Sam Altman's crypto venture Worldcoin has signed a deal with Malaysia’s research arm to integrate its technology into the country’s digital infrastructure.
Signing the Agreement
The Worldcoin Foundation, Tools for Humanity, and MyEG have signed a memorandum of understanding with MIMOS Berhad, the Malaysian government’s research and development arm, to integrate its biometrics technology into Malaysian infrastructure. In an August 16 announcement, the foundation revealed that Malaysia plans to leverage the Worldcoin protocol and TFH technologies to improve ongoing and future work related to digital credentials. The partnership will also introduce Worldcoin’s iris imaging technology to Malaysia.
Worldcoin's International Expansion
The latest agreement follows Worldcoin’s recent expansion into Europe and Latin America. Worldcoin’s proof of personhood system, which uses iris scans to create unique biometric identifiers, is already operational in Germany and recently expanded its services to Austria with new verification locations in Vienna. The foundation says over 6.4 million humans so far have verified their humanness globally with Worldcoin.
Founders and Investor Support
Despite these advancements, Worldcoin has faced privacy-related challenges. The project encountered regulatory issues in Hong Kong, Portugal, and Spain over concerns about the handling of biometric data. Nevertheless, Worldcoin continues to expand internationally and attract investor support. Founded in 2019 by Sam Altman, alongside Max Novendstern and Alex Blania, Worldcoin secured $115 million in a series C funding round in May 2023. Blockchain Capital led the round, which also included Andreessen Horowitz, Bain Capital Crypto, and Distributed Global.
Worldcoin's international successes and partnerships indicate the growing importance of biometric technologies. Despite regulatory challenges, the project continues to actively expand into various countries and receive investor support.
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