Sam Altman’s Worldcoin Expands to U.S. with Eye-Scanning Orbs and Crypto Airdrops

Sam Altman’s blockchain identity project, Worldcoin, is officially launching in the U.S. with plans to deploy 7,500 biometric “orbs” nationwide by year-end. These chrome, spherical devices scan users’ irises to verify identity and offer access to the World app and an airdrop of its native WLD token.

The initial rollout targets six innovation hubs: Atlanta, Austin, Los Angeles, Miami, Nashville, and San Francisco. By the end of 2025, the goal is to provide more than half of Americans—over 180 million people—access to the network through widespread orb placement. A second phase will expand to cities like Seattle, Orlando, San Diego, and Las Vegas.

Worldcoin’s parent company, Tools for Humanity, announced the expansion at a San Francisco press conference, also unveiling new integrations. The World app will support crypto-backed loans via Morpho and prediction markets through Kalshi. Later this year, users will be able to spend WLD tokens through a World-linked Visa debit card.

The company is also partnering with Match Group to pilot World ID for age verification on Tinder in Japan. Altman, also CEO of OpenAI, said the project aims to differentiate human-created content from AI in the era of artificial general intelligence. He emphasized the importance of protecting human identity in a world increasingly influenced by AI.

To support U.S. growth, Worldcoin will build a manufacturing facility in Richardson, Texas, to mass-produce orbs. According to Tools for Humanity co-founder Alex Blania, the biometric devices will soon be available at everyday locations like gas stations and convenience stores, offering fast and easy verification.

With improving crypto regulations under the Trump administration, Worldcoin’s U.S. debut reflects growing momentum for blockchain-based identity solutions.