The Worldcoin Foundation is launching World ID orb verifications in Austria to broaden its European presence.
According to a blog post, the initiative will use eyeball-scanning orbs placed in various locations throughout Vienna. This technology will enable people aged 18 and over to join the Worldcoin network by verifying their unique World ID.
Worldcoin Expands in Europe Amid Regulatory Challenges
Austria’s adoption of Worldcoin’s orb network follows Germany’s lead, marking a significant expansion of the project across Europe. Despite this growth, Worldcoin faces regulatory obstacles on the continent. Recently, Spain extended its ban on Worldcoin until a GDPR audit is completed. Similarly, Portugal imposed a temporary suspension on biometric data collection earlier this year due to data privacy concerns.
In response to these regulatory challenges, the Worldcoin Foundation highlighted the positive feedback from users in Spain and Portugal. A 2024 survey in Spain found that 82% of 21,000 World ID holders believe technologies like Worldcoin are crucial for distinguishing between humans and bots online, while 13% were unsure.
Worldcoin Expands in Europe Amid Regulatory Challenges
Austria’s adoption of Worldcoin’s orb network follows Germany’s example, marking a significant expansion of the project across Europe. However, Worldcoin continues to face regulatory challenges on the continent. Spain has recently extended its ban on Worldcoin until a GDPR audit is completed, and Portugal has imposed a temporary suspension on biometric data collection earlier this year due to data privacy concerns.
Despite these regulatory obstacles, the Worldcoin Foundation has received positive feedback from users in both Spain and Portugal. A 2024 survey in Spain revealed that 82% of 21,000 World ID holders view technologies like Worldcoin as essential for distinguishing between humans and bots online, with 13% unsure. Similarly, in Portugal, over 75% of 19,000 World ID holders agree that Worldcoin positively impacts their digital interactions, while 13% remain uncertain.
Worldcoin Enhances Data Privacy and Prepares for World Chain Launch
Worldcoin is taking proactive measures to address data privacy concerns with its new “Personal Custody” initiative. This project reinforces the commitment to protecting users’ biometric data by giving individuals more control over how their sensitive information is stored and deleted.
Looking ahead, Worldcoin is gearing up for the launch of its Layer 2 network, World Chain, which promises to enhance scalability and efficiency for the project. A developer preview of World Chain has already been released, allowing developers to test and provide feedback before the mainnet launch later this summer. Built on Ethereum within the Superchain framework, World Chain will be permissionless, open source, and community-governed.
The Worldcoin project, led by Tools for Humanity—co-founded by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman—aims to secure the future of the internet by distinguishing between human and non-human entities. Users validate their humanity through an iris scan and are rewarded with WLD tokens linked to their World IDs.
Recently, on June 26, Worldcoin partnered with the web3 infrastructure platform Alchemy. This collaboration will provide Worldcoin developers with Alchemy’s tools and infrastructure to build the new World Chain blockchain. The network will focus on human verification, digital identity, and decentralized applications while maintaining privacy and security standards.
Important: Please note that this article is only meant to provide information and should not be taken as legal, tax, investment, financial, or any other type of advice.
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