Worldcoin, a cryptocurrency project co-founded by entrepreneur Sam Altman, has announced exciting new integrations with popular platforms such as Minecraft, Reddit, Telegram, Shopify, and Mercado Libre. These partnerships further expand on the company’s existing collaborations with Discord, Talent Protocol, and Okta’s Auth0.
Launched to the public just four months ago, the project’s technology has already undergone significant updates, with the most recent being the release of World ID 2.0. This update aims to improve online security by better distinguishing between bots and real users.
“It’s a much easier way for developers to build integrations,” says Tiago Sada, head of product for Tools for Humanity and a core contributor to Worldcoin. “We’ve completely revamped the way it works.”
These new integrations offer exciting possibilities for platform moderators and business owners. For example, Reddit moderators can now grant special permissions to users with a verified World ID to reduce spam. Similarly, Shopify store owners can utilize World ID for fraud prevention and one-time promotions.
“This is not just about the first wave of applications, but a new developer platform where creators can build,” added Sada. “We’re thrilled to see the innovative ideas that developers will come up with. As the saying goes, the best ideas often come from the most unexpected places.”
Aside from these exciting collaborations, Worldcoin has also introduced three new types of World IDs, each with varying levels of security. The “casual” or “World ID device level” only requires users to download the Worldcoin app and create a profile. “Standard” or “World ID Orb” involves verifying one’s identity through iris scanning using the company’s Orb hardware. And for the highest level of security, the “high” or “World ID Orb+” option also includes facial recognition.
Despite the company’s efforts to prioritize user privacy, there are still some limitations to the World ID system. For example, users can only have one World ID per device, although this can change if they choose to get scanned by an Orb. Additionally, creating a World ID does not require users to provide their real name or identification, ensuring complete anonymity. However, this also means the system is not entirely foolproof.
“Although it’s not perfect,” Sada admits, “World ID can still alleviate issues such as poll tampering and account abuse.”
Looking ahead, Worldcoin has plans for further expansion, particularly in developing countries. The company is currently working on expanding its onboarding operations in Mexico and Singapore, with future plans for more countries in Asia. Sada explains, “Our goal is to offer Orbs in every country so that everyone has the opportunity to sign up. These two additional countries are just the beginning of a long list that will take time to complete.”
Despite some challenges faced along the way, such as Kenya’s ban on eye scanning, Worldcoin continues to experience rapid growth. So far, over 5 million users have created a World ID, with nearly 2.6 million people completing iris scans. In just the past week, over 100,000 new accounts have been created.
“While 5 million users is a significant number,” Sada acknowledges, “it’s still just a small portion of the world’s population. So our focus for 2024 is not only on improving our technology but also on reaching even more people around the globe.”
