9K Argentinians Sign Up to Worldcoin Despite Criticism

The Worldcoin Human ID Project

In August, the Worldcoin Human ID project set a record for single-day sign-ups by onboarding over 9,500 users in Argentina in less than nine seconds per person, according to an Aug. 31 announcement. The project has facilitators located in 38 locations across Argentina, primarily in the capital city of Buenos Aires.

Worldcoin uses blockchain technology to verify a user’s humanity by scanning their irises. This process generates a “World ID” that can be used in future applications to prove that a user is not a bot or AI program. The project was founded by OpenAI co-founder Sam Altman, who believed human IDs would be necessary in the future as AI technology advances.

Since its launch on July 25, the Worldcoin project has received criticism from data privacy advocates. They argue that the project is too centralized and could potentially lead to the leakage of users’ biometric data, with negative consequences for users.

Worldcoin’s Popularity in Argentina

Despite the controversy, many Argentinians have been signing up for World IDs. On August 31, the Worldcoin team reported that there was a “significant increase in demand for World ID verifications in countries around the world [after launch],” with 9.5K Argentinians verifying their World IDs on a single day. This surge in sign-ups even caused the Worldcoin app to temporarily become the number one app in Argentina on the App Store.

New users receive 25 WLD (Worldcoin’s native coin) as a sign-up bonus, which is currently worth approximately 10,239.48 Argentine pesos (ARS), or $29.25 on the open market. According to Expatistan, this is enough to buy two meals from the “basic lunchtime menu” in the business districts of major cities within Argentina. On launch day, the 25 WLD bonus was worth approximately 23,791 ARS, or $68.

In response to criticism, the Argentine government has opened an investigation into Worldcoin’s privacy practices, and the project has also been suspended in Kenya. To address these concerns, the Worldcoin team has released a document arguing that it is “fully compliant with all laws and regulations governing biometric data collection and data transfer.”