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The Human ID initiative Worldcoin registered over 9,500 users in Argentina within a single day in August, establishing a record for daily signups. To accomplish this, facilitators onboarded participants at an average pace of under nine seconds per individual, as stated in an announcement from the project on Aug. 31.
Argentina ranks among the top nations globally for blockchain innovation and cryptocurrency adoption. This status was recently reaffirmed, as the demand for World ID resulted in 9.5K Orb verifications within 24 hours—a new worldwide record. https://t.co/DEMx1Yda2O
— Worldcoin (@worldcoin) August 31, 2023
According to the project’s website, Worldcoin has facilitators operating in 38 distinct locations across Argentina, with the majority situated in the capital city, Buenos Aires.
Worldcoin is a blockchain-driven initiative that enables individuals to verify their humanity through iris scans. Upon confirming their humanness, users receive a “World ID” that can be utilized in future applications to demonstrate they are not bots or artificial intelligence systems. The project was established by Sam Altman, a co-founder of OpenAI, who posited that human IDs will be essential in the future as AI technologies advance and become increasingly indistinguishable from humans.
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Launched on July 25, Worldcoin faced immediate backlash from advocates for data privacy. Detractors argued that the project is overly centralized and poses risks of leaking users’ biometric information, which could have adverse effects on individuals.
In their post on Aug. 31, the team noted that many Argentinians are enrolling for World IDs despite the ongoing debate. “There was a notable rise in demand for World ID verifications in various countries [after launch],” they remarked. This trend “continued into August, which saw 9.5K Argentinians verify their World ID in a single day.”
The announcement also indicated that the influx of signups led the Worldcoin app to “temporarily become the top app in Argentina on the App Store.”
Related: Bitcoin-friendly Javier Milei wins most votes in Argentina primary election
Worldcoin rewards new users with its native coin, WLD, upon registration. Currently, the signup incentive is 25 WLD, valued at approximately 10,239.48 Argentinian Pesos (ARS) or $29.25 in the open market. Based on cost-of-living data from the travel site Expatistan, this amount is sufficient to purchase two meals from the “basic lunchtime menu” in the business districts of major Argentine cities. The coin reached an all-time high on the day of its launch, when the 25 WLD bonus was valued at around 23,791 ARS, or $68.
The project asserts that it “is fully compliant with all laws and regulations pertaining to biometric data collection and data transfer.” In light of the criticism, the Argentinian government has initiated an investigation into Worldcoin’s privacy practices. Additionally, Worldcoin has been suspended in Kenya, and the team has issued a document contending that it has adhered to all privacy regulations in that country.
