World, the blockchain-based human verification initiative formerly known as Worldcoin, announced on Friday that it has surpassed 10 million sign-ups globally.

Launched in 2023 with backing from OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, the project leverages small electronic metal ball to scan users’ eyeballs and verify that they are humans. Participants who complete the scan and sign up are rewarded with WLD tokens.

World aims to address the growing need to distinguish between AI agents and human actors in an increasingly digital age. In a blog post published on the World website, it writes

"As Ai continues to advance, the ability to prove humanness online is only becoming more important."

“As AI continues to advance, the ability to prove humanness online is only becoming more important,” World emphasized in a recent blog post.

In addition to verifying over 10 million users, the World App has also been downloaded more than 20 million times.

Expanding its footprints while addressing concerns

World’s achieved one of its biggest accomplishment last year when the app launched in Brazil, a nation of more than 215 million. Brazil has also shown a general favorable attitude towards cryptocurrency.

Despite its growth, the world has faced criticism from data privacy advocates and scrutiny from regulatory bodies, particularly in Europe.

In December, the Bavarian State Office for Data Protection Supervision ordered the app to delete the biometric data it has collected from scanning people's eyeballs . But World clarified that the concerns the agency had were pertaining to older practices and technologies that the companies used in the past, and all the vulnerabilities were all mended after the tech company changed all the outdated operations and technologies in 2024.

Throughout 2024, World actively worked to align with regulatory requirements, aiming to expand its footprint across additional markets. The project is now operational in over 160 countries, further showcasing its global ambitions.