then our team invested hundreds of hours evaluating what the project’s contributors have actually built and I completely changed my mind - why we led the latest financing
— Spencer Bogart (@CremeDeLaCrypto) May 25, 2023
1/https://t.co/yq4qeofe5C
According to Bogart, Worldcoin is committed to resolving the daunting Sybil problem- online verification of identities. The hallmark of its offering is "the ability to distinguish between humans and bots has important use cases in the crypto space." To solve this problem, Worldcoin uses a custom hardware device called "orb" to scan a user's iris as part of its function to verify that s/he is indeed a unique and living individual.
According to Bogart, biometric concerns associated with technology do not apply to Worldcoin as it is keen on privacy preservation. Instead of storing biometric data, Worldcoin generates a unique code to identify it.
Per default, the original biometric is immediately destroyed, and the iris code is the only thing that leaves the orb.
Worldcoin solves the problem of identity verification in an AI-infused era
While the advent of artificial intelligence has threatened identity verification, Worldcoin offers a paradigm shift, bringing forth a unique opportunity to establish and scale a new privacy-preserving primitive for the internet (World ID). This enables any application to easily distinguish between machines (bots) and humans.
In a time where people sacrifice their biometrics for convenience, say in airports to skip lines or in buildings to gain entry, Worldcoin is bound to boom, especially with its flagship use case, to get crypto coins through token airdrops.
On the question of why it is not available to the users in the United States, project higher-ups say:
Individuals in the US may access and utilize the World App, a wallet built for the Worldcoin protocol. They can also sign up for the World ID. At this time, the Worldcoin token is not intended to be available in the United States, and we are not in a position to speculate regarding US regulators.
This does not come as a surprise considering the recent clampdown on crypto by the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), with the likes of Coinbase CEO calling them out for discouraging crypto firms from setting up in the US.
Worldcoin (WDC) price
At the time of writing, Worldcoin's WDC token is auctioning for $0.04617, a daily rise of almost 10% with a 125% increase in 24-hour trading volume, indicating massive activity among investors for the WDC token even before it is listed on exchanges.
Information on these pages contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Markets and instruments profiled on this page are for informational purposes only and should not in any way come across as a recommendation to buy or sell in these assets. You should do your own thorough research before making any investment decisions. FXStreet does not in any way guarantee that this information is free from mistakes, errors, or material misstatements. It also does not guarantee that this information is of a timely nature. Investing in Open Markets involves a great deal of risk, including the loss of all or a portion of your investment, as well as emotional distress. All risks, losses and costs associated with investing, including total loss of principal, are your responsibility. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of FXStreet nor its advertisers. The author will not be held responsible for information that is found at the end of links posted on this page.
If not otherwise explicitly mentioned in the body of the article, at the time of writing, the author has no position in any stock mentioned in this article and no business relationship with any company mentioned. The author has not received compensation for writing this article, other than from FXStreet.
FXStreet and the author do not provide personalized recommendations. The author makes no representations as to the accuracy, completeness, or suitability of this information. FXStreet and the author will not be liable for any errors, omissions or any losses, injuries or damages arising from this information and its display or use. Errors and omissions excepted.
The author and FXStreet are not registered investment advisors and nothing in this article is intended to be investment advice.
Recommended Content
Editors’ Picks
Polygon joins forces with WSPN to expand stablecoin adoption
WSPN, a stablecoin infrastructure company based in Singapore, has teamed up with Polygon Labs to make its stablecoin, WUSD, more useful in payment and decentralized finance.
Coinbase envisages listing of more meme coins amid regulatory optimism
Donald Trump's expected return to the White House creates excitement in the cryptocurrency sector, especially at Coinbase, the largest US-based crypto exchange. The platform is optimistic that the new administration will focus on regulatory clarity, which could lead to more token listings, including popular meme coins.
Cardano's ADA leaps to 2.5-year high of 90 cents as whale holdings exceed $12B
As Bitcoin (BTC) gets closer to the $100,000 mark for the first time — it crossed $99,000 earlier Friday — capital is rotating into alternative cryptocurrencies, creating a buzz in the broader crypto market.
Shiba Inu holders withdraw 1.67 trillion SHIB tokens from exchange
Shiba Inu trades slightly higher, around $0.000024, on Thursday after declining more than 5% the previous week. SHIB’s on-chain metrics project a bullish outlook as holders accumulate recent dips, and dormant wallets are on the move, all pointing to a recovery in the cards.
Bitcoin: New high of $100K or correction to $78K?
Bitcoin surged to a new all-time high of $93,265 in the first half of the week, followed by a slight decline in the latter half. Reports highlight that Bitcoin’s current level is still not overvalued and could target levels above $100,000 in the coming weeks.
Best Forex Brokers with Low Spreads
VERIFIED Low spreads are crucial for reducing trading costs. Explore top Forex brokers offering competitive spreads and high leverage. Compare options for EUR/USD, GBP/USD, USD/JPY, and Gold.