Worldcoin: the cryptocurrency that gives you money for scanning your iris

Can you imagine receiving free money just for letting a machine capture an image of your eye? What if that money was a cryptocurrency that promises to revolutionize the world of finance and digital identity? Well, that's what Worldcoin offers, the ambitious project led by Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI, the parent company of ChatGPT, the most advanced artificial intelligence on the planet.

Worldcoin is an initiative that combines two elements: a digital currency called WLD and a biometric verification system called World ID. The goal is to create a global network of people who can access financial, social and educational services without intermediaries, without bureaucracy and without the risk of fraud. To do this, Worldcoin uses a device called ORB, which scans users' irises and assigns them a unique and non-transferable identity. This ensures that each person is real and not a malicious bot.

But what do people gain by participating in this project? Well, nothing less than a part of the ownership of Worldcoin. Yes, you read it right. Each person who registers with ORB receives an amount of WLD, Worldcoin's cryptocurrency, which they can use, store or exchange as they wish. Additionally, by being part of the network, users can access benefits such as loans, remittances, education, health, and other services that Worldcoin plans to offer in the future.

Since its launch in July 2023, Worldcoin has already registered more than 2 million users in 35 countries, including Spain, where it has been very well received. According to Tiago Sada, director of Product, Engineering and Design at Tools for Humanity, the company in charge of Worldcoin in Spain, the project has an average of 6 thousand weekly registrations and more than 250 thousand verified people in ORB.

However, not all benefits. Worldcoin has also generated controversy and criticism for its use of people's biometric data. Some organizations defending digital and consumer rights have denounced that Worldcoin does not adequately inform users about the treatment given to their irises, nor about the risks involved in transferring such sensitive and personal information. In addition, they have warned that Worldcoin could violate the data protection regulations in force in some countries, such as Spain, where the Spanish Data Protection Agency has confirmed that it is investigating the project.

Worldcoin, for its part, has defended that it respects the privacy and security of users, and that it does not store or share the images of the irises, but rather converts them into an encrypted code that can only be read by the ORB itself. Likewise, he has assured that his objective is to create an inclusive and democratic network, where all participants have a voice and vote in the decisions that affect the project.

What do you think of Worldcoin? Would you dare to scan your iris for a cryptocurrency? Do you think it is an opportunity or a threat?