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World ID and the Orb
Photo: TechCrunch · CC BY 2.0 (opens commons.wikimedia.org)

World ID and the Orb

by Tools for HumanityUSDE

ScalingStage 5 of 5

~17.8M verified humans as of Feb 2026; adding Orbs in the US and elsewhere.

Updated 5 May 2025Checked 25 Sep0 updates this week

Milestones

Next · Scale verification toward hundreds of millions of users
  1. Worldcoin launches globally24 Jul 2023Complete.
  2. Next-generation Orb unveiled17 Oct 2024Complete.
  3. World Chain mainnetOct 2024Complete.
  4. US launch30 Apr 2025Complete.
  5. Scale verification toward hundreds of millions of usersNowCurrent milestone.

Most important updates

  • 5 May 2025
  • 30 Apr 2025
  • 30 Apr 2025
  • 17 Oct 2024
  • 24 Jul 2023

Current obstacles

  • Biometric privacy rulesPrivacy regulators have challenged consent and data retention, forcing deletions and suspensions in several countries.
  • Cost of OrbsVerifying needs physical hardware and an in-person visit, which slows growth.

Physics limits

  • Iris matching is probabilisticEach comparison has a tiny false-match chance. Checking a new person against a billion enrolled ones multiplies it a billion times, so thresholds must be extremely strict.
  • Biometrics can't be reissuedA leaked password can be changed; an iris can't. And proving a unique human at sign-up can't stop that person later selling or lending the credential.

How it works

4 parts
A World Orb held in hand: the mirrored sphere hides the cameras that image the iris, seen here from above
A World Orb held in hand: the mirrored sphere hides the cameras that image the iris, seen here from abovePhoto: Steve Jurvetson · CC BY 2.0 (opens flickr.com)
Orb

The Orb images your iris

The Orb takes multispectral images of the eyes and face, checks it's a live person and computes an iris code.

Uniqueness

Checked without one database

The iris code is split into encrypted shares held by separate parties, which jointly check it isn't already registered (multi-party computation).

World ID

A credential on your phone

Your phone holds a secret linked to a public list of verified people; the images themselves can be deleted from the Orb.

Proofs

Prove you're human, reveal nothing

Apps ask for a zero-knowledge proof that you're on the list; each app sees a different anonymous ID, so apps can't link you.

Update log

7 updates

Mon 5 May 2025

  • Minor: PressRegulatory

Wed 30 Apr 2025

  • Minor: PressPartnership
  • Major: BlogCommercial

Thu 17 Oct 2024

  • Minor: PressHardware

Wed 6 Mar 2024

  • Minor: RegulatorRegulatory

Wed 2 Aug 2023

  • Minor: PressRegulatory

Mon 24 Jul 2023

  • Major: BlogCommercial

About Tools for Humanity

The team behind World ID and the Orb

Tools for Humanity

World ID, Orb iris scanner, World Chain

Co-founded by Sam Altman and Alex Blania, it builds World (formerly Worldcoin). Its Orb scans irises to issue World ID, an anonymous proof you're a unique human. It also makes the World App wallet and World Chain. Encryption and ZK proofs keep your identity hidden.

  • About 17.8M people had been verified by an Orb by Feb 2026.
  • Launched in the US in April 2025 after Kenya, Spain and others paused or limited iris scanning.
  • Iris codes are split into encrypted shares held by different parties, so no single database holds them.

toolsforhumanity.com (opens toolsforhumanity.com)Company profile →

Founded
20197 yrs
Headquarters
United StatesGermany
Status
Private
Valuation
private
Works in
CryptoDigital identityAI
Coverage
1 program · 7 updateslatest 5 May 2025checked 25 Sep
People
Alex BlaniaCo-founder & CEOSam AltmanCo-founder & Chairman
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