Worldcoin news

Worldcoin Foundation, now known as World, has released ProveKit v1, an open-source toolkit enabling developers to create privacy-preserving authentication using zero-knowledge proofs on standard consumer devices. The production-ready release arrived on September 2 after two years of development and an early-access period starting in April 2026. ProveKit v1 performs client-side proof generation, keeping all personal data on the user's device. On standard smartphones, proof generation takes seconds, and under 30 seconds on lower-end devices. The toolkit uses the Noir programming language, compiles to R1CS constraints, and employs a WHIR-based proof system derived from Spartan, achieving 128-bit post-quantum security without a trusted setup. The toolkit includes CLI tooling and bindings for Rust, JavaScript, Swift, Kotlin, and C-compatible interfaces. World has used ProveKit internally since April 2026 for its World ID platform, and it has undergone security audits, including one by Least Authority. The team is already developing ProveKit v2, aiming to improve proof sizes and speed, with plans to integrate Groth16 for more efficient on-chain verification across multiple blockchains.

Eightco Holdings, a major corporate holder of Worldcoin's WLD token, reported a $207.6 million cumulative unrealized loss on its position as of June 30, according to its Aug. 7 filing. The company held 283.45 million WLD with a cost basis of $322.7 million and a fair value of $115.1 million. Its operating subsidiary, Forever 8, faces financial strain after its dominant customer, responsible for about 99% of revenue, worsened and disposed of company-funded inventory without authorization, leading to a $7.8 million credit-loss allowance. Despite the paper loss and suspended order fulfillment, Eightco reported $148.8 million in near-cash liquidity and no substantial doubt about its ability to continue as a going concern. However, the company has relied heavily on equity issuance, with shares outstanding rising 109% in the first half, and received a Nasdaq bid-price deficiency notice. The balance-sheet test hinges on whether further operating losses or a weak share price limit additional capital raising, rather than the unrealized loss alone.

World Foundation, the nonprofit behind Worldcoin, raised $52.5 million by selling 217.4 million WLD tokens at $0.2415 each. The sale comes amid sustained price pressure, with WLD dropping over 10% to around $0.34 despite a recent reduction in daily token emissions. The tokens sold are subject to a 12-month lockup, which removes immediate sell pressure. Investors including Pantera Capital, Bain Capital Crypto, and Eightco Holdings participated, betting on enterprise demand for World ID's 'proof of human' technology as AI use proliferates. The altcoin's decline contrasts with gains in Bitcoin and Ethereum over the past month. The lockup expires in July 2027, leaving the future disposition of the purchased tokens dependent on the project's enterprise adoption by that time.

World Foundation has raised $52.5 million through a strategic sale of WLD tokens, with investors including Pantera Capital and Bain Capital Crypto agreeing to a one-year lockup. The funding will expand World ID technology, which uses biometric verification to distinguish humans from AI online. The project has drawn privacy scrutiny globally but now boasts nearly 40 million users, with integrations on platforms like Zoom and Tinder. Including this sale, World and its related entities have raised approximately $492.5 million in total funding.

Grayscale has filed with the SEC to launch the first US ETF tied to Worldcoin's WLD token. The Grayscale Worldcoin ETF would hold WLD and trade on Nasdaq under the ticker GWLD, with BitGo as custodian and BNY Mellon as transfer agent. WLD jumped about 8% on the news to an intraday high of $0.387, though it remains down 5.5% on the week. The project, co-founded by OpenAI's Sam Altman, uses iris scanning for proof of personhood and has faced regulatory scrutiny. If approved, the ETF would offer everyday investors exposure to Worldcoin through a brokerage account. The filing is the latest step in Grayscale's expansion of its crypto ETF lineup.

Grayscale Investments has filed an S-1 registration statement with the SEC for the first US-based Worldcoin ETF, which would track the WLD token. The proposed fund, named Grayscale Worldcoin ETF, is set to list on Nasdaq under the ticker GWLD. BitGo Bank & Trust will custody the WLD tokens, with BNY Mellon acting as administrator and transfer agent, and CSC Delaware Trust Company as trustee. The filing did not disclose management fees, seed investment, or authorized participants. WLD is an ERC-20 token on Ethereum, native to World, a biometric human verification project founded by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman. The ETF adds to Grayscale's existing 17 crypto-related exchange-traded products, including those for Bitcoin, XRP, Solana, Ether, Dogecoin, and Chainlink.

Grayscale Investments has filed with the SEC to launch an exchange-traded fund tied to Worldcoin's WLD token. The Grayscale Worldcoin ETF would hold the native cryptocurrency of the World Network and trade on Nasdaq under generic listing standards, with BNY Mellon as transfer agent and BitGo as custodian. Worldcoin, co-founded by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, focuses on biometric identification and blockchain technology. The filing is part of Grayscale's broader expansion of crypto investment products, following its successful conversion of the Bitcoin Trust into an ETF and launches of Ethereum, Dogecoin, Solana, and Chainlink funds.

Grayscale filed an S-1 with the SEC on July 20 for a spot Worldcoin (WLD) exchange-traded fund, to be listed on Nasdaq under ticker GWLD. The trust was formed on July 10, with BitGo as custodian and BNY Mellon as administrator. The Grayscale Bitcoin Trust became a spot ETF in January 2024, followed by Solana and Dogecoin funds in 2025. The filing lists significant risks: several countries restricted Worldcoin's eyeball-scanning Orb between 2024 and 2025. The top 100 wallets hold about 90% of circulating WLD, and team/investor tokens unlock until July 2028. WLD trades near $0.375, up 3.3% on the day but 97% below its March 2024 peak of $11.74. The ETF cannot launch until SEC and Nasdaq approvals.

Worldcoin is set to reduce its WLD token unlock rate by 43% on July 24, lowering daily emissions from 5.1 million to 2.9 million tokens. However, with 49% of the total supply already unlocked, the market is focused on whether slower new supply can offset the large existing float and generate sustained demand. The token's utility hinges on World ID adoption as proof-of-human infrastructure. Recent integrations with Zoom and DocuSign signal potential, but demand must be validated through fee volume or token burns. Regulatory scrutiny in Europe, including GDPR-related actions in Spain and Germany, adds uncertainty to the adoption timeline.

While tokens like Worldcoin (WLD), Jito (JTO), and Hyperliquid (HYPE) posted significant gains—WLD surged 149.6%, JTO rose 46.7%, and HYPE hit a new all-time high of $77—the broader altcoin market showed little improvement. CoinGecko data reveals that the 'others' dominance, which tracks altcoins excluding Bitcoin, Ethereum, and stablecoins, slipped from 21.41% to 21.16% over the past month and is down from 23.55% at the start of the year. Meanwhile, Bitcoin dominance also fell from 58.16% to 56.96%, with stablecoin dominance rising from 10.79% to 12.53%, absorbing the freed market share. CryptoQuant data further indicates 15 consecutive months of net altcoin spot selling, with a cumulative buy-versus-sell volume difference of -$240 billion—the deepest negative reading since 2020. This persistent selling pressure underscores that the recent rallies in specific tokens were driven by unique catalysts, such as WLD's association with AI and OpenAI, JTO's Solana infrastructure momentum, and HYPE's protocol revenue. Analysts suggest that for a genuine altcoin season to emerge, 'others' dominance would need to reclaim 22.5% and move back toward its year-to-date level of 23.55%, stablecoin dominance would need to roll over, and the buy-sell gap would need to improve for several consecutive weeks.