World Raises $135M to Expand Orb-Verified IDs Across the U.S.

TLDR

World Network raises $135M from early backers to expand Orb-based World ID scanners across major U.S. cities. Over 26M users and 12.5M verified IDs mark rapid growth for Sam Altman’s AI-proof identity project. New capital fuels U.S. expansion, WLD token circulation, and miniapp development for seamless digital ID onboarding. World’s iris-scanning Orbs aim to verify humanity in the AI era, with WLD incentives driving adoption. With $250M+ raised, World Network targets a self-sustaining model through in-app fees and global scaling.

 

World Network, the digital identity project backed by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, raised $135 million to scale its Orb-based World ID initiative. The token sale involved Andreessen Horowitz and Bain Capital Crypto, two of the project’s earliest investors. The expansion aims to grow the user base and bring World’s biometric ID tools to more U.S. cities.

JUST IN: $WLD (@worldcoin) raises $135M from Andreessen Horowitz and Bain Capital Crypto to fund network expansion. pic.twitter.com/H4uFsW6BAi

— Satoshi Club (@esatoshiclub) May 21, 2025

Funding Supports Wider Rollout of Orb Scanners

World Assets, Ltd., a subsidiary of the World Foundation, conducted the token sale at market prices to institutional investors. This capital will support the deployment of Orb devices and the development of mini apps tied to the World app.

The Orb scanner verifies user identity through iris scanning, creating a unique World ID. This ID enables users to participate in the World ecosystem and earn WLD tokens as rewards. The project uses this mechanism to verify humanness in an increasingly AI-driven environment.

The new funding enables World to fast-track its expansion plans in the U.S. It will launch in major cities like Atlanta, Miami, and San Francisco. With more Orbs available, millions of Americans will gain access to the network by the end of the year.

26M Users Signal Growing Adoption of World Network

Currently, over 26 million people use the World Network, with more than 12.5 million obtaining a verified World ID. The biometric-based identity system works without requiring usernames, passwords, or traditional verification forms. This seamless onboarding has contributed to the growing adoption rate.

Source: CoinMarketCap

Over the past 24 hours, WLD has experienced a notable upward trend to reach $1.15, a 5.95 % increase. This price increase coincided with a 78.44% spike in 24-hour trading volume, reaching $349.56 million, indicating heightened investor activity and momentum. The market cap also rose 5.95% to $1.75 billion, suggesting growing interest and confidence in the token.

The network’s rapid growth aligns with its mission to prepare for the Artificial General Intelligence era. Tools to distinguish real users from AI-generated identities are now critical in digital interactions. Hence, World’s focus remains on establishing a reliable verification system on a global scale.

Altman-Backed Protocol Targets Self-Sustaining Status

Tools for Humanity, the developer behind World, previously raised $115 million in 2023 through a round led by Blockchain Capital. The funding laid the groundwork for expanding technical infrastructure and user acquisition globally. The current round builds on that momentum to create a self-sustaining protocol.

The protocol will charge fees within its network to reduce reliance on external funding. These fees will support continuous operations, maintenance, and future feature development. Moreover, the in-app ecosystem encourages the use of WLD for identity-related miniapps.

With its deep integration into daily digital activity, World plans to maintain user incentives. As adoption grows, the protocol expects to onboard millions more users without sacrificing security or data privacy. The latest funding round ensures the project remains focused on scaling and performance.

 

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