Indonesia Freezes World Project After Shell-Permit Breach – 20 M Traders on Edge
Indonesia has suspended the operating certificates of Sam Altman’s digital identity venture, World (formerly Worldcoin), citing registration irregularities and unlicensed iris-scanning operations. The Ministry of Communication and Digital (Komdigi) found the project used shell entities to bypass local laws, raising ethical concerns over biometric data trading for crypto rewards.
The regulatory crackdown highlights vulnerabilities in crypto compliance frameworks, with PT Terang Bulan Abadi—Worldcoin’s local partner—failing to secure proper permits. The move leaves 20 million traders questioning the stability of projects leveraging sensitive personal data.