# World App (Worldcoin)

> Source: https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/world-app
> research date 2026-05-29 · extracted at 2026-10-03
> Publisher: Barcoder — encyclopedia of QR, barcode and payment-code standards

Specifications:
- [World — official](https://world.org/)

## Overview

**World App** is **Worldcoin's biometric-iris-scan-verified crypto wallet + identity-proof** + **proof-of-human-being protocol** <sup>[1][1], [2][2], [global-cro]</sup>. **Co-founded by Sam Altman (OpenAI CEO) + Alex Blania**.

**September 2025 user base** <sup>[3][3]</sup>:
- **World App users**: **~33 million**
- **Verified users (Orb-scanned)**: **15 million**
- **Earlier May 2025**: 26M users + 12.5M Orb-verified

**Valuation trajectory** <sup>[4][4]</sup>:
- **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** <sup>[5][5]</sup>: 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** <sup>[5][5]</sup>: US-debut milestone.

**September 2025 — 33M World App users; 15M Orb-verified** <sup>[3][3]</sup>.

**November 2025 — PitchBook $2.5B valuation estimate** <sup>[4][4]</sup>.

## 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** <sup>[3][3]</sup>:
- **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](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/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** <sup>[3][3], [4][4]</sup>:
- **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]: https://world.org/ "World — official"
[2]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_(blockchain) "World (blockchain) — Wikipedia"
[3]: https://tech.slashdot.org/story/25/11/11/158200/sam-altmans-worldcoin-project-struggles-toward-billion-user-ambition-with-175-million-sign-ups "Sam Altman Worldcoin 17.5M sign-ups — Slashdot"
[4]: https://www.tradingkey.com/analysis/cryptocurrencies/more/261923999-openai-worldcoin-wld-sam-altman-ai-tradingkey "Altman also puzzled OpenAI IPO vs Worldcoin sunset — TradingKey"
[5]: https://fortune.com/crypto/2025/04/30/worldcoin-world-sam-altman-united-states-launch/ "World US launch Apr 2025 — Fortune"

- [1] [World — official][1]
- [2] [World (blockchain) — Wikipedia][2]
- [3] [Worldcoin 17.5M sign-ups — Slashdot][3]
- [4] [OpenAI IPO vs Worldcoin sunset — TradingKey][4]
- [5] [World US launch Apr 2025 — Fortune][5]
- [global-cro] In-corpus: see country reports for self-custody global context

## Source

Biography extracted from [world-app.md](https://docs.barcoder.ai/source/wallets/world-app). See `matrix.md` for standards-support matrix if present.