Wallets/world-app
World App (Worldcoin)
0 standards supported
Overview
World App is Worldcoin's biometric-iris-scan-verified crypto wallet + identity-proof + proof-of-human-being protocol [1, 2, [global-cro]]. Co-founded by Sam Altman (OpenAI CEO) + Alex Blania.
September 2025 user base [3]:
- World App users: ~33 million
- Verified users (Orb-scanned): 15 million
- Earlier May 2025: 26M users + 12.5M Orb-verified
Valuation trajectory [4]:
- November 2025 — PitchBook estimate: $2.5 billion
- September 2025 — Worldcoin market cap close to $4 billion (per OpenAI + Oracle deal tailwinds analysis)
- 2021-2022 Series A: $115M at peak valuation expectations
Distinctive World App model:
- Orb-based iris-biometric proof-of-humanity verification — each Orb-verified user gets unique World ID.
- WLD token airdrops + crypto-native wallet integration.
- In-stream crypto payments (recent World App addition).
- US launch April-May 2025 [5]: Worldcoin made available in most of US for first time; Coinbase listing.
History
2019-2021 — Worldcoin founded by Sam Altman + Alex Blania + Max Novendstern via Tools for Humanity.
2021-2022 — Series A $115M from a16z + Khosla Ventures + Coinbase Ventures + others.
2023 — Worldcoin protocol mainnet launch + World App rollout.
May 2025 — Worldcoin US launch + Coinbase listing [5]: US-debut milestone.
September 2025 — 33M World App users; 15M Orb-verified [3].
November 2025 — PitchBook $2.5B valuation estimate [4].
Ownership & operator
Operating entity: Tools for Humanity (TFH) + World Foundation (decentralized governance).
Co-founders: Sam Altman (OpenAI CEO + Worldcoin) + Alex Blania (Tools for Humanity CEO) + Max Novendstern.
Major investors: a16z (Andreessen Horowitz) + Khosla Ventures + Coinbase Ventures + Bain Capital Crypto + Multicoin + Avenir + Variant + Founders Fund.
Regulators: Per-country (controversial biometric data; varies — banned in some jurisdictions e.g. Spain Mar 2024 + Portugal Mar 2024).
Technical integration
| Layer | Description |
|---|---|
| Channels | World App mobile app (iOS + Android) + Orb biometric iris-scan stations |
| Identifiers | World ID (Orb-verified) + phone number |
| Account model | Self-custody crypto wallet + Orb-iris-scan-verified human-identity-proof |
| Networks | World Chain (Worldcoin L2 on Optimism Superchain) + Ethereum |
| Sub-products | World App wallet + World ID identity + WLD token airdrops + in-stream crypto payments + Mini Apps + Worldcoin Grants |
| Orb-verification | Each Orb-verified user gets unique World ID via iris biometric scan |
| US launch (Apr-May 2025) | Coinbase listing |
Users & growth
September 2025 baseline [3]:
- World App users: ~33 million
- Orb-verified users: 15 million
- May 2025: 26M users; 12.5M Orb-verified
- Growth Sep → May 2025: +7M App users + +2.5M Orb-verified in ~4 months
- Valuation (Nov 2025 PitchBook): $2.5B
- Worldcoin market cap (Sep 2025): close to $4B
Use cases
Orb-iris-scan-verified proof-of-humanity (World ID); crypto wallet + WLD token airdrops; in-stream crypto payments; Mini Apps marketplace (World Chain); identity-proof for AI-era applications; Worldcoin Grants distribution to verified users.
Implementations & partners
Operator: Tools for Humanity (TFH) + World Foundation.
Co-founders: Sam Altman (OpenAI CEO) + Alex Blania (TFH CEO) + Max Novendstern.
Major investors: a16z + Khosla Ventures + Coinbase Ventures + Bain Capital Crypto + Multicoin + Avenir + Variant + Founders Fund.
Strategic listing: Coinbase (US listing post-May 2025 US launch).
Major proof-of-humanity / biometric-identity competitors:
- Humanity Protocol (palm-print + decentralized identity)
- Civic (decentralized identity; long-vintage)
- Polygon ID (zk-proof-based identity)
- Privado ID (formerly Polygon ID; spinout)
Regulators: Per-country (controversial biometric data; banned in Spain + Portugal Mar 2024 + others).
Fun facts
- Co-founded by Sam Altman (OpenAI CEO) + Alex Blania (TFH CEO) + Max Novendstern.
- Orb-iris-scan biometric proof-of-humanity — distinctive crypto-identity model.
- Sep 2025: ~33M World App users + 15M Orb-verified.
- Worldcoin market cap close to $4B (Sep 2025); PitchBook $2.5B Nov 2025.
- US launch April-May 2025 — Worldcoin available in most of US + Coinbase listing.
- Backed by a16z + Khosla + Coinbase Ventures + Bain Capital Crypto + Multicoin + Founders Fund.
- Controversial: Banned in Spain + Portugal Mar 2024 over biometric-data concerns.
- Distinctive AI-era + crypto-identity bridge: Sam Altman's OpenAI + Worldcoin co-founder positioning aligns AI-rapid-development + proof-of-humanity-need narrative.
Comparison
| Feature | World App | Humanity Protocol (palm-print analogous) | Civic (decentralized-identity rival) | Polygon ID / Privado ID (zk-proof identity) | [[metamask]] (EVM EOA wallet; Batch 9) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operator | Tools for Humanity (Sam Altman + Alex Blania + Max Novendstern; a16z + Khosla + Coinbase Ventures + Founders Fund backed) | Humanity Protocol | Civic | Polygon Labs / Privado ID (spinout) | ConsenSys / MetaMask |
| Type | Orb-iris-scan biometric proof-of-humanity + crypto wallet + identity-proof | Palm-print biometric proof-of-humanity | Decentralized identity (long-vintage) | zk-proof-based identity | EVM-focused most popular wallet |
| Country | Global (US launched Apr-May 2025) | Global | Global | Global | Global |
| Users | ~33M World App users (Sep 2025) + 15M Orb-verified | Growing | Established | Growing | World's most popular EVM wallet |
| Valuation | PitchBook Nov 2025 $2.5B; Worldcoin market cap close to $4B Sep 2025 | Major | Mid | Spinout | Private (ConsenSys-owned) |
| Distinctive | Sam Altman co-founder; Orb-iris-scan biometric; AI-era proof-of-humanity narrative; controversial (banned ES + PT Mar 2024) | Palm-print alternative biometric | Decentralized-identity veteran | zk-proof privacy-first | World's #1 EVM wallet |
Status
Active, Worldcoin biometric-iris-scan proof-of-humanity crypto wallet [3, 4]:
- Tools for Humanity since 2019-2021 founding (mainnet launch + World App rollout 2023).
- Sep 2025 — 33M App users + 15M Orb-verified.
- Nov 2025 PitchBook $2.5B valuation; Sep 2025 Worldcoin close to $4B market cap.
- US launch April-May 2025 + Coinbase listing.
- Controversial: Banned in Spain + Portugal Mar 2024 over biometric-data concerns.
- Sam Altman OpenAI CEO co-founder positioning — distinctive AI-era proof-of-humanity narrative.
Sources
- 1 World — official
- 2 World (blockchain) — Wikipedia
- 3 Worldcoin 17.5M sign-ups — Slashdot
- 4 OpenAI IPO vs Worldcoin sunset — TradingKey
- 5 World US launch Apr 2025 — Fortune
- [global-cro] In-corpus: see country reports for self-custody global context
Source
Biography extracted from world-app.md. See matrix.md for standards-support matrix if present.