World Network Secures $135M to Scale Orb-Based Digital ID Expansion in U.S.

World Network, the digital identity initiative backed by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, has raised $135 million in a token sale to accelerate the deployment of its iris-scanning Orb devices across major U.S. cities. Early investors Andreessen Horowitz and Bain Capital crypto participated in the funding round, underscoring institutional confidence in the project’s vision of AI-proof identity verification.

The network now boasts over 26 million users and 12.5 million verified World IDs, demonstrating rapid adoption since launch. Capital will fuel three key initiatives: physical Orb deployment, WLD token circulation incentives, and miniapp development to streamline digital onboarding. With $250 million raised to date, the project is transitioning toward a self-sustaining model supported by in-app fees and global scaling.

World ID’s unique value proposition lies in its biometric verification of humanity—a critical differentiator in an era of proliferating AI-generated identities. The project’s tokenomics leverage WLD rewards to drive user adoption while maintaining privacy through zero-knowledge proofs. This expansion positions World Network as a potential infrastructure LAYER for web3 authentication and AI-content filtering.