Blockchain Capital led a $115 million Series C fundraising round for a cryptocurrency business that OpenAI CEO Sam Altman co-founded.
Worldcoin distributes crypto tokens “just for being a unique individual.” The project scans irises to verify identity and gives tokens for free.
Privacy concerns have plagued Worldcoin. For example, Edward Snowden tweeted, “Don’t catalogue eyeballs,” in response to Altman’s 2021 project announcement.
Worldcoin’s website says the token won’t be available in the US and other nations.
After several crypto initiatives failed in 2022, including Sam Bankman-Fried’s FTX, the digital asset industry is trying to recover.
Worldcoin’s newest funding included a16z crypto, Bain Capital Crypto, and Distributed Global.
With interest in artificial intelligence skyrocketing, Altman and OpenAI, the firm behind ChatGPT, have been in the spotlight since late last year. Last week, he urged technology regulation before a Senate subcommittee.