Following Kenya's ruling, Indonesia also suspended Worldcoin's activities for regulatory breaches, raising ethical concerns about incentivizing iris scans in developing countries.

Worldcoin recently raised $135 million through a WLD token sale to support its expansion in the United States, with the funding primarily aimed at enhancing its iris-scanning 'Orb' hardware.

The company plans to deploy Orb devices across six major U.S. cities, including Los Angeles and Miami, starting from early May 2025.

Users participating in the iris scanning project can earn WLD tokens, which serve as a reward for creating their World ID, a digital identity verification tool.

The recent capital injection will also focus on manufacturing more Orbs and refining the protocol's fee structure to support long-term sustainability.

Market analysts have noted the unusual nature of this funding round, especially given the WLD token's significant price drop over the past 14 months, suggesting a potential recovery.

As of May 21, 2025, the WLD token was valued at $1.13, with a market capitalization of $1.87 billion, indicating a 55% increase over the past month despite being down approximately 75% from its all-time high.

Regulatory agencies in various regions have expressed concerns regarding data protection, transparency, and compliance with local privacy laws.

The investment has garnered support from notable firms like Andreessen Horowitz and Bain Capital Crypto, reflecting growing confidence in decentralized identity systems amid the rise of artificial intelligence.

However, Worldcoin faces significant regulatory challenges, as Kenya's High Court recently banned its operations due to violations of the Data Protection Act, impacting around 350,000 individuals.

Despite its growth and a user base exceeding 26 million, Worldcoin continues to navigate ongoing scrutiny related to biometric data collection and user privacy.

Worldcoin aims to provide robust identity verification tools to combat AI-driven fraud and identity theft, emphasizing the need to scale these tools alongside advancements in artificial intelligence.